Unique things to do in Kyoto

We will share a course-meal ranging from modern to traditional Japanese food across 4-6 food stands and restaurants. I have chosen these vendors to talk about quality food and rich food culture that represent Kyoto. Throughout the evening, we will try many kinds of foods different from other Japanese cities offer with other foodies! Other things to note Please let me know if you have food restrictions or allergies beforehand. I update my tour availability by the 3rd week for next month. Even if you don't see availability, please check back later.

This is a group tour. Nara was Japan's first capital 1300 years ago. Discover old city Nara & real Japan. We visit 3 world heritage sites, Nara park and hidden jem. We meet at Kintetsu Nara station of Kintetsu railway at 9:30 AM. (1)Begin the tour with the statue of Gyoki. (2)Enjoy walking shopping street and explore Nara famous food and Nara souvenir. (3)Enjoy Yomogi-Mochi at famous sweets shop (4) Kohfukuji Temple(world heritage) (5)Nara Park Visit places only locals know. I explain the habit of visiting temples and shrines and how Japanese pray, the difference between temples and shrines. Explore the basis and background they have. (6)Sagiike pond (7)The shrine with the Japanese Shinto deities of love (8)Kasuga Taisha shrine (world heritage) (9)break for lunch at a nice Japanese Udon restaurant. Lunch fee is not included. (10) If time permits, I will do a quick Origami lesson. (11)Todaiji-Temple Great Statue of Buddha (world heritage)　Admission fee is required. Tour ends at Nandaimon Gate of Todaiji-Temple.( In front of bus terminal) You can walk or take a bus to the station. If you need any questions about how to get back to the station, I can give you the instructions. Notes: There will be a lot of walking on this tour. I recommend you come wearing comfortable walking shoes

You can make a reservation to participate in the tea ceremony experience in our studio, enjoy the 60-minute service and immerse yourself in the unique Japanese culture tour. The Tea Ceremony experience in ANKOAN kicks out your fatigue in the journey. While tasting the welcome tea made by Yuka, you can talk about the tea ceremony and whatever. Then move to another layer of matcha tearoom, watching the process of making Matcha tea and tasting Matcha and delicious Wagashi. At this time, you’d better observe the teacher's action for making matcha carefully. Do you know why? Because you will experience to make mathca personally later on. But don't worry, the teacher will be around you to instruct and explain, so that you can fully experience the fun of making Japanese matcha. At the same time, we can share what we see and what we feel, such as "how do Japanese people live?", "how did Japanese culture come into being?” and so on. With the experience of matcha, we, from different cultures, can get closer to each other in the process of communication, which is the highlight of tea ceremony experience in ANKOAN. And then, please get down to tasting the matcha made by yourself, which contains Japan's profound culture, and end this pleasant experience. In addition: you can take pictures indoor freely. Other things to note ＝Business Hours＝ 10:00-18:00 ＝Off Day＝ December 31st to January 3rd ※We will be closed for attending lectures abroad or domestic activities. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Close enough from KYOTO ! Guarantee the best price and quality/quantity! Please read detailed guest review to get to know more about my tour! "One of the tapas bar is historical 80 YEARS OLD classic Japanese tapas bar! Point 1. Experience of this bar crawl will walk around deep side of Osaka, If you’re looking for "off the beaten path" munchies experience beyond Namba or Doutonbori area in Osaka, HERE is for YOU who wanna glimpse what a real local night life is. Point 2. Let me take you to three SPECIAL standing bar which most of them are originally opened as "liquor store" turned out to be a "Tapas Bar". Great things that we will have quality food/drinks as very reasonable price! Average cost is about 6000 Yen ($44/€41ish) in TOTAL 3 restaurant. Point 3. You will encounter a bunch of flavorful food/drinks surrounded by full of local. You will be fit in well to local life without language barrier. I'll order your favorite taste which something "adventurous" and sure fire food like seasonal sashimi or variety of meat and veggies. If you find your favorite sake, you can buy a bottle in order to have your souvenir! Let's enjoy the night out together like a local. besides, I would like to talk about culture differences! I am music, movies and nature lover. Other things to note Food and drinks are NOT included in the tour fee. Vegetarian friendly! LGBTQ friendly!

Session 1 " Book Binding Workshop" 1. select book cover ( you can choose from our collection of old kimono textile / old cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. stitch the interior pages of the book by hand 3. cut the edge of the book to size 4. measure the book cover & other materials 5. set and arrange all paper and make book cover 6. assemble the interior of the book and book cover 7. press by hot iron with candle 8. use pressing tools to press book 9. glue on the cover of the book Session 2 ” Embossing ”　 1. choose one or two words from Name/ Date/ Kyoto. Or, one line of your expression like poem or philosophy. 2. choose letter style from letter presses ( Western or Japanese/ Kanji -old Chinese characters ) 3. design to set letter press on the back page of your book cover 4. practice the technic of embossing several times 5. try to emboss with golden leaf ( silver / other colors ) please check photos for each process. -finish Other things to note This course is best suited for adults and families with kids over 13 yrs. old. If you’d like to enjoy a more family oriented class please choose our other course Traditional Kyoto Style Bookmaking.

Experience what it feels like to be a local! This 3-hour experience focuses on standing izakayas in Kyobashi, a neighborhood filled with small, local favorite restaurants and bars. Eat and drink like a local in these hidden gems while interacting with friendly Osaka locals! With me as your local host, you will be encouraged to try old-school izakaya foods and interact with locals in a way that you otherwise wouldn't. We will go to 2-3 standing izakayas in Kyobashi for you to try various Japanese and Osaka local foods. The places I will take you to have no English signs or menus, but not to worry, I will translate them for you! By the end of the tour, you'll be able to order your own next round of food and drinks! Come with me to eat and drink like locals, with locals. **PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE BOOKING** FOOD/DRINKS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE. Please know that the experience will be taken place in STANDING izakayas and they are SMOKING-FRIENDLY. This experience is NOT for those who have many food restrictions or are very specific about the dishes they want.

" Book Binding Workshop" 1. select book cover ( you can choose from our collection of old kimono textile / old cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. stitch the interior pages of the book by hand 3. cut the edge of the book to size 4. measure the book cover & other materials 5. set and arrange all paper and make book cover 6. assemble the interior of the book and book cover 7. press by hot iron with candle 8. use pressing tools to press book 9. glue on the cover of the book -finish- Other things to note If you are the family, we are very welcome. Under 5years old children might be difficult to have standard corse. In that case, embossing class would be better ( please check another workshop of mine!

"Experience KENDO" offers authentic BUSHIDO ("WAY OF SAMURAI") learning experience through the lecture and basic motions of the traditional martial arts, KENDO ("WAY OF SWORD"). Tomoyoshi, the instructor, will give you a short lecture on how the ancient swordsmanship of SAMURAI later developed into KENDO. He will share ancient SAMURAIS' heroic stories, including his great-grandfather, Yoshishige Hayashi. He will also share the controversial influence of BUSHIDO values on this nation and his family into extremism, especially during the period of WW2. He will end his story on how redemption came and led him to the current inner peace and the life of a pacifist. After the lecture, you will wear all the KENDO armors and will learn the basic KENDO movements. In the end, you will get to do the KENDO match with each other. Upon completing the workshop, you will receive a beautifully designed “Certificate of Experience”. Tomoyoshi will teach you everything in English. Q&A is always welcomed. Photo-taking is freely allowed. His wife, Tomoko, who also has rich Kendo experience will assist ladies and children in any necessary way. It is a very safe activity but exciting enough to meet your adventurous expectation. We are confident that this is one of the best workshops you can find of this kind!

On arrival, we'll create our own handmade paper from the raw ingredients, which will be turned into four postcards. Designing the paper with pressed flowers and leaves is the most fun process. While drying the paper, we'll watch a short movie about how Japanese paper is made, enjoy chatting over drinks. When the paper is dried, I'll show you how to use a traditional brush pen to write messages on the cards in Japanese. At the end, I 'll be able to guide you on how to mail your unique cards to your friends or family. Other things to note; Please be sure to bring the mailing addresses of the people you want to send your postcards to.

This is an excellent chance for visitors to get a firsthand look into the world of the samurai. Get a glimpse into the philosophies of bushido, the way of the warrior, and try your hand at wielding a real katana. Afterwards, practice some inward reflection with Zen meditation, used by the samurai to calm their minds during battle. -Form Practice- Before being given a real blade it is important to master the basics. We will begin our training using wooden practice swords and instruct you on the proper grip, posture, and form. -A Real Katana (Japanese sword)- After learning the basics, the next step is to wield a real katana, and use it to cut though a goza mat. We will place this target on a special stand and you can put your sword skills to the test. -Zen (meditation)- The course wraps up with an experience of Zen meditation. Through this deep meditation, you will be able to dissipate some of the excitement from practicing with the sword, and also learn ways in which Zen meditation can assist you in your daily life. -Other things to note- * You are allowed to take photos and videos anytime anywhere during the experience. * We do offer private bookings, please contact us through our website.

We will share a course-meal ranging from modern to traditional Japanese food across 4-6 food stands and restaurants. I have chosen these vendors to talk about quality food and rich food culture that represent Kyoto. Throughout the evening, we will try many kinds of foods different from other Japanese cities offer with other foodies! Other things to note Please let me know if you have food restrictions or allergies beforehand. I update my tour availability by the 3rd week for next month. Even if you don't see availability, please check back later.

【New release at a special price】 Kyoto city is full of tourist spots, it's a kind of amusement park itself. But the transportation is so complicated even for Japanese people. Then tourists may visit 5-6 tourist spots in one day. But through this experience, we will take you to the most popular tourist spots in Kyoto, in one day! You have a chance to take photos of very beautiful scenery though this tour. Example of itinerary 1. Meet in front of the Exit of JR Saga-Arashiyama station. 8:50! 2. Arashiyama: Beautiful bamboo forest and Japanese forested mountain. 3. Ride the Randen Tram Line: Cute local small tram. 4. Ryoan-ji Temple: The stone garden here became famous because Queen Elizabeth visited here and praised it. 5. Lunch: Eat at a Sushi-go-round! (Sushi, Ramen, Kara-Age, Beer, Mochi too!) 6. Kinkakuji Temple: You can't miss this place. The famous "golden temple". 7. Fushimi Inari Shrine: The No.1 sightseeing spot chosen by overseas customers! The more than 1,000 red torii gates lining the path are spectacular. 8. Sanjusangendo: The sight of 1,000 Buddhist statues lined up is a sight to behold! 9. Kiyomizu Temple: The most popular tourist spot for Japanese tourists. The wood stage does not use a single nail. 10. Sanneizaka: Souvenir shops lined up this pedestrian road. 11. Yasaka Pagoda: A major symbol of Kyoto. 12. Gion area: This is the beauty of historical city, Kyoto.

This is a group tour. Nara was Japan's first capital 1300 years ago. Discover old city Nara & real Japan. We visit 3 world heritage sites, Nara park and hidden jem. We meet at Kintetsu Nara station of Kintetsu railway at 9:30 AM. (1)Begin the tour with the statue of Gyoki. (2)Enjoy walking shopping street and explore Nara famous food and Nara souvenir. (3)Enjoy Yomogi-Mochi at famous sweets shop (4) Kohfukuji Temple(world heritage) (5)Nara Park Visit places only locals know. I explain the habit of visiting temples and shrines and how Japanese pray, the difference between temples and shrines. Explore the basis and background they have. (6)Sagiike pond (7)The shrine with the Japanese Shinto deities of love (8)Kasuga Taisha shrine (world heritage) (9)break for lunch at a nice Japanese Udon restaurant. Lunch fee is not included. (10) If time permits, I will do a quick Origami lesson. (11)Todaiji-Temple Great Statue of Buddha (world heritage)　Admission fee is required. Tour ends at Nandaimon Gate of Todaiji-Temple.( In front of bus terminal) You can walk or take a bus to the station. If you need any questions about how to get back to the station, I can give you the instructions. Notes: There will be a lot of walking on this tour. I recommend you come wearing comfortable walking shoes

You can make a reservation to participate in the tea ceremony experience in our studio, enjoy the 60-minute service and immerse yourself in the unique Japanese culture tour. The Tea Ceremony experience in ANKOAN kicks out your fatigue in the journey. While tasting the welcome tea made by Yuka, you can talk about the tea ceremony and whatever. Then move to another layer of matcha tearoom, watching the process of making Matcha tea and tasting Matcha and delicious Wagashi. At this time, you’d better observe the teacher's action for making matcha carefully. Do you know why? Because you will experience to make mathca personally later on. But don't worry, the teacher will be around you to instruct and explain, so that you can fully experience the fun of making Japanese matcha. At the same time, we can share what we see and what we feel, such as "how do Japanese people live?", "how did Japanese culture come into being?” and so on. With the experience of matcha, we, from different cultures, can get closer to each other in the process of communication, which is the highlight of tea ceremony experience in ANKOAN. And then, please get down to tasting the matcha made by yourself, which contains Japan's profound culture, and end this pleasant experience. In addition: you can take pictures indoor freely. Other things to note ＝Business Hours＝ 10:00-18:00 ＝Off Day＝ December 31st to January 3rd ※We will be closed for attending lectures abroad or domestic activities. Sorry for the inconvenience.

A cycling tour through Kyoto city should be more than just a simple ride-around, we take you deep inside. Our tours are focused on experiencing, exploring, and discovering Kyoto’s best-kept secrets, all in a short riding distance from our shop. Tranquil and contemplative Zen gardens, magnificent temples and shrines, we have carefully curated a tour that offers uniquely contrasting environments showcasing Kyoto’s distinctive history, culture, design, and craft. We meet at 8:45 and depart at 9 sharp. Our tour starts and finishes at our shop in north-western Kyoto city. This is a boutique journey, designed for those who seek a more in-depth understanding of Kyoto’s landscape. It features a visit inside the famous Golden Pavilion, but also takes time to stop and relax at other unique meditative Zen Gardens that are off the beaten path. Other things to note Most guests take a taxi to our shop. We recommend wearing comfortable clothes for a fantastic day on the bike. I will cancel and refund tours due to heavy rain, storms, or inclement weather.

Close enough from KYOTO ! Guarantee the best price and quality/quantity! Please read detailed guest review to get to know more about my tour! "One of the tapas bar is historical 80 YEARS OLD classic Japanese tapas bar! Point 1. Experience of this bar crawl will walk around deep side of Osaka, If you’re looking for "off the beaten path" munchies experience beyond Namba or Doutonbori area in Osaka, HERE is for YOU who wanna glimpse what a real local night life is. Point 2. Let me take you to three SPECIAL standing bar which most of them are originally opened as "liquor store" turned out to be a "Tapas Bar". Great things that we will have quality food/drinks as very reasonable price! Average cost is about 6000 Yen ($44/€41ish) in TOTAL 3 restaurant. Point 3. You will encounter a bunch of flavorful food/drinks surrounded by full of local. You will be fit in well to local life without language barrier. I'll order your favorite taste which something "adventurous" and sure fire food like seasonal sashimi or variety of meat and veggies. If you find your favorite sake, you can buy a bottle in order to have your souvenir! Let's enjoy the night out together like a local. besides, I would like to talk about culture differences! I am music, movies and nature lover. Other things to note Food and drinks are NOT included in the tour fee. Vegetarian friendly! LGBTQ friendly!

Session 1 " Book Binding Workshop" 1. select book cover ( you can choose from our collection of old kimono textile / old cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. stitch the interior pages of the book by hand 3. cut the edge of the book to size 4. measure the book cover & other materials 5. set and arrange all paper and make book cover 6. assemble the interior of the book and book cover 7. press by hot iron with candle 8. use pressing tools to press book 9. glue on the cover of the book Session 2 ” Embossing ”　 1. choose one or two words from Name/ Date/ Kyoto. Or, one line of your expression like poem or philosophy. 2. choose letter style from letter presses ( Western or Japanese/ Kanji -old Chinese characters ) 3. design to set letter press on the back page of your book cover 4. practice the technic of embossing several times 5. try to emboss with golden leaf ( silver / other colors ) please check photos for each process. -finish Other things to note This course is best suited for adults and families with kids over 13 yrs. old. If you’d like to enjoy a more family oriented class please choose our other course Traditional Kyoto Style Bookmaking.

In this experience tour, you can stroll around the ancient capital of Kyoto, enjoy the history of temples and Kyomachi, and create special memories through a photography experience. Firstly, we will meet at the Nishiromon gate of Yasaka Shrine and we will explain the flow of the tour. We then head to our destination, Kiyomizu-dera, while visiting not only Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka, but also hidden spots where there are less tourists. There are also some standard photo spots along the way, so let's proceed while taking commemorative photos. We can also shoot outside the Kiyomizu-temple area as well, so please feel free to talk with us. We highly recommend wearing the traditional Japanese wear, kimono and Japanese style make-up during the tour. Since there are many kimono rental shops in the city of Kyoto, If you would like to use the service, please let us know in advance, we can help you with the reservation. The experience tour will last approximately 2 hours. I especially recommend it for those who are new to Kyoto! Please come and join us to make your own memories. [ this experience tour includes ] ・ 2 hours shooting experience and cultural deep tour (English, Japanese, Chinese, available) ・ Photos (50 or more unedited photos, 10 to 12 full edited photos) If you have any further questions or inquiries, please contact us through the Host Contact button!

Experience what it feels like to be a local! This 3-hour experience focuses on standing izakayas in Kyobashi, a neighborhood filled with small, local favorite restaurants and bars. Eat and drink like a local in these hidden gems while interacting with friendly Osaka locals! With me as your local host, you will be encouraged to try old-school izakaya foods and interact with locals in a way that you otherwise wouldn't. We will go to 2-3 standing izakayas in Kyobashi for you to try various Japanese and Osaka local foods. The places I will take you to have no English signs or menus, but not to worry, I will translate them for you! By the end of the tour, you'll be able to order your own next round of food and drinks! Come with me to eat and drink like locals, with locals. **PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE BOOKING** FOOD/DRINKS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE. Please know that the experience will be taken place in STANDING izakayas and they are SMOKING-FRIENDLY. This experience is NOT for those who have many food restrictions or are very specific about the dishes they want.

First, we'll start and see the highlight of the Gion area, checking out the must see look into the "old town Kyoto". After walking through this Geisha district (where there's a possibility of seeing a real Geisha), I would like to step away from the more busy streets, walking through alleys to nearby Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, where I would like to talk about the history and significance of both. Next, I would like to walk up a path leading into an iconic sight of Kyoto, a picturesque view of both new and old. Finally, I would like to go to my favorite shrine, to talk about the history, but also my personal memories of the place. Soon across the street, we will be back at the original meeting place, where I would like to send you off into the city with recommendations of nearby places for restaurants, bars, or whatever you may be looking for! Other things to note The focus of this experience to enjoy the traditional sights of Kyoto, such as paper lanterns by older buildings. For this, we will walk during night, when most shops will be closed.

" Book Binding Workshop" 1. select book cover ( you can choose from our collection of old kimono textile / old cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. stitch the interior pages of the book by hand 3. cut the edge of the book to size 4. measure the book cover & other materials 5. set and arrange all paper and make book cover 6. assemble the interior of the book and book cover 7. press by hot iron with candle 8. use pressing tools to press book 9. glue on the cover of the book -finish- Other things to note If you are the family, we are very welcome. Under 5years old children might be difficult to have standard corse. In that case, embossing class would be better ( please check another workshop of mine!

This 3hr long walking tour involves 6 food stops and a little sightseeing that covers many iconic landmarks and hidden spots along with the history behind them. You will try several kinds of unique food loved by locals in Osaka for decades. You’ll also have 2 types of desserts (one traditional & one contemporary “traditional”) from the most popular confectionaries favored by locals. I will explain the background of each food you’ll try and link it to Osaka or Japan more broadly. Through this culinary experience, you will certainly come to understand the character of Osaka. And I also guarantee that you'll be full before leaving the tour as said in the proverb Kuidaore! *Food Allergies & Restrictions Osaka is known as the kingdom of carb-rich food. All the food provided on this tour contains wheat flour or fish based broth. For those on a gluten-free or vegan diet, this tour is not suitable. Also, please be advised that this tour cannot accommodate anyone with severe food allergies that can cause illness or life threatening situations. This is because dietary issues are not very common in Japan, and many restaurants and food shops are not aware of cross contamination / contact and thus cross contamination CANNOT be avoided. **Daytime version You'll get a Wagyu beef skewer instead of Sushi. Other things to note Osaka is known as the kingdom of carb-rich food, so most local food is made from WHEAT FLOUR. Also, many traditional dishes in Japan use a FISH based broth. BOTH are included on the tour.

This is a 3-hour 30-minute hiking lead by locals. Lunch included. You will have an opportunity to experience the holy mountain of Fushimi through an alternative route. We provide two slots. 9:00am - 13:00pm / 9:30am - 13:30 pm The latter is for busy season. This experience includes: 1) Sightseeing of the main shrine and thousands of red gates, with an explanation of their history and cultural background. 2) Easy walking through a peaceful bamboo and cedar tree forest path, visiting authentic holy spots (worship stones & waterfall) and a factory. 3) Going up a forest route to the summit shrine (20 min). The summit is 233m high, and I will show you around the shrine. 4) Photo-shooting part. On the way down, I will show you lots of photogenic spots that are usually less crowded. 5) Snack & drink, and the breathtaking panorama view of Kyoto city from the viewpoint. 6) Lunch at the best soba restaurant in Fushimi. Yummy Japanese noodle soba and inari sushi. vegan options are available. Showing local street food stands. Other things to note: Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and bring a hands-free backpack for hiking. The paths are well-organized, but you will go up/down some stairs. The time schedule may differ depending on your walking speed.

Welcome to my experience! :-) There are two parts in this experiences: Kimono Wearing and Photoshoot. [ On the day - Kimono Wearing (40-60 minutes) ] Reach the kimono shop at least 1 to 2 hrs BEFORE the SCHEDULED TIME of photoshoot Select the right Kimono ■ A professional kitsuke sensei will help with wearing the Kimono ■ Then a professional stylist will help with hair styling ■ Kimono upgrade/Make-up service is available with additional fee (decide at the shop) [ On the day - Photoshoot ] ■ We meet at the Kimono shop ON the SCHEDULED TIME ■ Walk around Kyoto Gion area ■ As we walk together, I will suggest some suitable spots for photoshoot ■ I will take photo group by group ■ Don’t worry about posing as I will guide you along the way ■ After the photoshoot, you can wear the kimono until 6-8pm [ About photo ] ■ 10 edited full resolution photos per participant ■ all unedited JPEG 200-400 photos, send within 7 days via cloud drive [ Note ] ■ You can always ask me if I can open the schedule for you if it’s not listed ■ Kimono upgrade (Nishaku, Furisode, Hakama) is available with extra fee. We also provide full scale package for half/full day casual or pre-wedding photoshoot at any locations within Japan. Please contact me for details. Other airbnb photoshoots experiences in Kansai area: ■ Kyoto Gion ■ Kyoto Arashiyama ■ Kyoto Fushimi Inari ■ Nara ■ Osaka

Do you want to meet local people and experience the traditional craftsmanship and design of Kyoto? Do you want to explore hidden places, not so crowded with tourists? Do you want information about real life in Kyoto? I created this guided exploration for you. I invite you to walk with me in downtown Kyoto, where I'll show you hidden gems and unique places related to traditional craftsmanship and local lifestyle. You will meet the artisans and shop owners, and enjoy many interesting stories and information about the city and how people are living in Kyoto. I will guide you to several places and shops during the two-and-a-half-hour walk. You may enter a secret garden, meet the 18th-generation artisan of a famous family, visit the people who created the golden cover of the Kinkakuji (Golden temple), hear legends and stories about the interesting history of downtown and the traditional arts. Meanwhile, we will also try some tasty traditional Kyoto style sweets. This is not a classic historical walk; I will introduce you to Kyoto's people for discussion, and to share our experience about real life in Kyoto. We are going to small, local places.