Kyoto Walking Tour — Imperial Palace & Nijo Castle UNESCO Walk

"Take was a great guide. He was born in Kyoto and knew so much about the culture and answered all the questions our group had."

"David was a great tour guide. He is clearly very knowledgeable of the sites visited and was happy to always answer any questions whilst also sharing some interesting facts or stories. Thank you for a very good time!"

"Nijo castle was one of our favourite places in Japan, so beautiful! Our guide, Taku, was fantastic. 🤩 He was well prepared with images/illustrations supporting his explanations. He also was indicating the best spots for pictures, and making pictures to our family. He was also very kind of given us the best present, a memory card and one of our photos in Nijo castle printed."

"Naoke was a fountain of knowledge and gave a lot of very interesting background knowledge to our visit. This meant that we were able to not only enjoy the physical sites but also understand how things had evolved over the centuries and why. We also enjoyed his sense of humor and personal insights into the culture of Japan. Good English was perfect which also really helped for the hard of hearing like me. If you want a great time with a great guide Naoke is your man."

"Great tour! Jasmine was very knowledgeable and she managed the tour at a very comfortable pace. Highly recommend tour and Jasmine."

"Taku was an excellent guide whose knowledge of the history of both sites gave us a great insight as to their significance. He expressed himself very well and even ensured we caught the right bus for the next attraction"

"This walking tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle is a fantastic way to experience the rich history of the city. The itinerary is well-paced, offering a deep dive into the architectural beauty and cultural significance of these two iconic landmarks. The highlight of the experience was our guide, Katsuhiko Ishida. His knowledge of Japanese history is truly impressive, and he shared fascinating insights that we never would have discovered on our own. Beyond his expertise, he was incredibly attentive to the group's needs. He even went above and beyond by organizing a taxi transfer between the two sites, which made the transition seamless and kept the energy high for the second half of the tour. If you are looking for an educational and stress-free way to see Kyoto’s imperial history, this tour comes highly recommended. Asking for Katsuhiko will ensure you have an expert and thoughtful professional leading the way."

"It was great to have a local who has lived here his whole life. Historical facts can be learned from a book, but what i appreciated most about Taku was that he still carries the traditional values of Japan. He shared how traditional Japanese culture and values embodied in the things we were seeing. I have a greater appreciation for Japanese history and culture and for me, that’s an important part of traveling."

"Really enjoyed the tour. Taku, our guide, was great. He was very knowledgeable about the history and explained everything clearly and answered all our questions. We were a little disappointed with the Imperial Palace. The various gates were spectacular but the palace itself was a little underwhelming. The gardens were beautiful. A lovely day out though overall."

"the guide gave an overview before we started, which was nice and helped anticipating."

"We loved our tour with Raphael Matsui. We learned more about Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace than we would have with a self guided tour and he answered many other questions about Japanese history and culture. Thank you Raphael!"

"Thank you for today’s tour. We had a wonderful day, saw a lot, and learned many new things. We highly recommend it to everyone!"

"Super informative Tour and Kenta was a great Guide. Very polite, knowledgeable and overall a nice guy."

"Taku great tour guide! Incredible knowledge. Very educational tour. Historic & Fun. This tour is was completely private. Then Nijo Palace it’s a must to visit. Request Taku"

"Our guide Cecilia was very knowledgeable and gave us a great tour. Felt like this guided tour is the best way to see the imperial palace and nijo castle"

"Increíble todo lo que nos mostró, afortunadamente coincido la fecha en la que pudimos ver el trono del emperador y la emperatriz. Nos toco también presenciar un baile tradicional. Ceci increíble gracias"

"El mejor tour! Ceci nos ha explicado datos dentro del tour y también cultura general de Japón. Aparte ha sido sumamente comprensiva con las necesidades de mis hijos !"

"The tour was very cool and full of historical facts. The guide was super knowledgeable and kind and accommodating. The tour was a little slow paced for us, but still would highly recommend this guide and the experience. We had a wonderful time and got about ~5500 steps in!"

"The two palaces and gardens are really nice, especially on a sunny bright day. The guide is a nice person."