Kyoto Private & Customizable Tour with English-Speaking Driver
Description
At Kyosaka Tours, we offer more than just a ride — we create a seamless, personalized, and culturally immersive travel experience across Kyoto and beyond. Our mission is to make every journey effortless and memorable, guided by friendly, English-speaking drivers who understand and anticipate the needs of international travelers. Enjoy the comfort of clean, well-maintained vehicles, flexible itineraries, and door-to-door service that adapts to your schedule and interests. Whether you want to uncover hidden local gems, follow scenic countryside routes, or make spontaneous stops along the way, our team ensures your trip is as smooth, enriching, and enjoyable as possible.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Stroll through towering bamboo stalks in a peaceful forest setting, a truly magical and serene experience.
Admire the stunning Zen temple covered in gold leaf, reflected beautifully in its surrounding pond.
Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” this lively market street is about 400 meters long and lined with over 100 shops and stalls. Highlights: Local delicacies: pickles, tofu, matcha sweets, fresh seafood, wagyu skewers, and seasonal produce. Souvenirs like Kyoto-style knives, chopsticks, and handcrafted goods. Family-run stalls with food samples and traditional snacks.
Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are two beautifully preserved stone-paved streets in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district. Lined with traditional wooden townhouses, shops, and tea houses, they lead up to the famous Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Known for their historic charm, local snacks, and souvenir shops, these scenic slopes offer one of the most authentic old Kyoto experiences.
Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto’s most famous temples, known for its grand wooden stage overlooking the city. Founded in 778, it offers stunning views, seasonal beauty, and the sacred Otowa Waterfall, where visitors drink for health, success, and longevity.
Fushimi Inari-taisha is Kyoto’s most important Shinto shrine, dedicated to Inari, the god of rice and prosperity. It is world-famous for its thousands of bright red torii gates forming paths up Mount Inari, creating one of Japan’s most iconic sights. Visitors can hike through the gates, explore smaller shrines along the way, and enjoy panoramic views over Kyoto.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We offer flexible pickup options from airports, hotels, train stations, and popular landmarks in Kyoto. Please provide your exact location and preferred pickup time when booking. Extended Area Pick-Up/Drop-Off (Osaka, Nara, Kobe Port) — Offered as an additional paid service. ✅ Free waiting time (up to 60 minutes at airports) ✅ 24/7 availability, including late-night pickups ✅ Luggage assistance included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(5)
Non-native guide, poor English with heavy accent very hard to understand, skipped key itinerary sites, wrong information about culture and sites (a security guard at one of the itinerary sites was actually correcting the mid-information provided by the guide), no entry fees included in site visits. Guide cut tour short by full hour. Not recommended.
"Dear Susan, Thank you for providing feedback regarding your tour on February 19th. We strive to provide excellent service to all our guests, and we are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We would like to clarify a few points regarding the service provided: Tour Duration: Our records and the driver’s log indicate the tour concluded early at your group's specific request, as you mentioned needing to return to Kobe ahead of schedule. We always respect our guests' timing preferences. Guide vs. Driver: This specific package is an 'English-Speaking Driver' service. As noted in our description, a professional licensed guide is an optional add-on. Despite this, our experienced driver made an extra effort to provide basic information and assist your group. especially in finding the closest possible parking to accommodate your elderly companion. Site Conduct: Regarding the interaction with the security guard, our driver noted that the guard was requesting the group move from a prohibited seating area for safety reasons, rather than correcting historical information. Inclusions: As per the 'Exclusions' section on our Viator listing, entry fees are the responsibility of the guest, which allows for a fully customizable itinerary. We attempted to reach out to you directly several times to discuss these misunderstandings but have not yet received a reply. We take all feedback seriously and will use this to further refine our communication regarding service expectations."
Great private tour with an excellent guide in Ravi. Very knowledgeable, helpful and adapted the tour to suit our needs.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your private tour and that Ravi was able to make your experience memorable. Your kind words about his knowledge, helpfulness, and flexibility truly mean a lot to us. It was our pleasure to customize the tour to suit your needs, and we’re very happy to know you had a great time in Kyoto. We hope to welcome you again on your next visit to Japan!
Excellent service. Very professional. Knowledgeable driver. Saw all the sites as mentioned. Have used company twice. Highly recommended
Thank you so much for your kind words and for choosing our service! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tours and found our driver professional and knowledgeable. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you again on your future travels..!
Yasith is the G. O. A. T. ( greatest of all time ). Kyoto is a must see and I would use this tour and guide. Yasith went above and beyond and made our experience a memorable one.
"Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed Kyoto and had a memorable experience with our tour. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you again for another adventure in Japan!"
Touring around Kyoto, in some of it's majestic temples and gardens, and well known Gion St. Weather did not cooperate with our 1 day tour, however, we made do with a few adjustments to our trip.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We’re truly glad to hear that you enjoyed exploring Kyoto’s beautiful temples, gardens, and Gion Street—even though the weather was not fully on our side that day. Your flexibility and positive attitude made all the difference, and it was a pleasure touring with you. We hope you left with great memories and would love to welcome you back in the future — hopefully under sunnier skies! Warmest regards, Kyosaka Tours Team
