Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer private tours? How many people are in a group tour? 

We offer private tours with a fixed price for up to four people and additional fees for extra participants.  Unlike other tour companies, we have a limit of eight people on our group tours and we average 3-4 guests on group tours giving everyone the chance to not only hear what the guide is saying on tour but also to feel they can ask questions and engage with the guides too. Plus it makes it that much easier to get around!

What is included in the booking fee?

On our tours we include everything, transport and entrance fees. If stopping for lunch or dinner, we just ask that you cover the cost of your meal, giving you more flexibility and choice. As for the private custom tours, we offer a range of options for transportation from just one taxi ride to the first stop, to a chauffeur and private luxury vehicle . When inviting a guide to join you for a meal during a private tour, we also ask that you offer to cover their costs. Gratuities, while never expected, do go very much appreciated by our guides. 

If I pay an initial deposit, when is the balance due? 

Most of our tours allow you to make a deposit of  5,000-10,000 yen to hold the date. With our secured booking software, your credit card info is kept on file so you can either pay the balance with the same credit card at any time leading up to the tour or pay in cash on the day. When paying cash, we offer 8% off . We will send a reminder before your arrival to check which option you prefer. 

What do you do in the case of rain? 

With walking tours, we go ahead with an umbrella or poncho which can be bought at convenience stores for just 500 yen. For bicycle tours, we look online and see the forecast and if it's more than 50% chance of showers, we either try to rearrange the date based on the guide and customer's availability, or we go ahead with a walking tour. For those who are not keen on a walking tour as an alternative, we can offer you a refund. For hikes, we usually go ahead in light rain in which case we can provide ponchos but we will reschedule or cancel with refund when there are heavy showers. In the case of very heavy rains or other extreme weather such as typhoons, we offer to reschedule if possible or a full refund. 

Can tourists still access the Gion Geisha District?

While there is some trouble in certain districts of Gion regarding proper etiquette when walking in the geisha quarters, we have a good relationship in the area, and our office is in one of the geisha districts. We will remind you of proper etiquette regarding photo taking, and ensure we are respectful of the local area and customs.

How safe are the roads for cycling?

Luckily the drivers in Kyoto are very used to sharing the road with bicycles. In fact, with such narrow streets the pedestrians, cars and bikes all share the space on the small side streets and there are very few dedicated bike lanes. We try to take you on the most calm and safe streets but you definitely want to be a confident rider before you sign up. 

Do you provide helmets?

Helmets are available for use while cycling. We will offer you one and if you choose not to wear one you do so at your own risk but note that you are not required to wear one by law in Japan. 

Do you have to be in good shape to take the tours?

Luckily Kyoto is quite flat so the bicycle tours can be done by almost anyone who has enough stamina to do 15-20 km ride. Plus we stop several times throughout the day to explore the temples and gardens on foot. As far as the hikes go, they are a bit more of a challenge but there is only about 30-40 mins of serious hiking with the rest of the courses being easy enough. People with mobility issues would be best suited to our Private Custom Tours of Kyoto as we can suggest temples and gardens that don't have too many slopes or stairs to deal with on your private tour. 

Can kids join the bike tour?

For private tours, we accept and often have kids from 8 years old and up join but we always retain the right to stop the tour and continue on foot if we feel anyone's safety is at risk. For group bike tours and hikes, the minimum age is 13 years. At the moment we do not offer bike tours with infant seats or ride alongs due to the safety risks involved. We do have a special tour just for families and can accommodate even those with small infants. Stroller rental is available free of charge. 

Do you offer discounts for booking multiple tours or for larger groups?

Yes, we like to thank our customers who book more than one tour. Let us know at the time of booking and we will apply a 10% discount to you second booking or third (or fourth) booking. Note that the discount applies to the lesser valued of the tours that you book. 

Will you plan the itinerary before we book a private tour?

Looking at our reviews you can see that we put a lot of care and effort into giving our guests a great experience. As such we don't really have the resources to plan your full itinerary until after you have made a deposit. Once you have booked we send out a questionnaire and work together on a plan for the day. 

What is your cancellation policy?

We let you cancel with a full refund if you let us know 48hrs before your arrival. The policy may be altered due to outstanding circumstances, but understand that if you book and later cancel you are denying another customer the chance to take a tour with us. We are happy to issue receipts for travel insurance purposes. ​You can also avail of our travel protection option when you check out. For a 15% surcharge, we allow you to cancel up to 1hr before the tour starts giving you peace of mind if things change when you get here. 

Do you have any testimonials from previous customers?

We have been lucky to be ranked highly on tripadvisor by our past customers. For our first two years in business we were rated #1 in nightlife and #2 in outdoor activities and we've been going strong since 2014! We look forward to giving you an amazing experience in Kyoto and for you to rave to your friends back home about how a trip to Kyoto with help from Kyoto Fun is the way to do it!