Tokyo Izakaya Tour with a Local: Private & Personalized Food & Drink Experience

Summary

Join a like-minded host to experience Kyoto’s nightlife like the locals do - gathering in izakaya, the small local drinking houses, and tachinomiya, Japan’s unique street-side standing bars, to enjoy a few beers, share plates of food and sip sake with friends after work. Spend the night bar crawling through the historic Gion district, or for a truly authentic glimpse into izakaya culture, explore nearby the city’s train stations where locals gather for drinks before catching the last train home. Hop between your local’s favourite izakaya and then to a Tachinomiya, the standing street front bars that are synonymous with Japan’s nightlife and order some yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), a classic accompaniment to a night out in Kyoto! Many Izakaya don’t even have menus, so your local will help you order, and make recommendations for what to eat and drink at each one - from sake to gyoza, each izakaya has a house specialty. Once you’ve bar hopped your way through this tangled network of bars, perhaps head to another yokocho, the historic alleyways that are steeped in tradition and dotted all over the city, where you’ll find more character than you thought could ever be squeezed into such narrow streets!  

Tour info

Duration
3 hours
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Commentary
Meeting Point
Dropoff location

Why take this tour?

You’ll spend the night bar hopping through the historic Gion district with one of our hosts. This neighborhood has been entertaining locals for centuries, so you can imagine they’ve perfected the craft. There’s no more authentic way to experience Kyoto’s nightlife than by visiting a few traditional izakaya (bars)! With paper lanterns and quaint wooden houses to set the scene, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into another time (or maybe that’s the sake talking). Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

What’s included?

  • Private and personalised experience

  • 3 hours with a Local Host

  • 1 drink & 2 dishes or 2 drinks & 1 dish at each bar

  • Seating charges (table charge-like fees)

  • Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options)

  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

  • Food and drinks other than the ones included in the list above

  • Drinks that cost more than 1000 yen each

  • Tickets to any attractions

  • Transportation costs

  • Gratuities

Things to know

Before you book

  • Duration: 3h

  • Mobile tickets accepted

  • Instant confirmation

Covid Policy

  • Regular temperature checks for staff
  • Guides required to regularly wash hands
  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas

City Unscripted and all City Unscripted hosts follow the WHO (World Health Organization) and local government’s health and safety recommendations at all times. To keep up to date with the latest news we recommend visiting these World Health Organization (WHO) website pages.

Cancellation Policy

    For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Operated by:

City Unscripted Kyoto

About operator:

Some people live in a city, some people live for the city. They are curious about where they live, and never want to stop exploring, and discovering the hidden gems that - to the uncurious mind - remain hidden. City Unscripted believes you should see the city with these people, and so we connect curious travellers with equally curious hosts. We exist to give travellers truly personal connections to cities, offering an alternative to the old, predictable world of tour guides. With a network of 1400+ hosts in 40 cities across the world, City Unscripted personally matches each guest to the right host, who creates an experience personalised just for them. This way, no two experiences are the same. The hosts are here to be the guests’ open-minded, passionate and knowledgable friend who can’t wait to show off their home. The service is trustworthy, safe and secure as each host is individually verified, who always check in with their guest before each experience to understand their needs.

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