Private car tour Let's uncover secrets of majestic Kyoto history
Description
This tour is perfect for seniors, families, or groups of friends. All you need to do is hop into the van and relax as your guide takes you around in a spacious van. We will show you a wonderful mix of hidden gems and famous landmarks — an easy choice! I'll also help capture beautiful photos with my DSLR camera during the tour. Kid-friendly route adjustment. Idal for hot, rainy, or busy days in Kyoto. Custom mini adjustment This tour gives you the chance to explore off-the-beaten-path spots, away from the crowded tourist attractions. We’re happy to recommend a great lunch, whether you’re craving sushi, ramen, tempura, wagyu, or something else. Our tour itineraries are confidential and exclusive to our guests. Trust us with your time! If there’s a particular place you’d like to visit, just let us know. We can usually include one requested spot in the itinerary.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This shrine will immerse you in the remarkable view of thousands of tri-gates. Surprisingly, one whole mountain is the shrine premises, including long stretch of bamboo forest taril and peaceful birds chirping. Some giant gates and buildings in the entrance are very clean and beautiful, but as it goes deeper, more abandoned but solemn shrines appear, which look being depicted in some anime. It is a way to go to this huge shrine with guide's help to reach out to those mentioned above unless you are good with hitting to massive crowd.
Tucked away in the quiet northern edge of Kyoto, Renge-ji is the kind of place that reveals the city’s beauty without trying to impress you. Its small pond garden, framed by the wooden pillars of the temple hall, feels almost like a living painting—still water, moss-covered stones, delicate bridges, and maple trees leaning gently over the surface. In spring and summer, the garden glows with deep green; in autumn, it becomes one of Kyoto’s most intimate scenes of color, with red and gold leaves reflected softly in the pond. Renge-ji is not a temple of grand scale or spectacle. Its power is in silence, proportion, and restraint. Sitting before the garden, you begin to notice the slow movement of water, the shape of each stone, and the way Kyoto’s seasons are expressed without noise. For travelers who want to experience a more contemplative side of Kyoto, Renge-ji offers something rare: a moment where the city feels ancient, private, and deeply peaceful.
Set in the quiet village of Ōhara, Hōsen-in is known for its beautiful “framed garden,” where the temple’s wooden pillars turn the scenery into a living painting. From the tatami room, visitors can admire moss, bamboo, stone, and an ancient pine in peaceful silence. Beyond its beauty, Hōsen-in also carries deep history, including a blood ceiling connected to Fushimi Castle. It is a small but powerful place where Kyoto’s elegance, stillness, and memory come together.
Set in southeastern Kyoto, Daigo-ji is a grand temple complex known for its historic buildings, mountain setting, and beautiful seasonal scenery. Its five-story pagoda, built in 951, is one of Kyoto’s oldest surviving wooden structures. Daigo-ji is especially famous for cherry blossoms. In 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a legendary flower-viewing party here, and the temple still carries that elegant spring atmosphere today.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Travelers must let us know the hotel pick up location in advance. (mostly, hotel names & adress that you will be staying on the morning of the day.) The pickup location is limited to the area listed
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum age requirement for alcohol consumption is 18 years of age
Reviews(48)
We had an excellent experience with Takashi seeing the hidden gems of Kyoto. This is a tour you do if you don’t want to just tick off the insta-famous Kyoto crowded places. We saw four temples, each very memorable. Each temple was quiet and special, with just a few local people visiting. It made the tour memorable. We also got to try a ramen place recommended by Takashi with the best fish based broth you can imagine.
Takashi was an excellent guide! He took us to several beautiful yet peaceful temples and shrines, away from the usual tourist crowds. He took us to a wonderful hot spring tea cafe and then later a lunch spot that matched our preferences perfectly. He picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel, which was a big plus for us since our hotel was a bit far from downtown, where the usual bus tours start and end. Takashi is easy to talk to, and his English is excellent, which made the day even more enjoyable. We really appreciated the thoughtful itinerary he prepared for us. If you’re looking for a relaxing and authentic sightseeing experience in Kyoto, we highly recommend booking a private tour with Takashi.
Booked this tour because we wanted to experience the real non-touristy parts of Kyoto, Takashi was the perfect guide. As a native of Kyoto, he knew the areas well. We had already visited one of his planned temples and he was able to adjust it immediately to another one. The hidden temple he took us to was one of our favorite. SInce it was a rainy day, the sounds of rain drops really enhanced the serenity of the temple. Because it was a private tour, before we head to the next site, he would always confer with us to make sure we were interested before going there. His choices were all hits. Takashi was very responsive and answered all my emails promptly regarding the tour. On day of tour, his perfect English made it extremely easy to communicate so we did not miss any of the information that he shared with us. That is why his service is in such high demand. I highly recommend his service.
We had a great time on this half day tour. The sites were well chosen, and Takashi was a warm, personable and knowledge guide. We ended with a relaxing tea in an onsen foot bath up in the hills outside of the city. Highly Recommended
We had a fantastic day touring Kyoto in the lesser known places. Takashi took us to an excellent Ramen restaurant for lunch. This was a relaxing way to see some beautiful parts of Kyoto. We were also lucky enough to be invited into A monks private area for a green tea and small dessert.
Takashi was an amazing guide!!! He was friendly, knowledgeable, and very good at English. He took us to some wonderful lesser known temples, and our group had the best time! We were very happy with the tour and would definitely book again!
Our tour with Takashi was unanimously the highlight of our Japan trip - our kids said it was their favorite activity from the entire trip. We chose the Arashiyama Monkey Park option, which was great, though be prepared for a steep 20-minute hike to the top. The rest of the tour featured beautifully curated visits to historic temples and shrines off the beaten path - we were often the only visitors, creating an intimate, authentic experience. Takashi struck the perfect balance of energetic, friendly, and funny while being wonderful with children. He was also impressively flexible, adjusting our tour hours to accommodate our evening plans in Tokyo. The day included thoughtful stops for snacks, lunch, green tea, and a relaxing foot bath. The booking process was seamless with a small deposit upfront and balance invoiced closer to the tour date. Our kids are already asking to tour with Takashi again, and he offers tours in Osaka, Nara, and Kobe as well. We will likely do one of them next time we visit Japan. Highly recommended without hesitation.
We had a wonderful full day tour in Kyoto with Takashi. He was able to take us to some very out of the way and beautiful temples and locations that we wouldn’t have been able to access ourselves. He had a lot of knowledge about the places we visited and is a fun and friendly guy with a great sense of humour. Highly recommended for an insight into Kyoto that goes beyond the typical tourist areas.
We had an amazing day in Kyoto with Takashi! I booked the tour with him based on the other reviews here, and I’m happy to report that we were not disappointed. Our party consisted of three adults and five children, whose ages ranged from six to thirteen. Takashi was unflappable and always patient with the kids despite whatever silly things they were up to. His expert recommendations for attractions to visit and food to try were perfect for our group. His English is as good as that of a native speaker, and he is a very good driver. I can’t recommend booking with him enough; it’s basically guaranteed to maximize your time in Kyoto.
Our tour guide, Takashi was simply fantastic. He was friendly & knowledgeable. He possesses a unique blend of in depth local knowledge and engaging storytelling skills. Takashi provided a unique opportunity to sample & learn about local cuisine & beverages. I highly recommend this experience.
