Kyoto · KYOTO FOOD TOURS
28 reviewed
Kyoto eats in small plates, down covered lanes and along Pontocho by the river. Below, the best Kyoto food tours ranked: how many dishes and drinks each includes, whether it runs by day at Nishiki or by night in Gion, how big the groups get, and what it costs to arrive hungry.
A 3.5-hour small-group night food walk in Kyoto’s Gion and Pontocho with 9+ dishes and six sake tastings from local makers.
“Jimmy took me out to experience a great dinner and drinks evening, co-mingling with the local Friday night crowd, which I probably would have otherwise totally missed”
3-hour small-group Kyoto night food walk: Yasaka Jinja, Gion and Ponto-cho, plus a two-restaurant dinner and drinks for $92.
“The tour was fun and informative. The food was delicious and plenty.”
A 3-hour Kyoto night walk mixing Gion street stories and local izakaya-style eats, with two included drinks, for under $120.
“Bryan H. was excellent! My adult daughter and I had the great fortune of being the only people on this tour. Bryan gave us background on geisha, maiko, Kabuki, and the Gion district. We also visited some Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The two eateries at which we dined were definitely ones we never would have found on our own and the experience was splendid! Bryan is a personable host and he clearly loves Kyoto and the Gion area.”
Kyoto Gion food tour with 13 dishes at 4 eateries. Lantern-lit Pontocho and Gion walk, obanzai, yuba, sake, and sweets.
“We had a fantastic evening with our brilliant guide Amy. All of the food/drink stops were fantastic. The best was the Takoyaki! Delicious....oh and the custard filled fish was unbelievable! Amy made the whole evening lots of fun.”
Kyoto’s small-group foodie night pairs Nishiki Market snacks, obanzai and izakaya tastings, plus beer or sake and a Pontocho walk.
“Leandra was our host for my family of 4. She was outstanding! Her food selections and places were delicious, and fun. She provided great insights into the culture, things to do, and her experience living in Kyoto, being from another country. Choose Leandra!”
Night food tour through Gion and Pontocho with up to 13 Kyoto dishes, sake, and geisha-culture stories for small groups.
“Tomoko was amazing. She is full of knowledge and helpful information. She took us to a shrine first and gave us great insight then on to a beautiful picture spot, before heading to two great restaurants for dinner and drinks. She was hospitable, full of knowledge, helpful, happy and so much fun. We would do this again if we came back and I was guaranteed Tomoko.”
Evening Kyoto in Gion with 15 tastings and 2 drinks. A local guide orders and translates, taking you from yakitori to sushi.
“It was one of those experiences we’ll laugh about for a long time because it was so bad. First, the time to meet changed, then we couldn’t find the meeting place. We only went to two restaurants. At the first, we had five chicken dishes - nothiRead more”
Taste Kyoto at Nishiki Market with a small-group food tour, 5 local specialties, shrine stops, and an optional tea ceremony.
“Yume our guide was amazing. She gave us ao much info and was so nice. Highly recommend, great value Larry and Janet”
Private Kyoto 10-tasting food tour for your group, with a local guide, Nishiki bites, temple garden treats, and dietary-friendly options.
“A food tour lives or dies on the persona of the guide. This tour was DOA. We began walking through Nishiki Market and asked questions about food, food prep, food history for which our guide, Hiroki, consulted his phone. I coulda' done that! Read more”
Walk Karasuma to Gion for 10 Kyoto tastings: wagyu yuba tofu, mochi, plus beer, sake, and tea in a small group.
“We had a great tour with our guide Yuma! He was very nice and friendly. We enjoyed walking through the market and trying different Japanese food. We started at a restaurant with pork katsu, then we went to the market and tried a variety Read more”
A 3-hour small-group Kyoto night walk with Yasaka Shrine, Gion and Pontocho, plus tastings up to 13 dishes and 2 drinks.
“Such an incredible experience! Moto was so knowledgeable and fun! He took us through gion to and tried food i wouldve never thought to try! Highly recommwnd”
A 2-hour Kyoto food walk covering Nishiki Market, a Depachika department-store hall, tastings, and a quick stop at Nishiki-Tenmangu.
“Tour guide spoke English, very knowledgeable; pleasant, friendly and very professional! Explained the various foods as we went through the tour encouraged us to ask questions of some foods we sampled took us to unique food places - very educational thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Worth the dollar spent! Thank you.”
90-minute Kyoto food tour with a local foodie, starting at Nishiki Tenmangū and ending at Nishiki Market West, with tastings included.
“The organisation ease and meeting point were great. I had booked for a similar tour to have it cancelled. All worked out fabulously. Kaito was a great source of information and a great guide thr the market & through my marvelous Japaneese food fusion experience. I highly recommend this tour with Kaito - I learnt so much on the cultural level, gastronomically and gained a new respect & insight into the Japaneese way. A wonderful experience I am grateful for his guidance”
Walk Gion and the Kamogawa at dusk, then settle into a 10-course kaiseki dinner in Pontocho with green tea and dessert.
“This is our third trip to Kyoto but our guide really opened our eyes to the Gion area. She was so knowledgeable and gracious...I would recommend this tour to everyone. Thank you for a most informative and enjoyable evening!”
Walk Kyoto’s Fushimi sake district, visit the Gekkeikan Ōkura Museum, then taste 18 Kyoto sakes in a small-group tour.
“Tour guide is a very nice and talkative person 🥹 She will recommend and order he food for sakae✨✨ Kawaiii person❤️”
