Kyoto Gourmet Tour

This is a tour for food lovers and eating enthusiasts! While exploring authentic and first-class shops, restaurants, and cafes in Kyoto, a gourmet-savvy local guide will help you enrich the culinary experience and knowledge through various food tasting.

Sample Itinerary (8-hour tour)

Kyoto used to be an ancient capital and known for traditional dining such as Kaiseki cuisine. Therefore, it may be surprising that consumption of bread in Kyoto is the highest in Japan. Hence, there are a lot of specialty bakeries that are popular among locals. As the first stop, your guide will recommend a couple of reputed bakeries. It is fun to see appetizing display and try some assorted breads to find a great favorite of yours!

Next visit is Nishiki Market, a local market known as "Kyoto's kitchen." Over 100 stores sell various foods unique in Kyoto such as Dashi-maki Tamago rolled omelet, Senbei rice cracker, Tofu doughnut, Baked Namafu gluten skewers with miso paste, various Kyoto brand vegetables, and more. Here, there are specialty shops of Japanese knives and kitchen utensils. Your gourmet guide will show you around according to your liking and needs.

For lunch, there are casual and high-class restaurants with a broad variety from Japanese to international cuisines. Examples of local specialty in Kyoto are Mame-zushi, beautifully dished up bite-sized sushi that was prepared for Maiko to eat easily, Kyo-Tofu served cold, simmered or prepared for dishes in great numbers of ways, Kyoto's popular ramen noodles with thick chicken soup, crispy charcoal grilled yakitori skewers, Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine and so on. Your guide is happy to recommend a restaurant according to your preference.
Uji green tea is renowned for its high-quality green tea with delightful aroma and flavor. For matcha lovers, longstanding tea shops and Machiya-style tearooms serving green tea sweets and drinks are must-visit.

Alternatively, it is possible to take you to one of the tearooms or cafes that are set up inside or next to temple or shrine in Kyoto.

Stop by at a gallery of sophisticated Japanese tableware such as rice bowl, teacup, tea pot, dish, etc. or antique shop of porcelain where works of selected ceramicist are displayed in the showcase.

Lastly, you will be taken to a longstanding sake brewery. If it is in the period of producing sake, take a chance to look at the brewing process and taste different kinds of sake such as the highest quality Daiginjo, thick sake Nigorizake, regular sake Seishu, etc.

Tours can be customized according to your interests.

Options

Cooking Class
Learn how to prepare typical Japanese home cuisine at private cooking class. Hands-on lesson on the menu consisting of main dish, side dish, soup and rice will be given to you. At the end of the class, enjoy tasting them for lunch. With a copy of recipe in English, you can make them again after going back home. Cooking classes are usually held at private home or cooking studio in the city center. Please consult us if there are any specific dishes you wish to learn.

Japanese Sweets Making
Try Japanese Sweets Making Workshop! You may notice that there are numbers of longstanding Japanese sweets shops in Kyoto. Traditional Japanese sweets, Wagashi, have been developed as they are typically enjoyed with matcha powdered tea during Tea Ceremony. Those sweets are beautifully fashioned into shapes in flowers, fruits or leaves to express a sense of season. It will be a fun experience for all generations. At the end, you may taste them or take them back to your hotel.

Private Dinner (or Lunch) with Geisha
For your exclusive experience, private dinner (or lunch) with Geisha can be arranged. Meals are Japanese Kaiseki cuisine using seasonal seafood and vegetables served at high-class Japanese restaurant or ryokan. Guests will enjoy traditional entertainment consisting of dance to a shamisen guitar accompaniment, games and conversation with Geisha.

For details, please contact us.

Other gourmet activities we can arrange in your tour

Price for this sample itinerary

(price per group)

(10% consumption tax included)

Including: Nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide, admission fees, public transportations, some tastings, service charge and consumption tax

Not Including: Lunch

Note:

1. Our private tours can be customized to your interests and preferences. Let us know any place you wish to visit. If you would like to include one of the optional activities among above-mentioned "Options", please let us know.
2. The price is for the sample itinerary above. Price may be subject to change depending on the activities you choose.
3. Day trips to Kyoto from other cities can be arranged upon request. (ex. From Osaka, additional 10,000 yen per group will be charged as it takes 2 hours for round trip, which makes 10-hour tour. For other cities, please contact us.)
4. Private car can be arranged for extra fee.
5. Tours can be arranged for larger group. We will recommend appropriate transportation taking your group size into consideration.

Payment

Please pay by credit card. You will receive an E-mail with an URL where payment can be made online. The page is protected by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to ensure the safety of your credit card information. We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diners, and JCB.

Request for a Private Tour

Why tour with us?

• Customized Private Tour
  We will customize your own tour depending on your interests and preferences. Since all tours are private tours, you can enjoy your tour thoroughly at your pace.

• Nationally-Licensed Guides
  Our locally-based guides who are knowledgeable, friendly and flexible ensure pleasant, comfortable and worry-free tours.

• Authentic Experiences
  Our travel consultants from all over Japan with network and knowledge - not just highlights but also off the beaten paths - work passionately to enrich your experiences.

Private Tours in other destinations

We can also arrange privately-guided tours in other destinations throughout Japan. Your tours can be tailored to your specific interests such as culture, food, and nature.

Recommended Accommodations

Hiiragiya (Kyoto)

Gion Hatanaka (Kyoto)

Yuzuya Ryokan (Kyoto)

Yoshida-sanso (Kyoto)

Yoshikawa (Kyoto)