How it works
Everything you need to know before you book a Kimasu tour. If something here is unclear, write to us, we will tell you in plain language.
Three ways to explore
Bike: flat routes through quiet lanes, riverside paths, and back-street temples. We provide bikes, helmets, and rain ponchos. Suitable for anyone comfortable on a city bike.
On foot: paced for a half day or a full day, suited to all fitness levels. We stop, we sit, we drink tea. We do not march.
By car: for reaching Nara, Osaka, Uji, and farther temples in comfort. Driver-guide format with door-to-door pickup in central Kyoto.
Three formats
Half day, 3 to 4 hours. Best for arrivals, jet lag, or pairing with an afternoon free.
Full day, 6 to 8 hours, with a long lunch at a local restaurant included.
Evening, 2 to 3 hours after sunset. Lanterns in Gion, illuminated temples, dinner-inclusive variants on request.
From inquiry to confirmation
- 1Send us a short inquiry: dates, group size, what catches your interest.
- 2We reply within 24 hours, in your language, with a written quote and 2 or 3 itinerary options.
- 3Pick the format you want. We confirm availability with the guide and lock the date.
- 4Pay the 30 percent deposit online to secure the booking. The balance is due 7 days before.
- 5You receive confirmation, meeting point, your guide's name and contact, and a packing note.
- 6On the day: meet your guide at the agreed spot. After: we email a private photo gallery within a week.
What is always included
- A dedicated private guide for your group, fluent in English or French.
- Route planning tailored to your interests, the season, and the weather forecast.
- Bikes, helmets, and rain ponchos on bike tours.
- Lunch at a small local restaurant on full-day tours.
- A private photo gallery shared by email after the tour.
If the weather turns
Light rain is normal in Kyoto and rarely a problem on walks or bike rides; we adapt the route. If a typhoon, snow, or extreme heat warning makes the tour unsafe or unpleasant, we reschedule, switch to an indoor alternative, or refund. Your call.