You will take you place on the tatami, the traditional Japanese floor mat and be met by your English-speaking host, who is a licensed tea master from Urasenke, the biggest school of tea ceremony in Japan. Watch as the host carries out the ceremonial preparation of matcha, powdered green tea. Then, you will have the chance to make tea yourself, while the host informs you about the history and spiritual role of the tea ceremony and the effects each tea-making method has on its flavor. Afterwards, savor some traditional Japanese sweets Once the ceremony has come to a close, you will have the chance to take photos and see examples of kimonos and beautiful woven textiles made in the Nishijin district of Kyoto. If you'd like to wear a kimono during the experience, you can select it as an add-on during booking and take photos to remember the experience.

Explore the Gion district by night with an experienced English, German, French, or Spanish-speaking tour guide who knows everything there is to know about the area. The tour starts near Kamo river, where you’ll learn about how the tradition of Geishas came to be. After a short stroll along a busy commercial street, you’ll slip into a calm, quiet area to visit the Yasaka Jinja shrine. After that touch of education, it’s off to the Gion.   The Gion has secrets and history scattered across its narrow streets, but this is also a modern entertainment district—so it’s time for a deep dive into what goes on here. Your guide will keep it light and fun, and explain some of the more interesting cultural mores of these parts. Step into a restaurant and graze from a multitude of small plates at a sort of Japanese-style tapas experience. Enjoy a drink as well before continuing on.   Between restaurant stops, there will be an exploration of Kiyamachi, Ponto-cho, and some other commercial and nightlife streets. Your guide will show you both modern and historical Kyoto, painting a well-rounded picture that gives you a real sense of the place. This tour keeps the groups small and includes your food and drinks, so that you can have a carefree night like you’re simply hanging out with someone who knows the neighborhood. A delicious Kobe (or nearby sourced) Beef option is available on top of the usual food and drink. This option is for bookings at least 10 hours in advance.

Start your tea ceremony experience by entering through the main gates of the Jotoku-ji Temple. You will pass the entrance to the Grand Tearoom on your left and a shop next to it and meet at the nearby red benches where your guide awaits. Whilst walking through the temple you are free to admire the architecture and stand by the purification fountain. Weather permitting, you are free to sit at the red benches and for a break. In the event of rain you can stand outside under the gable of the shop or wait in the Grand Tearoom. Once you have finished perusing the temple or sitting on the red benches taking in the atmosphere you are able to enter the Grand Tearoom where your instructor waits for you.  Start your tour of the Temple with a traditional purification ritual, a completely unique and insightful experience for Western visitors. Afterwards you will remove your shoes at the entrance of the Grand Tearoom and in your group, proceed inside to take your seat. Get the chance to sample matcha tea at its best. The Tea Master will guide you throughout, showing and explaining every step of the way. Throughout the ceremony you will be taught the fine art of drinking matcha tea and learn about the importance of the ceremony.

Explore your way with a private and customized walking tour to discover the highlights of Kyoto with your own local guide. See Kyoto Tower, Togetsu-kyō Bridge, Ginkaku-ji Temple, Nishiki Market, and more with an itinerary crafted to your personal interests. Depending on what sparks your interest, your guide will help you create an itinerary to see Kyoto's top attractions. Get insider tips on what to see and do, learn about the culture, and discover hidden gems along the way. Visit sacred sites like the shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha or Kinkajuki Temple, explore the cultural Geisha district of Gion, or go off the beaten path in historic neighborhoods with the help of your guide. Walk the perfectly preserved streets of Higashiyama for a bird's-eye city view from Yasaka Pagoda, or amble eight minutes north to Gion, Kyoto’s famous lantern-lit geisha district and nightlife hub. Along the way, choose to sample street food at centuries-old Nishiki Market or head one mile west for green tea and pastel-colored wagashi confections in Sanjo-dori Shopping Street, a foodie’s paradise (food costs not included). If you're an outdoor enthusiast, take in a sunset view from Kurama, a natural hot spring area nestled in pine-tree-blanketed mountains reachable by a 30-minute train ride. Whatever you choose to do, your guide will help you get the most out of your visit.

Start your experience with exploring traditional Machiya townhouse. This is a rare chance to see the real townhouse with local host. Learn daily life of Kyoto and their family histories. Enjoy a traditional table-style tea ceremony in a Japanese house. Take a seat and relax with this calming and authentic experience as you taste tea and traditional sweets. The ryu-rei (table-style) tea ceremony, with guests seated as opposed to on the ground, has been performed for foreign visitors to Japan since 1872. First, select your favorite tea bowls and other authentic tools before you taste matcha (powdered green tea) and seasonal sweets. Not only do you get to experience the tea ceremony, but also learn more about everyday tea practices and the lives of tea farmers in Japan.

Insider Sake Brewery Tour + Sake Tasting and food pairing with an expert/ If you love Sake but don't know what to select or want to enjoy it with Japanese food, join us and let's dive deep into the world of sake! Meet your guide and set off on your three hour tour exploring the Fushimi Sake District of Kyoto, one of Japan’s most famous sake producing areas, and home to about 30 breweries. ・Insider Sake Brewery Tour Visit Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum the largest sake brewery in Fushimi with a sake expert, where you’ll deepen your knowledge of sake and witness traditional brewing processes which have been passed down from generation to generation. At the end of your brewery tour you’ll have the chance to taste a few of the flavours produced there, and friendly staff from the brewery will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. After finishing up with your first sampling, you’ll move on to the full tasting session. ・Sake Tasting with an Expert Enjoy tasting flavours of sake you may never have experienced before – as we’ll introduce you to bottles which have never been exported. Your expert guide will explain the differences in taste – dry, fruity, sweet – and how each of these are produced. ・Food Pairing Experience the food pairing with sake - you’ll also be served various otsumami – Japanese snacks which traditionally accompany alcohol – so you can see which types of food and flavour best accompany the different sake types. This is a fun and educational sake tasting in Kyoto. Recommended to join this experience at the beginning of your trip in Japan!

Take the only tour at Fushimi Inari that goes off paved paths and onto actual forest trails. Avoid the crowds of tourists trying to get a good photo and enjoy a personal hiking experience in a small group. Discover hidden bamboo groves, secluded trails that lead to old and hidden altars, and the beautiful evergreens around Fushimi Inari Shrine and its thousands of red torii gates. The tour begins at Tofukuji Station. From there, wander into a quiet neighborhood and visit small shrines on the way to the mountain. Then, take a trail to see a wonderful bamboo grove, and connect to the main path filled with the famous vermilion torii gates. Reach the summit of the mountain, which is covered in the shrine altars, then venture back down the mountain on a forested trail, visiting smaller shrines on the way to another bamboo grove. This will lead you to the most famous area of Fushimi Inari, perfect for a memorable photo. Finally, finish at the main shrine at the base of the mountain, where you can enjoy some local street food before you continue your adventure in the wonderful city of Kyoto. Half of the tour is walking in the forest, so you don't get sunlight directly.

Join an afternoon Izakaya cooking class to enjoy a great way to immerse yourself in Japanese dining culture as well as learn authentic Japanese foods that are eaten at home and in local restaurants. The cooking course consists of two parts. First, you will cook 2 or 3 dishes together with your chef and enjoy them. Then you will return to the kitchen and learn 2 or 3 more dishes before eating once more. As in many Izakaya (over the counter) restaurants, be ready to talk with your chef while cooking and eating at the same time. 

Explore the traditional neighborhood of Higashiyama from the comfort of a rickshaw with a knowledgeable guide. Admire the well-preserved wooden townhouses, see some of Kyoto's most famous temples, and pass through the vibrant geisha district in the Gion area. Learn about Japanese culture, heritage, and customs on this private customizable tour. Meet your guide on the cobbled streets by the Kodaiji Temple in Higashiyama, a nationally designated historic area. Travel back in time as your guide pulls you through the historic neighborhood, filled with traditional buildings and shops. Stop to take photos at the most scenic spots in each location. Choose from 4 different tour durations to suit your schedule, from the introductory 45-minute tour, to the comprehensive tour of 3 hours and 10 minutes. With the longer tours, you’ll continue through the wealth of sights in Higashiyama and the northern part of Gion. Pass weeping willows that line a picturesque river, explore ancient temples, and travel through the streets of this amazing neighborhood.

Advanced Sake Tasting covers sake brewed with a very different concept than the ones introduced in the basic sake tours. Sake you will taste in this experience is unique and exceptional: ones brewed using ancient methods that are different from modern methods, a new type of sake that utilizes the characteristics of microorganisms and sake that is brewed using local wood, giving it a taste unique to the region. By tasting these types of sake, you will be fascinated by the profundity of sake and the possibilities of how different tastes can be created by the sake making process.