Kyoto Nightlife: Gion and Pontocho Tour

Discover Kyoto’s Gion district by night with local experts. Immerse in history, ask questions, and get top restaurant tips for a memorable evening.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights

Yasaka Shrine - Yasaka Shrine, located in Kyoto’s Gion district, is one of the city’s most famous Shinto shrines. Established over 1,350 years ago, it is known for its vibrant red main gate and beautiful lantern-lit pathways. The shrine hosts the annual Gion Matsuri, one of Japan’s most famous festivals, attracting visitors worldwide. Yasaka Shrine…

What's Included
  • Walking tour with local guide
  • Two drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
  • Food at 1 restaurant, 1 stall, and 1 izakaya (up to 13 dishes)
What's Not Included
  • Extra drinks (for big drinkers)
Additional Information

Experience the enchantment of Kyoto’s nightlife on a small-group tour through Gion and Pontocho, led by a knowledgeable local guide. Discover the rich geisha culture of Kyoto while uncovering hidden treasures and enjoying traditional cuisine.
Begin at Yasaka Shrine, which is stunningly lit at night, as the guide shares intriguing tales about its history…

Location
Nishiro-mon Gate (West Tower Gate)
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(11 Ratings)
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Traveler37496031759
Mar 19, 2025
So much fun! - Had an amazing time walking around Gion and learning about the culture and lifestyle of the area. Both restaurants were incredible as well. 10/10, would absolutely recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deancf4133ox
Mar 19, 2025
Amazing - Absolutely phenomenal. Excellent tour guide. Great good. Fun atmosphere. Not a single complaint. Book this tour. You will NOT be disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michellesav68
Mar 14, 2025
Devious Food Tour by night - We had a beautiful night walking, talking and enjoying delicious food with Shino our gorgeous guide. Shino explained each part of the town as we walked through it, each dish we ate was so delicious Shino ordered everything for us and it was perfect. The night was so much fun chatting, walking and trying the local food. We were lucky to have Shino as our guide as she was the perfect host. We felt like we made a new friend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explorer71904
Mar 11, 2025
A great evening tour with food culture and sake 👍 - We had the best evening tour with Shino. She was so much fun and very interesting to talk with. She explained and helped us understand the Japanese culture with great food and drink really excellent time Thank you
Review provided by Tripadvisor
481ernieb
Mar 10, 2025
Kyōto food tour - Tummy was energenic and very informative. She took us to restaurants only locals would know about. A fun food tour that I would highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexhj916hs
Feb 14, 2025
The Tour to do - Easy to find meeting point where Tamuka swept us to the hidden gems of Gion. He was really knowledgeable about the history of the area.we saw the tea house where geisha originated then on to try food , too many to mention but all delicious and plentiful. We moved on to the next area and had yet more food and tried sake. Tamuka was really enthusiastic and ensured we had a great experience.we were lucky enough to see 2 student geisha, one was kind enough to pose for pictures. If you do 1 tour in Kyoto, make it this one... fascinating, thankkyou Takuma for a memorable evening
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Traces808
Jan 29, 2025
Re-discovering the Kyoto culture - Have been to Kyoto or Japan for many times, that is one of my unforgettable experiences in Japan. Take me to explore Japanese culture from local points of views.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lynettepowell
Oct 29, 2024
In formative and relaxed. - My guide was very helpful and able to give lots of information on both the food and local district as I walked around. Wonderful experience. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Deb_b
Oct 30, 2024
Gion walking Tour. - Good food and a nice easy walk. A lovely small group of people and the guide kept in touch before the tour. Night is not the time to see Geisha.
Review provided by Viator
Kathiez_13
Jan 1, 2025
Not worth the cost - After we booked the tour, we were contacted that there was no guide available for the date we booked, and asked to change to that night. We did, but I wonder if that meant our group was larger than normal? There were 13 of us, and I don't think the guide was used to a group of that size. She would walk to a spot and start talking, which meant the 2 or 3 people in front were the only ones who could hear her. A couple of times, by the time the last of our group got there, the guide was already done talking and heading to the next stop. The 2 restaurants we stopped at felt very touristy, and we could have found them on our own. The amount of food ordered was not enough for everyone in the group to try everything, so after the tour we had to stop at a Lawson for more food. The guide was lovely, but this tour was absolutely overpriced. We paid over $100 each, but $30 would have been more appropriate.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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