This tour is a celebration of Japanese traditional culture and Kaiseki cuisine: a multi-course, multi-flavored Japanese dinner that flawlessly mixes global and local flavors to produce some of the most delicious dishes on the planet.
Kyoto is a magical place. You will stroll with your guide along the local streets, amongst the many passersby to fully appreciate the life of the city. Gion is a prominent, traditional entertainment district and Kyoto’s center of Japanese arts. Your guide will tell you stories about this very exquisite part of Kyoto along the way. You will also explore the gorgeous Shirakawa neighborhood, and have the chance to whet your appetite with a special Kyoto treat as you wander.
Learn about the life of Kyoto’s famous Geisha and then sit down to enjoy a 10-course Kaiseki meal, with some of Kyoto’s freshest food. We want this moment of your life to be a memory you will never forget!
Starting in Kamogawa, you will stroll with your guide along the local streets as you head toward the Kamogawa River with some possible seasonal food stops along the way. Along the river, you will see the many Japanese locals sitting on Kamogawa yuka noryo (terraces along the water) enjoying their evening.
From Kamogawa, you will venture into the Pontocho area, an area which has been home to Geisha since the 1500s. You may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them scampering between teahouses in their zori sandals and illuminating kimonos. Pontocho is known for its many bars, restaurants and machiya (teahouses) in the area.
Not long after your time in Pontocho, you will be in historical Gion, the most prominent entertainment district and Kyoto’s center of traditional arts. Gion is clad with old wooden buildings, teahouses and very exclusive Japanese restaurants, mostly by invitation only. Your guide will tell you stories about this very exquisite part of Kyoto along the way.
At the end of your short journey, you will sit down to enjoy a 10-course Kaiseki meal, where you will be able to try some of Kyoto's freshest food. Kaiseki generally means a meal incorporating a combination of seasonal ingredients, meticulously prepared so all the flavors blend harmoniously. A visit in Kyoto is never complete without trying a Kaiseki meal.
Enjoy this three hour tour and end it with a meal that you will never forget. To give you an idea, one of the courses will be a platter with living fish from which you can enjoy sashimi straight from the bone. In this 10-course Kaiseki dinner, just this course alone will provide you with the freshest sashimi you will ever taste in your life.
Audio: English