WHY KIMASU
Forget rigid tours, memorized scripts, and large crowds chasing an unavailable guide. We offer private, flexible, and authentic explorations—immersive, human-scale experiences that feed your curiosity, match your desires, and create lasting memories. We don't just show you Kyoto, the Kansai region, and Japan: we give you the keys to truly understand them.
We guide you through Kyoto, the Kansai region, and beyond—exploring hidden alleyways, serene temples, and crowd-free neighborhoods. No checkboxes here: we adapt to your tempo so you can savor every moment and build unforgettable memories.
Real stories, cultural context, down-to-earth perspective to bring what you're looking at to life. We share more than we recite — and you leave with what you need for the rest of your trip.
The right neighborhoods, the right seasons, the right hours to dodge the crowds, the packed trains and the tourist traps — Japan is our daily life, not a season. That knowledge is our real product.
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Guest reviews
« Nicolas was an outstanding guide on our bike tour. His knowledge of traditions and history of Kyoto were detailed but very engaging and more like a conversation with friends. The bikes we used were very maneuverable e-bikes which would be suitable for riders of almost all skill levels. Highly recommend. Our trip was in English but they also provide French and Spanish guides. They specialize in small groups and we were a party of two. »
« We had a guided tour in Osaka with Terry in the late afternoon and then the next day we went to Nara with Nico. They tailored the time to suit us but we saw so much and learnt so much about the temples and the history. Would highly recommend them to anyone who wants a private guided tour. »
« We spent the day exploring Kyoto with Terry and it was very fun and informative of the history of Kyoto and the local shrines and temples. He is passionate about the area and the day flew by as we walked, explored, and talked about all things. We started by the bamboo forest and Teneyu-ji and ended near our hotel which was like a magic trick. I highly recommend booking with Terry and his crew, felt like an old friend I haven't seen a while from the start. »
« Un immense merci à Nicolas pour cette superbe journée ! 🇯🇵 Un guide passionné, sympathique et vraiment agréable, avec qui nous n’avons pas vu le temps passer. La visite de Nara était passionnante, pleine d’anecdotes, de découvertes et de bonne humeur. Nous avons beaucoup apprécié sa gentillesse, sa disponibilité et la qualité de ses explications. Une très belle rencontre qui restera parmi les excellents souvenirs de notre voyage au Japon. Nous le recommandons chaleureusement ! 😊 (Translated by Google) A huge thank you to Nicolas for this wonderful day! 🇯🇵 A passionate, friendly, and truly delightful guide, with whom the time flew by. The Nara tour was fascinating, full of anecdotes, discoveries, and good humor. We greatly appreciated his kindness, availability, and the quality of his explanations. A truly wonderful encounter that will remain one of the best memories of our trip to Japan. We highly recommend him! 😊 »
« Nous avons passé grâce à nicolas une expérience formidable en déambulant en vélo à kyoto en avril 2026 Nicolas est un guide extraordinaire qui parvient à vous faire découvrir cette ville millénaire mêlant la grande et la petite histoire Une immersion incroyable et une parfaite découverte de la ville loin des sentiers battus (Translated by Google) Thanks to Nicolas, we had a fantastic experience cycling around Kyoto in April 2026. Nicolas is an extraordinary guide who manages to help you discover this ancient city, blending its grand and everyday history. An incredible immersion and a perfect way to explore the city far from the beaten path. »
« Une visite de Kyoto vraiment incroyable, à pieds, à vélos , de jour comme en soirée. Grand merci à Nicolas pour ces informations sur l’histoire de ce beau pays et de cette incroyable ville. On a passé un super moment 👍👍👍 (Translated by Google) A truly incredible visit to Kyoto, on foot, by bike, day and night. A huge thank you to Nicolas for the information about the history of this beautiful country and this amazing city. We had a fantastic time! 👍👍👍 »
« J’ai trouvé ce tour incroyable. Nico et Terry sont tellement adorables. Ils nous ont guidé à travers Kyoto et Osaka, Nous avons découvert des spots ultra traditionnels, très local. Le voyage a pris une autre dimension grâce à eux. Je les recommande à 100 %. (Translated by Google) I found this tour incredible. Nico and Terry are so lovely. They guided us through Kyoto and Osaka, and we discovered incredibly traditional, very local spots. The trip took on a whole new dimension thanks to them. I recommend them 100%. »
« Nous avons adoré découvrir Kyoto à vélo en famille (avec enfants de 10 et 13 ans) avec Nicolas. Le tour était très chouette et ses explications intéressantes, juste ce qu’il faut d’histoire, pas trop 😉 Et nous avons eu des recommandations utiles pour la suite: marché aux puces où nous avons trouvé de super souvenirs, restos, itinéraires et tips pour rester au frais pour une autre journée à vélo sous la canicule 😁 À recommander 👍 (Translated by Google) We loved discovering Kyoto by bike as a family (with children aged 10 and 13) with Nicolas. The tour was fantastic, and his explanations were interesting—just the right amount of history, not too much 😉 We also received helpful recommendations for our next day: a flea market where we found great souvenirs, restaurants, routes, and tips for staying cool for another day of cycling in the heatwave 😁 Highly recommended 👍 »
Our formats
Explore Japan at your own pace — on foot or by bike, for a morning, an afternoon, an evening, or a full day. Choose the format that best fits your trip, your group, and your mood.
Transport mode
Pick how you'd like to travel - each option filters our available tours directly.
The best way to cover great distances without the crowded buses. Glide through backstreets, ride along canals, and discover Japan in a fun, liberating way.
Take the time to immerse yourself, one neighborhood at a time. The perfect pace to capture hidden details and the true local atmosphere.
Ideal to cover long distances in total comfort or to travel with family.
Contact us if you're interested →Tour duration
From a quick overview to total immersion, choose the pace that fits your journey.
Our most popular summer format. An immersive district exploration in the morning or afternoon. Ideal for beating the heat or pairing with free time.
Our most comprehensive format. A full immersion combining multiple districts, major temples, and local spots. Ideal for kicking off a trip or exploring a distant destination in depth.
Our evening format. From lantern-lit alleys to electric neon districts, experience a completely different side of Japan after dark. Ideal for extending your day away from heat or crowds.
Our most flexible format, with departures at any time of day. The essentials of a district, temple, or shrine. Ideal for tight schedules or focusing on a specific spot.
For Travel Professionals
Choose peace of mind, simplicity, and flexibility. We deliver memorable private tours focused on absolute traveler satisfaction.
The team
Nicolas and Terence chose to live in Japan - not to work here in season. That difference is the source of everything: the ground-level knowledge, the addresses no guidebook lists, the language, the nuances. Kimasu is a small team that shows you Japan the way a friend who lives here would.
Learn more >From the blog
West Shimogyo offers a peaceful look into local life and the Bakumatsu era, well away from the crowds of Higashiyama. Living in this neighborhood, it is an area I am particularly fond of, which inspired me to write this article. This flat itinerary links Nishi Hongan-ji, the former Shimabara district and its Sumiyoshi Shrine, the hidden traces of Heian-kyo, the Nishi-Shinmichi shopping street, and the Shinsengumi sites in Mibu. This guide details the walkthrough and key landmarks for an independent exploration.
Read article
Walking through Kyoto in search of sixteenth-century history requires a careful eye, because civil war and repeated fires reshaped the imperial city. Between quiet residential lanes, forgotten stone markers beside schools, and mausoleums hidden under mountain cedars, the true sites tied to Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu are rarely where standard guidebooks put them. This route helps you pin down the graves, cenotaphs, and physical traces left by major figures of the Sengoku era across Kyoto and Kansai.
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A 2 or 3-day stay in Osaka works best with a route between the north and south. This article breaks down how to move easily between wide avenues, backstreets, and quiet shrines, targeting local street food and optimizing transit along the way.
Read articleGood addresses
FAQ
Private bike and walking tours in Kyoto, across the Kansai region and beyond — half-day, full day, or evening. Every tour is entirely private: one booking = your group, at your own pace. We also create fully custom tours, built with you and for you.
All our tours are conducted in French or in English. With more than 10 years living in Japan, but also in Europe and America — no language or cultural barrier, with you or on the ground.
Yes, 100%. You are never mixed with other travelers: you have your own guide, just for your group, at your own pace.
Fun and enjoyable, it's our travelers' favorite — and often the best way to start discovering the city: you get your bearings quickly, cover several neighborhoods in a single day, and avoid the crowds that come with buses and walking tours.
Choose a tour, go for a custom experience, or simply fill out the contact form. We'll get back to you (via WhatsApp or email) and work together until every detail of your visit is finalized.
Kimasu was founded by Nicolas and Terence: two professional bilingual guides who live in Japan and show you the country they live in day to day. But Kimasu is also built to grow — partnering with other guides who share the same values and bring the same standard of quality and personal touch to their tours.
We generally require a minimum of 48 hours' notice before your desired date. That said, we can often be flexible if availability allows — in that case, please contact us directly via WhatsApp for a quick response.
Contact
Tell us your dates, your group, your interests. We'll get back to you within 24h with a tailored proposal.
