Cycle past a mix of Kyoto’s most-famous sights and its lesser-known secrets during this half-day ‘Hidden Kyoto’ bike tour. Take a 4.9-mile (8-kilometer) ride that starts by winding past iconic Kyoto temples and shrines like Kinkakuji, Koto-in, and Kitano Tenmagu. You’ll continue ‘off the beaten path,’ discovering intimate Zen gardens and charming backstreets known only to locals.

Explore a mix of Kyoto's lesser-known sights and top attractions on this 'hidden' bike tour
Enjoy a safe, easy, cycle ride of 4.9 miles (8 kilometers) that's suitable for all fitness levels and anyone over age 13
Visit top Kyoto temples like the UNESCO-listed Kinkakuji and Kitano Tenmagu
Escape the tourists as you visit Kyoto's quiet side streets and intimate Zen gardens known only to locals
Foldable rental bike and helmet included
Great way to see more than the typical guidebook attractions in Kyoto

What's Included

English-speaking route coordinator
Rental bike
Rental helmet
Water

Food and drinks, unless specified

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

NORU Kyoto Bike Tours
429-22 Takigahanachō, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-8336, Japan
Please use google maps and search NORU KYOTO BIKE TOURS Look for our green TripAdvisor flag outside the Cycle Village bike shop

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Start your cycle adventure in the morning at Kyoto’s NORU bicycle shop. After getting outfitted with an included bike and helmet. From there you’ll begin a laid-back, 4.3-mile (7-kilometer) ride that highlights an eclectic mix of top tourist attractions in Kyoto along with some of the city’s best-kept secrets and under-appreciated scenery. Anyone over the age of 13 should be able to enjoy this easy, safe, and fun ride with minimal effort.

Check out some of Kyoto’s most famous UNESCO World Heritage-listed temples and shrines like Kinkakuji, along with other key religious sites including Daitokuji Temple Complex and Kitanotenmangu Temple. You’ll continue by pedaling well-off the Kyoto’s typical tourist path, seeking out some of the city’s more intimate spaces, lesser-known side streets and quiet Zen gardens. In other words, it’s a perfect chance to ‘go beyond your guidebook’ while experiencing a different side of this historic Japanese city.

Finish your trip back at your original starting point at the end of your ride.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Minimum age is 13 years
No-shows or missed bookings due to lateness are nonrefundable
Not wheelchair accessible
Must arrive 15 minutes prior to departure time, we depart promptly at 9 am or 1 pm if we do not hear from you
Near public transportation

Infants must sit on laps
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Tony_G

This was one of our favourite Japanese experiences. Yuta was a brilliant guide, taking us through back streets and local haunts, with some interesting and knowledgable insights. We loved it all and cannot recommend more highly.

Reviews

5.0

547 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 547 reviews

Would 100% recommend

Anne_S, Sep 2023

That made this day amazing! He was welcoming, informative, and went above and beyond dry, basics. The stops at kinkaku-hi, the tea house, and the Buddhist temple were truly magical. The bikes made it easy to see so much more. I especially loved the portion of the ride when we went along a beautiful peaceful green river path. Yuma went out if his way to answer all our questions and help us find our next destinations. What a great tour and excellent guide. Loved it

One of the best Kyoto experiences

Tony_G, Sep 2023

Just Book It!

Matt_M, Sep 2023

Great way to see some nice spots in Kyoto. Sean was excellent. Learned and saw a lot of things I wouldn’t have on my own. Highly recommend!

Amazing tour, knowledgeable guides

Bradley_R, Sep 2023

Sean was an amazing tour guide who knew tons of amazing facts and was able to answer everything on Kyoto history! Would highly recommend this tour

Highly recommended bike tour of Kyoto

Aaron_D, Sep 2023

Highly recommend!! Yuta was a fantastic guide, took us long to some fantastic locations, the e-bikes made the trip a breeze (minimal effort required). Yuta was extremely informative, ended up teaching several life lessons along the way too. Did not expect that when booking a bike trip!! Again, can't recommend enough!

Great exploring Kyoto

Andrew_D, Sep 2023

This was a great tour around Kyoto. Sean was a great guide and we had an enjoyable time exploring. The bikes were well maintained and for us almost new.

Best bike tour in Noru Kamigyo

Chris, Sep 2023

Amazing bike tour. Oppurtunity to see a lot of places. Yuta was an awesome tour guide and very knowledgable. A suggestion...would benefit having 2 staff front/back to help keep group together especially when crossing intersections

Highlight of our trip!

Sandra_M, Sep 2023

Henry from Noru Bike Tours was fabulous and made the entire tour a memorable experience. He has a wonderful knowledge of the local area and customs and we learned so much. Highly recommend this tour!

Lovely Tour

Sophie_M, Sep 2023

The tour was very well planned, Henry did a great job providing interesting information and guiding everyone from spot to spot!

Great guide and tour

Mark_N, Aug 2023

We booked 3 tours in Kyoto and although all good, I thought this was the best one. Henry was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about Japanese culture and the history of Kyoto.

Experience authentic old Kyoto with the best local guide in the business.

GwynethHarbrow, Aug 2023

Yuta is a wonderful guide, eager to share his local knowledge with his guests. This is my second tour with Yuta and he continues to provide an exceptional experience. Would highly recommend to anyone wishing to experience authentic old Kyoto.

Great Tour!

Lauren_F, Aug 2023

Michael was a fantastic guide. He was friendly, super knowledgeable and great at keeping our two teenagers engaged throughout the tour. We covered excellent ground on the e-bikes and were able to see so many different things in a short amount of time. We would not hesitate to recommend this tour through beautiful Kyoto!

Great tour , great price , especially great guider

Matar_V, Aug 2023

Yuta was our guide, a great experience , and a great guy one day I believe he will be at geisha’s tea houses

Good bike tour

Shawn_R, Aug 2023

Very well run tour with Yuta. He was both enthusiastic and knowledgeable on all the sites. Bikes were in perfect working condition and fun to ride. Highlight was seeing the golden temple and walking the grounds. Unless you enjoy Japanese temples and shrines, this tour may be a bit boring. Riding bikes on busy streets is a little less enjoyable than I thought it would be. Overall a good experience.

Amazing electric bike tour in Kyoto

Tami_W, Aug 2023

Our guide, Yuta was AMAZING! He made this tour a highlight of our Kyoto trip. Besides the fun bike ride (on electric bikes <-), he showed us beautiful, less crowded and hidden locations while providing interesting and informative stories of the area’s history including the background of the many temples/shrines, shogun, maiko/geisha, bushi/samurai, and much more. This is a must for anyone visiting Kyoto and hopefully get Yuta as their guide.

Our family including our...

Lori_K, Aug 2023

Our family including our 3 kids (ages 21, 19, 18) thoroughly enjoyed this bike ride with Michael. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. The bikes were excellent- and he kept all of us engaged throughout with his enthusiasm, stories, and knowledge of Kyoto. Highly recommend! Thank you Michael!

Fantastic Tour

Le_P, Aug 2023

The experience was fun and informative. Henry, our guide was fantastic in providing sufficient information without being boring. The bike tour was easy and scenic. Highly recommend this tour.

Great tour in Kyoto!

Alexandre_M, Aug 2023

Amazing tour of Kyoto! Our guide Michael was a real insider and brought us to place we wouldn’t have been on our own. Highly recommend for first time or returning visitor to Kyoto.

SO MUCH FUN, don't skip this tour if you're visiting Kyoto!

Yasmin_A, Aug 2023

This was an AMAZING tour. Our guide Sean was so sweet, so knowledgeable and so great to spend the afternoon with! We biked to some really great spots. It was a SUPER hot day (Japan in July problems) but we were having too much fun to be too bothered by it (& the e-bike is great!). HIGHLYYYYY recommend if you're visiting Kyoto!

Great experience

Ian_J, Aug 2023

Excellent morning trip around Kyoto. Our guide, Sean, was amazing. Drink plenty in the sun, put on sun block, and enjoy.

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