Private Tour Guides In Kyoto

Tailoring each tour to your wishes by locals who love their city

Top private tours in Kyoto

From exploring cool neighborhoods to eating with the locals to seeing iconic sites, these are some of our favorite experiences

When in Osaka
make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

See the city like
you would with a friend who lives there

See all

When in Osaka
make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

See the city like
you would with a friend who lives there

The best private guides and local insiders in Kyoto

If you’re seeking the best private tour guides in Kyoto to help you make the most of your visit, look no further than City Unscripted. The most magical city in all of Japan, Kyoto is a perfectly preserved pocket of Japanese history and culture that feels like stepping into a fairytale. Our fantastic private tour guides in Kyoto are eager to share with you the Japan of centuries ago. All of our handpicked private guides in Kyoto are intimately familiar with every inch of their city, and they’ll help you experience this historic gem beyond major tourist sights like lantern-lit Gion, the famous geisha district, and 1200-year-old Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Meet some of our Kyoto private guides

Like the people who travel with us, they have different backgrounds and interests – but they’re all so passionate about the place they call home, they choose to spend their free time sharing it with the like-minded travelers matched to them.

We’ve handpicked them and we’ll match you to your perfect one!

From tourist sights to secret gems

Kyoto may be known for iconic attractions like the wood-built Higashiyama district, ancient temples, and traditional teahouses, but there’s so much more to be explored when you have one of our knowledgeable private tour guides in Kyoto leading the way. Whether you jostle through centuries-old Nishiki Market, the crowded “Kitchen of Kyoto”, join locals snacking on gyoza dumplings as the sun sets over Kamo River, or even belt out a song at a karaoke bar, our private tour guides in Kyoto will help you strike the perfect balance between the highlights and hidden gems off the tourist trail.

A range of top-notch tours

City Unscripted offers a wide range of diverse tours in Kyoto – simply pick your type of tour, and our private tour guides in Kyoto will personalize the experience for you! You might want to squeeze in as many tourist sights as possible on a must-see experience, or take a day trip to the Arashiyama bamboo grove. Perhaps you’ll book our fantastic food experience, or maybe you’ll simply spend a full day with one of our private tour guides in Kyoto exploring a combination of iconic sights and hidden gems you wouldn’t find in your guidebook. Whatever you decide, we’ll make this a day to remember.

Itineraries 100% tailored to you

At City Unscripted, we understand that no two travelers are the same. You could be a history buff who wants to move between Kyoto’s ancient temples and shrines, a culture-lover eager to catch a geisha performance at Gion Corner, or a fanatic foodie who dreams of experiencing traditional Kaiseki dining. That’s why our private tour guides in Kyoto take the time to plan the perfect tour 100% personalized to you! All our itineraries are created with your personality and passions in mind. With one of our private guides in Kyoto planning your trip, your dream day will be made a reality.

Kyoto travel tips and inspiration from our Travel Magazine

Find essential city info, travel tips and the best things to do in Kyoto and around the world recommended by our local hosts

Latest reviews from our guests

Walking through the city with Hiroyuki was like strolling through one's favourite city with a good acquaintance. He had put together a very good route with several wonderful surprises off the beaten tourist track, while also taking individual wishes into account. Besides his knowledge of the history and also the cultural and political development of the country, he also knew exactly where to find local art and food. And as the icing on the cake, you get a very good photographer, so that in the photos it looks as if you had the Arashiyama bamboo forest all to yourself :-). Thank you very much, it was a really wonderful day.

October 2023

Teresa S
Nadine is a warm student who lives in Kyoto and who really takes care of everything. She is always cheerful and radiates great energy. It's almost like visiting an old friend you haven't seen for ages, and now they're showing you their new home. If you want to hear a thousand stories and facts, you might need a local who has lived there all his life. If you are looking for a caring companion who even organises a photo spot for you and all you have to do is follow her wishes and she waits patiently and attentively - then don't Nadine - I would do it again and again. Thank you Nadine, you are great!

September 2023

Kai N
We had a lovely typical dinner in a place we would have never found by ourselves.

September 2023

Valentina G
This tour was amazing and so customizable! Michael was so accommodating to us, taking some breaks when needed and even letting us go in and out of different stores to shop around. We saw amazing shrines/temples and many of the cities hot spots. Michael even gave us great recommendations for the night life and dinner to end our evening.

September 2023

Aaron R