What You Will Do
To truly experience a city, you must deep dive into its culture, and there's no better cultural tradition to explore in Kyoto than through geishas and their traditions.
On this private tour, get a cultural awakening as you learn more about geishas and the traditions and why this is such a unique part of the city's character. Learn from its history to the present influence that still lingers in Kyoto as you visit the Minamiza Theatre, Maruyama park and more. Thanks to this cultural experience, you'll be able to see Kyoto from a different perspective - the way the locals live it every day!
Withlocals Treasures of Kyoto Tour™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local products and preventing over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard tourist routes.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
The host will meet you in front of the statue of Izumo no Okuni.
1
Statue of Izumo no Okuni
20 minutes
Okuni was the originator of kabuki theater
2
Minamiza : The Kabuki Theater of Kyoto
20 minutes
The roots of Minamiza go back to the early Edo period (1596-1615).
3
Gion
10 minutes
The area of Gion Shinbashi is designated as a traditional business preservation area and the area south of Shijo Street as a historical scenery preservation area.
4
Tatsumi Daimyojin Shrine
20 minutes
Hear more about Japanese religion here, it is a mixture of Shinto and Buddhism.
5
Shinbashi Dori
10 minutes
Stand outside the traditional banquet buildings where the geisha would have entertained customers and learn more in-depth about the geisha and the culture.
6
Chion-in Temple
10 minutes
Walk up the steps to get a better view of the temple and see the garden area.
7
Maruyama Park
20 minutes
Walk from the temple towards the park area.
8
Yasaka Shrine
10 minutes
According to the legend of the shrine, its history may go back as far as 150 years before the Heian era, AC656 (the second year of the reign of Emperor Seimei).
9
Shijo Dori
10 minutes
Walk on the Shijō Street, that literally means Fourth Avenue of Heian-kyō, the ancient capital
10
Nene-no-Michi
10 minutes
Kodaiji Temple was built in 1605 at the behest of Nene, for whom the street was later named
11
Yasaka Shrine
10 minutes
Picturesque 5-story Buddhist pagoda temple, offering sweeping views from the top. Finish the tour in a local cafe nearby.
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