--- title: "Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Kyoto Private Tour" lang: en type: tour city: Kyoto country: Japan price: 139 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.87 reviews: 123 duration_minutes: 180 languages: [ja, en] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 24 of 36 (Sightseeing & City Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-11-08 data_updated: 2026-11-08 canonical: https://guidekin.com/japan/kyoto/tours/highlights-hidden-gems-with-locals-best-of-kyoto-private-tour/ --- # Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Kyoto Private Tour **Guidekin's take:** Explore Gion Area, Kiyomizu Temple and Yasaka-Jinja Shrine on a private tour for your party. Kiyomizu Temple tickets, a local guide and a local drink or tasting are included; hotel pickup and drop-off are excluded. 4.87 from 123 reviews at €139 per person for 3h. In our comparison: #24 of 36 in Sightseeing & City Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview This is not just another city tour; this is the best of Kyoto from a unique perspective! Get to know Kyoto on a city tour that gives you the perfect overview, with city highlights, hidden gems, storytelling, and a local treat - this tour has it all! Forget about big touristy groups and the crowds; it's time to see Kyoto at its best but from the eyes of a local. Check out main landmarks like Gion Area, Kiyomizu Temple, Yasaka-Jinja Shrine and uncover hidden gems and city secrets with the help of a knowledgeable local guide. And the cherry on top, a local treat is included. Withlocals Highlights & Hidden Gems Private City Tour™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local produce and prevent over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. ## Before you book - Meeting point: at the entrance of the Minamiza Theatre, - Entry ticket included: skip the ticket desk - Min. 2 to book: not for solo travellers - 14 start times: between 09:00 and 15:30 - Food included: 1 local drink/tasting **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €139 per person - Duration: 3h - Rating: 4.87/5 from 123 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: Withlocals - Minimum booking: 2 travellers at this price - Group: Private tour, your party only - Guide languages: Japanese, English - Tickets: Admission included - Start times: 14 start times between 09:00 and 15:30 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-11-08 ## Reviews 4.87 from 123 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 97% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 119 of 123. - 5 stars: 113 (92%) - 4 stars: 6 (5%) - 3 stars: 2 (2%) - 2 stars: 2 (2%) - 1 star: 0 (0%) ## What's included - Tickets for Kiyomizu Temple included - Private Tour - Local Guide - 1 local drink/tasting ## Not included - Hotel pick-up and drop off - Food & beverages not listed as inclusions ## Itinerary 1. **Kyoto Municipal Zoo** (30m) - Pass by the Zoo and get to see this neighborhood, which preserves the look and feel of feudal-era Japan in a wood-built historic quarter of narrow lanes lined with traditional pottery stores, tea houses, and restaurants for multi-course kaiseki meals. 2. **Yasaka Shrine** (20m) - Hokanji temple was built in the Asuka period (538 - 710) 3. **Kongoji Temple** (20m) - Learn more about the folk faith, which says that to have a wish granted, you must sacrifice one desire. 4. **Kiyomizu-dera Temple** (30m) - Over 1200 years have passed since the foundation of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Halfway up Mt. Otowa, one of the peaks in Kyoto’s Higashiyama mountain range stands the temple 5. **Yasaka Shrine** (20m) - Before getting to see another shrine, you will have a coffee. This is one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto. Founded over 1350 years ago 6. **Gion** (20m) - is Kyoto's most famous geisha district 7. **Kamogawa River** (20m) - Another unmissable place in Kyoto is Kamo-gawa river. This is probably the most famous and arguably the most popular river in Kyoto. 8. **Nishiki Market** (20m) - Explore a 400-year-old market, sample local Japanese goodies and shop for souvenirs ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 14 start times between 09:00 and 15:30 - Schedule last checked: 2026-11-08 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point at the entrance of the Minamiza Theatre, next to Gion Shijo station Ends: back at the meeting point ## Good to know - Public transportation options are available nearby - Suitable for all physical fitness levels - Private tour: only you & your local guide - CO2 Neutral: all tours carbon emissions are offset ## Cost for your party | People | Total | Per person | |---|---|---| | 2 | €278 | €139 | | 4 | €308 | €77 | | 6 | €342 | €57 | Cheapest option for that party size from the operator's current price tiers; the calendar shows the exact figure for your date. Shared tours in Sightseeing & City Tours start at €91 per person. ## Compared with other Sightseeing & City Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #24 of 36** | €139 | 3h | 4.87 (123) | private | | [10 Must-see Spots in Kyoto One Day Private Tour](/japan/kyoto/tours/10-must-see-spots-in-kyoto-one-day-private-tour/?format=md) | €168 | 8h | 4.98 (1441) | private | | [Kyoto Early Morning Tour with English Speaking Guide](/japan/kyoto/tours/kyoto-early-morning-tour-with-english-speaking-guide/?format=md) | €91 | 5h | 4.95 (2124) | shared | | [Private car tour in Kyoto (up to 4)](/japan/kyoto/tours/private-car-tour-in-kyoto-up-to-4/?format=md) | €261 per group | 7h | 5.0 (147) | private | Ranked #24 of 36 in Sightseeing & City Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €90 to €463, median €139; typical length 5h 38m. 31 of 36 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/japan/kyoto/kyoto-sightseeing-tours/?format=md ## More in Kyoto - All Kyoto tours: https://guidekin.com/japan/kyoto/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/japan/kyoto/tours/highlights-hidden-gems-with-locals-best-of-kyoto-private-tour/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/japan/kyoto/?format=md