EsplorareKyoto

Higashiyama, after dark

Small walking tours in Kyoto

Explore Kyotowith a Local

Walk through Kyoto's lively market streets, quiet lantern-lit lanes, and intimate local places with a guide who calls this city home.

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Kyoto beyond the checklist

From market mornings to quiet Kyoto nights.

ESPLORARE KYOTO is for travelers who want a personal, small-group way to experience the city: local food, everyday stories, gentle streets, and places that feel closer to real Kyoto.

Current tours

Choose your Kyoto walking tour

A busy covered market street in Kyoto
Nishiki Market

Sundays, 10:00 AM Daytime / Food / Local culture

Nishiki Market Food Tour with a Local

★ 4.97 · 69 reviews on Airbnb

Taste your way through Kyoto's kitchen with local stories, a calmer look at everyday food culture, and two tastings along the way: soy milk donuts and warm taiyaki.

Price
¥8,000 per guest (shown in your local currency on Airbnb)
Included
Two tastings — soy milk donuts from a neighborhood tofu shop, and taiyaki off the griddle
Duration
About 2 hours
When
Usually Sundays, starting at 10:00 AM
Meeting point
Daimaru Kyoto, Nishiki-koji side exit
Best for
First-time visitors, food lovers, families
Style
Easy daytime walk
Full tour details Check available dates & book on Airbnb
Nene-no-michi at night in the rain, wet stone paving reflecting the orange streetlamps Small dishes and sake at a hidden izakaya in Kyoto
Nene-no-michi, in the rain

Fridays, 6:30 PM Evening / Higashiyama / Izakaya

Kyoto Night Walking Tour & a Hidden Izakaya

★ 4.91 · 34 reviews on Airbnb

A quiet Kyoto evening through atmospheric streets, ending with sake and dinner at a hidden local izakaya.

Price
¥28,000 per guest (shown in your local currency on Airbnb)
Duration
About 4 hours — we part at the izakaya, so your evening can continue as long as you like
When
Usually Fridays, starting at 6:30 PM
Meeting point
In front of the Takashimaya Kyoto information counter
Best for
Couples, solo travelers, small adult groups
Style
Small group, ages 20+
Full tour details Check available dates & book on Airbnb
A single incense stick standing in a handmade ceramic dish on a wooden tansu chest

Coming soon Scent / Culture

Kyoto Through Scent: an Incense Tour

A new small-group walk built around incense: learn to "listen" to scent, visit quiet places of prayer, and choose a fragrance to carry home.

Duration
About 2.5–3 hours (planned)
Group
Up to 4 guests — incense spaces are quiet places
Status
In preparation — join the interest list to hear first
Learn more & join the interest list

For returning visitors

Been to Kyoto before?

If you've already seen the big temples and the main sights, the next visit is a chance to slow down — a quieter, more local evening, the shops the neighborhood actually uses, an unhurried walk with someone who lives here. That's the Kyoto I most like to show returning guests.

Night walk & hidden izakaya Plan a private walk

A new incense walk is in the works, too — you can join the interest list.

Kumiko, your local host in Kyoto

Hosted by Kumiko

A local host sharing the Kyoto she walks every day.

Based near Nishiki, Kumiko has spent more than 20 years in Kyoto. Her tours are small, personal, and built around real streets, conversations, food, and the gentle details visitors often miss.

“See Kyoto through a local’s eyes, from its lively market mornings to its quiet lantern-lit nights.”

Kumiko · Kyoto

From the journal

Notes from a Kyoto local

The Yasaka Pagoda lit gold above the wet stone lane of Ninenzaka at night
Yasaka Pagoda, from Ninenzaka

Higashiyama

Higashiyama at Night

At night Higashiyama is still wonderfully empty. Walk it under the orange streetlamps — and on a rainy night, when the wet stone glows, it's most beautiful of all.

Read the note

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Guest voices

Loved by 103 guests on Airbnb

Excerpts from Airbnb reviews, as of June 2026.

Night Walk & Hidden Izakaya

“This was without doubt one of the absolute highlights of our time in Japan… We really felt like we experienced a slice of real life in Kyoto. I can’t recommend this highly enough.”
Mike · United Kingdom

Nishiki Market Walk

“Kumiko is an amazing guide through Nishiki Market… She is an expert on every single merchant stall, guiding her guests towards those with the best flavors, history and tradition in Kyoto. She made our trip very special.”
Ted · United States

Nishiki Market Walk

“A very friendly, knowledgeable guide who gave us great insights into the shops where the locals buy. The help with buying souvenirs was brilliant.”
Wolfram · Germany (translated from German)

Night Walk & Hidden Izakaya

“Kumiko was a wonderful host who expertly guided us through the historic Higashiyama district… The izakaya experience we had afterward was cozy and relaxed, and the food and sake were amazing. Highly recommended!”
Cody · United States

Good to know

Before you book

What language are the tours in?

English and Italian. My Italian isn't perfect — but we understand each other, and if you speak slowly, it's easier still.

Are private tours available?

Yes. Send an inquiry with your preferred date, group size, and interests.

Which tour should I choose first?

Choose Nishiki Market for daytime food culture, or the night walk for a slower, atmospheric evening with dinner.

Can I book directly?

Direct booking is planned. For now, Airbnb booking links and private tour inquiries are available.

Is Kyoto worth visiting a second time?

Very much. Once you've seen the famous temples, a second visit is where Kyoto opens up — the everyday markets, quiet evenings, and neighborhood places most people walk past the first time. That's what my walks are built around.

What can I do in Kyoto that isn't touristy?

Spend a morning where locals actually shop, or a slow evening in the back streets that ends at a small izakaya. My walks stay close to everyday Kyoto rather than the busiest sights.

Do you offer tours for people who've already seen the main sights?

Yes — that's a lot of my guests. The night walk with a hidden izakaya, and the Nishiki morning, are both about the local side of the city rather than the checklist. Private walks can be shaped around what you haven't seen yet.

Custom requests

Planning a private Kyoto walk?

For private tours, special dates, or future collaborations, send a short note with your travel dates and what kind of Kyoto you want to see.