Memorize the layout of the centuries-old Nishiki Market in Nakagyo, a sizeable central district, while your host orders a portion of wagyu sushi because you’ll want to return. Or take part in a tea ceremony at Rakusho, a teahouse famous for its beautiful garden and koi pond.

Dodge salarymen on their way to a post-work bar hop across central Gion and enter a dreamlike state while searching for ethereal geishas. Once your host has taught you to navigate crowded Higashiyama, the historic eastern quarter of the city where you’ll instantly recognize the traditional wooden buildings, and pointed out the best restaurants on Hanamikoji-dori Street, the central artery of Gion, you’ll be ready to take on the rest of the city solo.