Kyoto Private Night Tour: From Gion District To Old Pontocho, 100% Personalized | 4 hours

42 Reviews | Kyoto
Special Offer
Select Date and Travelers
You can select up to 8 travelers in total.
Adult (13-99) Minimum: 1, Maximum: 8
2
Child (0-12) Minimum: 0, Maximum: 8
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Free Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Kyoto Private Night Tour: From Gion District To Old Pontocho, 100% Personalized
2 Adults x $279.46
$558.92
Approx Total
$558.92

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: Japanese, English
  • 4 hours with a host
  • Private walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport options)
  • Two drinks (local beer or non-alcoholic beverage)
  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)
  • Food and any additional drinks
  • Tickets to any attractions
  • Transportation costs
  • Gratuities (optional)

Overview

Join one of our hosts to explore Kyoto after dark. Amble through the wooden alleyways of historic Gion and see the picturesque streets of old Pontocho. Discover sacred shrines hidden in cosmopolitan shopping areas and share small dishes and beers with your host in a traditional izakaya or tachinomiya (standing bar). Kyoto after dark is more a feeling than a place, and with your host by your side, you’ll tap right into that. Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Please note that a private vehicle is not provided. This private walking tour is designed for exploring Kyoto on foot, offering a flexible and immersive experience. Public transport can be used for longer distances if needed, with additional costs settled on the day. ... Read more ▼

OR

Meeting points

Matsumoto Kiyoshi Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi
103-2 Hashimotochō, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8011, Japan

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Your host will be waiting in front of the shop, under the roof-covered area. This private walking tour is designed for exploring Kyoto on foot, offering a flexible and immersive experience. Public transport can be used for longer distances if needed, with additional costs settled on the day.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

  • Yasaka Shrine (Pass By)

    Founded over 1350 years ago, Yasaka is the guardian shrine of the Gion entertainment district in Kyoto.
It is well known for its summer festival, the Gion Matsuri (July), arguably the most famous festival in the whole country. IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences

  • Gion (Pass By)

    Kyoto’s most famous Geisha’s district (however, if you spot them, please act respectfully). 
Make sure to pay a visit to Hanami-koji street and then cross Tatsumi Bridge to reach Shimbashi, the most picturesque part Gion, with elegant traditional wooden houses of Kyoto housing high-class restaurants, cafés, and tea-houses. IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences

  • Hanamikoji Street (Pass By)

    Hanamikoji Street is the main hanamachi street of Gion-Kōbu in Kyoto. The machiya (traditional Kyoto’s houses) lning proudly along this small cobbled road are wonderfully preserved treasures. And passing by at dusk, may get you the chance to catch the glimpse of a geisha leaving a tea house (ochaya). An appearance as magical as it is furtive. IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences

  • Tatsumi Daimyojin Shrine (Pass By)

    Stop by a small but very characteristic shrine in Gion area. An authentic hidden gem! IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences

  • Gion Shimbashi Bridge (Pass By)

    Cross Tatsumi Bridge to reach Shimbashi, the most picturesque part Gion, with elegant traditional wooden houses of Kyoto housing high-class restaurants, cafes, and tea-houses. IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences

  • Pontocho District (Pass By)

    Pontocho Alley is considered to be the most beautiful street in Kyoto. It’s lined with traditional shops and restaurants, and no cars, modern buildings or gaudy signs are allowed. At dusk, with the red lanterns lining down the narrow street, Pontocho becomes a magical place. And, if you are lucky, you may have the chance of spotting a maiko (apprentice geisha).   IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences

  • Kamogawa River (Pass By)

    It is a long stretch of river running from the Kyoto Basin down south. This is the perfect spot to enjoy the sound of the river flowing and for a breath of fresh air; what better than sit on the bank of the river to relax with a drink in your hand -like locals fancy to do? 
During the summer, restaurants open their balconies looking out onto the river. IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences

  • Kiyamachi Street (Pass By)

    Lined with restaurants, cafes, and bars, this is a great place to have a drink before heading back to your hotel. IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalised experience, the places you visit may differ from those listed and these will be chosen by your host based on your interests and preferences

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • We’ll be in touch within 24 hours after booking to find out more about your personality, tastes and interests so we can assign a like-minded Local who can create a bespoke experience for you.

Free Cancellation

June 18100% refund
June 19No refund

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.
Reviews

4.7

42 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    36
  • 4 stars
    4
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    2

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 36 reviews with 5 stars

Great time!

Published on Apr, 2025

One of our favorite activities! Oulan was extremely knowledgeable, and we enjoyed exploring the Gion district with him. He was eager to answer all of our questions, and is an excellent photographer to boot. Highly recommend spending your time with Oulan!

Highly recommend

Published on Mar, 2025

This was a highlight! And Goku was the best tour guide. We got to take a train, experience off the beaten path areas, had a local meal, and saw a different part of Kyoto. So much fun and Goku answered all our questions. Very patient with our big party

Great hidden gem

Published on Dec, 2024

Andy was a wonderful guide. He had already laid out the best places to see for our night tour of Gion. The night tour gave us a different look of Kyoto, and was interesting to see. While the day is full of crowds, at night you are able to quietly move through small streets and alleyways and see things you might never during the day. We got lucky and saw Maiko and Geiko on our journey, and never would have otherwise. Andy not only showed us great spots but also had a wealth of knowledge to answer all of my questions about what makes this part of Japan so unique, and the history of how it came to be.

Great hidden gem

Published on Dec, 2024

Andy was a wonderful guide. He had already laid out the best places to see for our night tour of Gion. The night tour gave us a different look of Kyoto, and was interesting to see. While the day is full of crowds, at night you are able to quietly move through small streets and alleyways and see things you might never during the day. We got lucky and saw Maiko and Geiko on our journey, and never would have otherwise. Andy not only showed us great spots but also had a wealth of knowledge to answer all of my questions about what makes this part of Japan so unique, and the history of how it came to be.

Kyoto Night tour

Published on Dec, 2024

We had a wonderful evening with Austen on our Kyoto night tour. He was extremely knowledgeable and stuck to the planned itinerary of combining iconic and contemporary Kyoto. I would highly recommend him.

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