Top Kyoto Cultural & Theme Tours

Kyoto Cultural Forest, Shrine and Temple Tour with Options

• 15 Reviews
• This guided tour helps you discover lots of Kyoto’s dispersed temples, shrines, and cultural attractions in one day. You’ll save time researching and planning your trip, by having the itinerary organized for you. You’ll travel in an air-conditioned coach, and it’ll be a hassle-free day with a guarantee to skip the lines. Highlights include Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, the Inari Shrines, Sagano Bamboo Forest, and Kyoto Cultural Forest.
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Private Excursion to Nara

• Make the most of your limited time in Kansai. Explore the iconic temples and scenic gardens of Nara Park with an English-speaking guide. Enjoy a hassle-free trip as your guide reserves your train tickets and navigates Nara for you. Marvel at the Great Buddha in Todaiji Temple and meet the divine deer of Nara. Return by train in the early afternoon, with time to continue your sightseeing in Kyoto.
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MAIKO (Geisha) Performance

• Enjoy 1.5 hours Maiko(apprentice Geisha) performance include dancing. Learn about Maiko cultures and differences between Maiko and Geisha.Enjoy Questions & answer time with Maiko about costumes, cultures, and others.Play Ozashiki-game, traditional party game with Maiko.Licensed English interpreter will guide you.Get a special name card(千社札) .photo shooting with Maikoinclude free help-yourself drinks
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Small-group Kyoto Walking Tour including Traditional Japanese Snacks and Drinks

• 15 Reviews
• Experience the glowing lanterns and lively atmosphere of Kyoto after dark on this 3.5-hour evening walking tour with a small group. Experience the ancient Japanese capital after dark as you stroll the city’s serene back streets and visit city landmarks like Yasaka Shrine, the Pontocho restaurant district, and a ‘tachinomiya’ stand and drink shop for included food and drink samples.
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Expert-Led Tour of Kyoto: Shinto and Buddhism

• 13 Reviews
• Investigate the fascinating Japanese religious traditions and monuments of Shintoism and Buddhism on this 3-hour, small-group walking tour of Kyoto led by a local scholar. Admire Kyoto’s most important ceremonial sites, including Yasaka Shrine, Kennin-ji Temple and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Along the way you’ll gain a newfound appreciation for Japanese religious rituals and practices, including Shintoism, a belief system indigenous to Japan, and Buddhism, which was imported from China and Central Asia. Best of all, this intimate tour, limited to just 6 guests, ensures a personalized experience.
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1 Hour Guided Walking Tour of the Golden Pavilion Kinkaku-ji Temple

• ​With a licensed and experienced English speaking guide, this short trip is a fantastic and great value way of experiencing Japan!This exquisite Zen Buddhist temple is officially named Rokuonji, however, people more commonly refer to it as Kinkaku-ji or Golden Pavillion. The name comes from the top two floors of the temple, lavishly covered with gold leaf. A pond surrounds the temple and on clear days its golden reflection can be seen shimmering in the water.Tour Schedule :10:00am - 11:00am11:30am - 12:30pm1:00pm - 2:00pm
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1 Hour Guided Walking Tour of the Silver Pavilion Ginkaku-ji Temple

• ​With a licensed and experienced English speaking guide, this short trip is a fantastic and great value way of experiencing Japan!As the retirement villa of an art obsessed shogun, Ginkaku-ji became a center of contemporary culture, known as the Higashiyama Culture in contrast to the Kitayama Culture of his grandfather's times. Unlike the Kitayama Culture, which is famous for the Golden Pavillion Kinkaku-ji Temple, the Higashiyama Culture had a broad impact on the entire country. The arts developed and refined during the time include the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, noh theater, poetry, garden design and architecture.Tour Schedule :10:00am - 11:00am11:30am - 12:30pm1:00pm - 2:00pm
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Kyoto Early Bird Tour

• Kyoto is one of Japan’s most popular travel destinations and with over 50 million annual visitors, it can get busy. This tour makes an early start so you can avoid the crowds and cram much more into your day. Stroll around the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove before the tour groups arrive, visit Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion) right as it opens, and walk through the torii gates of Fushimi Inari (Shrine) before the midday heat.
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1 Hour Guided Walking Tour of Kiyomizu-dera Temple

• ​With a licensed and experienced English speaking guide, this short trip is a fantastic and great value way of experiencing Japan!Kiyomizudera is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of color in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. Tour Schedule :10:00am - 11:00am11:30am - 12:30pm1:00pm - 2:00pm
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Half Day Small-Group Kyoto Cultural Tour

• 292 Reviews
• Discover the stunning Zen gardens, colorful temples and ancient shrines of Kyoto on this 3.5-hour, small-group walking tour that’s limited to just 12 participants. Experience the elegant architecture and sublime religious monuments of this historic Japanese city, once the imperial capital, as you join a guide on visits to the Gion Geisha district, Tofukuji Temple and more. This small-group Kyoto experience also includes snacks and all entrance fees.
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KYOTO: HALF DAY WITH A LOCAL

• It can be daunting as a first-time visitor to Japan to cope with language barriers and navigate around a new place. On this Kyoto half-day tour, you’ll take the stress out of travel planning by having a local host to plan your day. You’ll explore one or two neighborhoods of your choice, walking past multiple top attractions and learning about Japanese culture from your guide. By traveling with a local, you’ll learn about hidden secrets off the beaten track that tourists wouldn’t usually visit.
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1 Hour Guided Tour of Nijo-jo Castle

• ​With a licensed and experienced English speaking guide, this short trip is a fantastic and great value way of experiencing Japan!Explore Nijo-jo Castle on a 90-minute guided tour conducted by a City of Kyoto-certified guide. The gorgeous style of this castle was intended as a demonstration of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616)'s prestige.​ Learn why the best example of feudal era castle architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site is significant in terms of history, culture, and art history. Come enjoy the tour, the best way to explore Nijo-jo Castle!Tour Schedule :10:00am - 11:00am11:30am - 12:30pm1:00pm - 2:00pm
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Kyoto Nishiki Market Tour with 7 Course Lunch

• 7 Reviews
• The Nishiki Food Market, known to locals as the “Kitchen of Kyoto,” is a huge 400-year-old market sprawling with food vendors. Navigate what can be an overwhelming space with the help of your guide, whose insight into the local food scene will give you a taste of Japanese culture — and plenty of food. All food tastings are included as per itinerary.
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Gion by Night: Culture Performance with Dinner

• 77 Reviews
• Get a taste for the traditional Japanese arts in Kyoto during this 4-hour, small-group cultural performance complemented by an authentic Japanese-style dinner. Enjoy a diverse range of performances covering Japanese arts including ‘maiko’ dancing, flower arrangement, ‘gagaku’ court music, puppet theater and much more. Finish your experience with an atmospheric tea ceremony, conducted by candlelight, followed by a delicious dinner. This small-group event, limited to just 24 guests, also includes a guide and round-trip transport by taxi to select Kyoto hotels.
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EXPLORE GION, KYOTO'S HISTORIC GEISHA DISTRICT

• For outsiders, Japanese culture can be difficult to grasp but this guided tour offers the chance to get a locals' eye view of one of the most traditional of Japanese settings. Accompanied by a guide, stroll through the historic streets of Kyoto's Gion district, famed for its scenic cobbled streets lit by paper lanterns, traditional architecture, and association with geiko and maiko culture. Visit Pontocho alley, one of Japan's oldest nightlife areas, and stroll by geisha teahouses as your guide offers insights into local culture.
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Tea Ceremony in a Kimono in Osaka

• 8 Reviews
• Get acquainted with one of Japan’s most famous traditions during a tea ceremony and kimono-wearing experience in Osaka. Alongside a Japanese tea master, you’ll witness the ritual of making green tea while wearing a Japanese kimono, which are suitable for both men and women. Plus, you’ll sample Japanese sweets and enjoy premium green tea while learning about local culture.
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Japanese Tea Ceremony with a Tea Master at Wakwak-kan

• 114 Reviews
• Experience the traditions of Japan with a 1- or 1.5-hour tea ceremony in Kyoto and learn the origins of this ancient practice. Choose from one of two different tea ceremony options, including a 1-hour session hosted in a machiya (typical wooden house) and a 1.5-hour ceremony complete with kimono dress. Your ceremony includes a guide, who will provide translation.
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Maiko Performance with Kaiseki Dinner in Kyoto

• 78 Reviews
• Immerse yourself in the beguiling beauty of the ‘maiko’ (apprentice geisha) scene during an exquisite evening of culture and cuisine at Gion Hatanaka. Gain fascinating insight into ancient Japanese customs as you chat with maikos and capture photographs to immortalize your memorable evening. Sip on a selection of unlimited drinks and pleasure your palate with delicacies inspired by ‘kaiseki’ cuisine, a traditional Japanese cooking style. Enhance your cultural experience of Japan on this enriching evening tour.
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Enchanted Time with Maiko: Main Tour

• 1 Review
• For many years, Geisha have learned to entertain their guests through games, song, dance, and conversation. Get to know the Maiko, or Geisha apprentice, and enjoy a traditional Japanese dinner in a tatami room. Watch an authentic Maiko performance, and learn ozashiki asobe, or party games. Enjoy unlimited drinks during the evening in a comfortable atmosphere.
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Western Kyoto Spiritual Tour: Forest Spirits of Bamboo and Zen

• Have a spiritual experience missed by most visitors to Japan on this tour from Kyoto. Journey outside of the city into the picturesque surroundings of the Hozu river, surrounded by mountains and bamboo groves. Visit ancient Buddhist temples and enrich your experience of Japan's spiritual side with a guided Zen meditation session with a resident monk. Afterward enjoy a traditional matcha green tea ceremony.
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Zen meditation at SHUNKOIN (Kyoto)

• Learn the practical aspects of Zen philosophy & meditationMindfulness & meditation have great benefits for our hectic modern lives—let us be your guide in beginning your journey and help you look inside.Shunko-in Temple offers Zen meditation classes and temple tours in English. The American-educated vice abbot will lead you in the basics of Zen meditation, followed by a tour of the temple.If you find yourself in Kyoto or are planning on coming, please consider joining one of our courses.
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Small-Group Tea House Experience with a Maiko in Kyoto

• Get access to one of Japan’s most clandestine living traditions during this exclusive small-group dinner with a real-life Geisha-in-training. Enjoy a private Japanese-style banquet and get a rare glimpse of an ohcaya teahouse, normally off-limits to the public. Tours include hotel pickup in a private taxi and your own personal group guide—plus games and dance performances from the Maiko.
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Kimono Rental in a Japanese Traditional House

• Stroll around Kyoto in a traditional kimono for the best vacation photographs with this convenient kimono rental package. You’ll visit a machiya (a traditional wooden townhouse) located in the heart of the city, and select a kimono from an array of colors and patterns. This kimono rental includes the option to upgrade for hairstyling service for women and girls, and allows you to skip the expense of buying your own kimono.
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Authentic Kimono Plan in Kyoto

• When visiting the historic city of Kyoto, you’ll see many women walking around in authentic kimono. if you want to try wearing kimono yourself, this tour is for you. You’ll be able to choose your favorite print from over 200 designers. Experienced staff will help you dress. You’ll then be able to wear your kimono to appreciate Kyoto’s historical sights and take photographs.
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