Top Kyoto Seasonal & Special Occasions

We will enjoy bar hopping tour at Gion & Kawaramachi area. Our guide will take you to real local bar and izakaya, difficult to find for foreigners. This experience is not just for local foods and drinks, give you the opportunity to connect with local people. Normally we will guide you two places, "Kawaramachi" and "Gion" Kawaramachi: It's definitely the heart of Kyoto, and you can enjoy vibrant atmosphere there. We will show you hidden alley as well, with local tour guide. Pontocho: it feels there are many hideaway local restaurants, and bars. You can enjoy authentic and traditional vibes of Kyoto. If you have special request related to place, food, date and so on, we can organize the tour up to your requests. Alcoholic drinks is not suitable for children 19 years old or under.

-Drink like a local! Bar hopping in the backstreets of Pontocho- To start this All-in-one bar hopping walking tour that Drinks & Foods are all included, our local guide will take you to an izakaya bar (a local tavern) on Pontocho street, one of the most well known night streets, full of local izakayas. We will be taking you to places only the locals know and recommend, making for a one and only experience! -Various drink and izakaya food tastings- We'll continue bar hopping walking around in the backstreets of Kyoto. You can try some authentic izakayas that serve yakitori or sashimi with crisp, cold draft beer. If you're a sake-lover, we will help you navigate through a sake standing bar that serves Kyoto-made sake. You can enjoy the night like a local! Magical Trip is a local tour operator with the TripAdvisor certificate of excellence that offers various types of small-group tours throughout Japan! Check out our Trip Advisor Page for more tours and our reviews!

Kyoto’s beautiful area of Arashiyama is known for its bamboo groves, but instead of being stuck in crowds—this small-group activity offers a completely different experience. Enjoy a hands-on lesson in a bamboo craftsman’s house and learn how to make your own bamboo souvenir—such as an LED lantern, sake bottle, teacup, or even a smartphone holder.

Learn all about the history and techniques of sake production—and taste a range of different sake styles—on this small-group Kyoto tour. Meet your guide in the afternoon, and discover Kyoto’s sake brewery district. You’ll visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum for an immersive introduction to sake. Then, follow your guide to an atmospheric local bar where you can sample a range of different sake varieties.

Commemorate your trip to Kyoto during this small-group 90-minute photo session. Travel between multiple locations—from Shinto shrines and the traditional Gion district to cherry blossom displays in Maruyama park—in a group capped at six participants. Receive 50 high-quality edited photos within 24 hours of the tour.

Gain a better understanding of sake during this tour that explores the Fushimi Sake District of Kyoto. Visit Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, one of the largest sake breweries in Fushimi, and end your visit with a sake-tasting session. Not only will your guide be able to explain the basics of sake and introduce you to new kinds you may have never tried, but your tastings will also be paired with Japanese snacks that enhance the tasting experience. 

Take control of your Kyoto sightseeing and visit only the sights you wish to see on this private walking tour. Ideal for first-time visitors, this tour lets you customize a half-day or full-day itinerary. Opt to visit the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), Fushimi Inari Shrine, and Nijo Castle, or to stray from the beaten path to see an alternative side of Kyoto. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

Start your day right on a fun small-group breakfast walking tour of Kyoto’s Nishiki Market. This is a great opportunity to learn more about local Japanese food while seeing some sights that you might otherwise miss. Start with a stroll through historic Gion before tucking into the delicacies on offer in the 400-year-old market that’s known as the “kitchen of Kyoto”. The walking tour lasts around 2.5 hours.

Immerse yourself in the captivating culture of Kyoto on a full-day sightseeing tour. See the tranquil Kiyomizu Temple amid its verdant surroundings; absorb the Imperial majesty of Kyoto Imperial Palace; and stroll amid the botanical beauty of Kinkaku-ji Temple. Behold the beguiling beauty of the Fushimiinari Taisha Shrine and enrich your knowledge of Kyoto’s rich historical heritage with commentary from an informative guide. Moderate levels of fitness are advisable for this tour, on which a lot of walking occurs.

Prepare for battle as you learn the skills of the samurai during this 1- or 2-hour class studying the basic techniques of these ancient Japanese warriors. Take the 1-hour session, providing an introduction to the basics of the samurai art, or choose the 1.5-hour course, practicing more complex movements using a sword and folding fan. When your class ends, enjoy a photo session with your samurai costume and receive a certificate of completion.  This samurai session also includes an English-speaking guide and instructor and a 'tenugui,' a traditional Japanese towel.

Get an excellent introduction to the cuisine of Kyoto on this small-group guided tour of the city's best food spots. Start at the deliciously vast 400-year-old Nishiki Market, nicknamed 'Kyoto's Kitchen,' where over 130 food shops and stalls beckon your taste buds. Stroll through the market with the guide, learning about the history of food in the city and taste many dishes unique to Kyoto, including pickled vegetables, fried fish cakes, Japanese pike conger eel, mochi and Japanese omelet. After the market, visit a shrine dedicated to the god of education.

Sightsee through Kansai’s most scenic areas, seeing iconic landmarks in Nara and Kyoto in one day, without the hassle of changing trains or getting lost. With pickup times in either Osaka or Kyoto, board a convenient tour bus to visit the 1000 vermilion gates of Fushimi-Inari Shrine, scenic Nara Park, beautiful Arashiyama, and more.

Sake—traditional rice wine—is Japan’s most famous drink and Kyoto’s Fushimi District is renowned for its sake production, home to over 30 breweries. On this tour, find out how sake is made, discover the many varieties, and learn which sake suits each occasion. Sample seven different sakes, accompanied by tasty Japanese snacks, and leave with a cheat sheet to help you order your favorite sakes while in Japan.

Kyoto’s traditional neighborhoods and scenic parklands are ideal for exploring by bike. On this tour, save time by cycling around the city and visit five of Kyoto’s most popular attractions in one day. Enjoy stunning views of the Golden Pavilion and the Kiyomizu Temple; pose for photos by the red torri gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine; and hop off to stroll around the Bamboo Forest and explore the geisha district.

Explore the intricate temples and serene gardens of Kyoto on this 4-hour guided tour visiting some of the imperial city’s most important religious and cultural sites. Check out Sanjusangendo Temple, the longest wooden structure in Japan and home more than 1000 Kannon statues, Fushimiinari Taisha Shrine, the head shrine of the god Inari and the supreme views afforded from Kiyomizu Temple high above Kyoto. This excursion to Kyoto’s top temples also includes all entrance fees.

Private photo shoot. Choose your favorite location and leave the photos to me, memories for life! Professional photos by a photographer with over 8 years of living in Kyoto, who knows all the secret spots, hidden streets and with techniques to avoid crowds. Only photo shoot in Kyoto that includes: All photo data! All photo data edited! 3 professional retouched photos of choice! Digitally sent by Google Drive.

Capture your visit to Kyoto with a 1.5-hour photo session conducted by a professional photographer. Choose the locations and types of images you want, and receive 50 edited images after your private photo shoot. You’ll also receive suggestions from your photographer about places to see in Kyoto, along with an overview of Kyoto’s history and culture.

Get some great shots of you and your private group touring the streets of Kyoto for a wonderful keepsake of your trip to Japan. Your photographer will know the best spots for photos, with temples and nature to make a beautiful backdrop. Spend around an hour shooting, and then have the rest of the day free to explore Kyoto on your own.

Immerse yourself in the Japanese culinary tradition of Kaiseki Ryouri during this evening food tour in Kyoto. Follow your guide through the Kamogawa and Gion areas, eating your way through a 10-course meal with included beverages and dessert.

The springtime “sakura” season in Kyoto is best celebrated with a personal guide to show you the best spots for “hanami,” or cherry blossom viewing. In local style you’ll head off the tourist trail and join traditional festivities. Feast on typical Japanese snacks and seasonal dishes with a picnic under the drifting blossoms. Then experience “yozakura”— nighttime blossom-viewing of weeping cherry trees illuminated against the sky.

Our guides who are raising children in Kyoto take you some places to experience Japanese culture in a relaxed manner. We have been creating family friendly tours, so your entire family should enjoy themselves! In this tour, you can visit less crowded shrine and temple, then have lunch with local family. You can communicate with local people and moreover your children can make local friends!

I personalized every session with customers, the photography will be taken according to your needs. Whether you want to celebrate your relationships with friends or family or record your memory with Kyoto. I promise a high-quality photo session with you. English, Chinese, and Japanese services are available.

No more selfies or pestering strangers for photos of yourself and loved ones, enjoy the services of a professional vacation photographer in Kyoto to capture your travels in a contemporary and candid style. Specialising in delivering quality photography with photographers all over the world, we guarantee you amazing photos to remember your travels. All images shown were taken by our photographers.

You'll discover Japanese style bars in hidden alleys of Kyoto where usually only locals enjoy food and drinks. Expert guide will have a brief consulting before you start the program. Then, the guide will lead you to appropriate bars according to your taste. Discover small streets flooded with small bars and shops like Japanese confectionery stand, small bars and local food-markets in Kawaramachi area, Kyoto. For those who are interested, there are chances to try local food while walking. At the bar, guide is willing to help you to find out good paring of Sake and local-side-dishes. There're several types of bars and each bar has unique home-made Kyoto-style food. We also offer opportunities to taste local Kyoto food which are not normally on tourist menu. You also get a chance to visit a small shrine in a hidden area, you'll hear interesting history behind it. Walking around Kyoto alone is joyful, but we assure you'll see different sides of Kyoto.