Japan · FOOD MARKET TOURS IN KYOTO

The 15 Food Market Tours in Kyoto That Earn Their Price

27 tours  ·  from $42

Good food market tours in Kyoto fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.

Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Tour (7 Tastings + Brunch) - Starting at Shijo Bridge and walking through Pontocho
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Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Tour (7 Tastings + Brunch)

1.Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Tour (7 Tastings + Brunch)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,355 reviews · from $68Our pick

Spend three hours walking from Shijo Bridge and Pontocho to Nishiki Market, sampling seven Japanese foods before a sit-down brunch. Guides such as Yuki, Yutaka, Chie, and Hikaru add food tips, Kyoto culture, and market know-how. Groups are promoted as small, with a maximum of six in the main tour description.

“Fantastic tour! Very informative and fun. The market was so lively and our guide was knowledgeable and gave great recommendations”

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Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya, NISHIKI - Photos Before the Tea Begins
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Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya, NISHIKI

2.Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya, NISHIKI

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 911 reviews · from $65

At Maikoya Nishiki, you choose a traditional kimono, receive simple hairstyling, and join a tea master for a guided matcha ceremony. You will learn the ritual’s history, prepare your own tea, taste wagashi sweets, and have time for photographs. Morning and afternoon sessions are available.

“Great experience and very helpful and friendly ladies to help you get into the kimono. The presenter was easy to understand and very knowledgeable.”

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Kyoto Nishiki Market Food and Culture Walking Tour - Why Nishiki Market deserves the first 100 minutes
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Kyoto Nishiki Market Food and Culture Walking Tour

3.Kyoto Nishiki Market Food and Culture Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 412 reviews · from $80

Spend about three hours with a guide such as Keiko, Takuma, or Annie exploring Nishiki Market and nearby Kyoto streets. Taste local foods, learn shrine customs, and get help choosing unfamiliar dishes and souvenirs. The group is capped at six, but dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated.

“Takuma was a great guide. Informative with good English. The food samples were delicious and I enjoyed not feeling rushed.”

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Kyoto: Gion Food Tour 13 Dishes at 4 Eateries - Pontocho: lanterns, teahouses, and the first food stops
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Kyoto: Gion Food Tour 13 Dishes at 4 Eateries

4.Gion Food Tour 13 Dishes at 4 Eateries

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 408 reviews · from $72

Join guides such as Amy, Alessio, Pedro, Yuvia, or Mehrab for a three-hour evening food walk through Pontocho and Gion. You’ll sample 13 dishes at four eateries, including Kyoto-style foods, takoyaki, sweets, and local drinks, while learning about geisha culture and dining customs.

“This was a fantastic tour. Yuvia and her colleague were phenomenal. So engaging and took us to the perfect combination of eateries. I would give this tour 6 stars!”

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Kyoto: Nishiki Market Tea Ceremony with Koto Performance - Learning the meaning behind matcha
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Kyoto: Nishiki Market Tea Ceremony with Koto Performance

5.Nishiki Market Tea Ceremony with Koto Performance

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 294 reviews · 1 hour · from $56

At KOTOLILY KYOTO, host Yurika guides you through preparing matcha, serving tea sweets, and understanding tea etiquette. A live koto performance adds a graceful musical layer. The small studio sits near Nishiki Market, with optional kimono photos and koto lessons available for an added fee.

“Such an amazing experience, the matcha, candies and Yurika playing the koto was fenomenal. Yurika was so nice and speaks very good English so it can help you with any request”

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Kyoto: Gion & Pontocho Food Tour with 13 Dishes - Meeting at Yasaka Shrine after dark
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Kyoto: Gion & Pontocho Food Tour with 13 Dishes

6.Gion & Pontocho Food Tour with 13 Dishes

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 235 reviews · 3 hours · from $82

Meet your English-speaking guide at FamilyMart Gion for a three-hour walk through Gion and Pontocho, with up to 13 dishes, two drinks, sake, shrine visits, and stories about geiko culture. Guides include Tomoko, Takuma, Mia, Minori, and Kohtaro. Groups are capped at eight.

“our guide Tomoko was so absolutely kind and warm hearted. we enjoyed every minute of our tour. She told us some interesting information and even took photos from everyone who liked to. it was a very enjoyable tour with lots of food and nice restaurant and izakaya. highly recommend. we had a perfect night out.”

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Kyoto: Gion Local Food Tour (Taste 15 Dishes) - Walking toward Gion and Yasaka Shrine
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Kyoto: Gion Local Food Tour (Taste 15 Dishes)

7.Gion Local Food Tour (Taste 15 Dishes)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 171 reviews · from $94

Join a small evening group in Kyoto for three food stops around Kawaramachi, Gion, and Gion Shirakawa. Guides such as Misaki, Ryu, Jay, Yu, and Lemonie lead you through yakitori, tonkatsu, sushi, tempura, and local customs. Expect 15 tastings, two drinks, and about three hours on foot.

“Misaki was warm, enthusiastic, and incredibly fluent in both Japanese and English—her international experience really showed. She kept us updated early via WhatsApp, and the tour operator also communicated clearly through the Viator aRead more”

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Kyoto: Local Food Tasting Tour at the Nishiki Market - The five tastings: a useful introduction to Kyoto food
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Kyoto: Local Food Tasting Tour at the Nishiki Market

8.Local Food Tasting Tour at the Nishiki Market

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 135 reviews · 3 hours - 270 minutes · from $78

Explore Nishiki Market with an English-speaking local guide and sample five Kyoto specialties, including yuba, obanzai, hamo tempura, and wagyu steak skewers. The three-hour walk also visits shrines and shopping arcades. Add a 90-minute tea ceremony with kimono dressing if you choose that option.

“our guide Taku encourage us to try foods we wouldn’t have known about and they were all delicious. The tour also included two stops at shrines at the end of the market. He was knowledgeable about history of the product in the market and had experience working in a restaurant so he knew a lot about Japanese cuisine. I took my 11 year-old son and he loved it.”

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Kimono Tea Ceremony Experience at Kyoto Oritzuruya, Nishiki - Choosing a kimono from more than 200 designs
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Kimono Tea Ceremony Experience at Kyoto Oritzuruya, Nishiki

9.Kimono Tea Ceremony Experience at Kyoto Oritzuruya, Nishiki

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 116 reviews · from $50

At Kyoto Orizuruya near Nishiki Market, choose from more than 200 kimono designs, receive simple hairstyling, and learn the basics of a Japanese tea ceremony in a small group of up to 10. You will prepare matcha with a bamboo whisk, enjoy wagashi, and may add a calligraphy lesson.

“One of the best experiences we’ve ever had—definitely not something to skip. My wife had been wanting to do this, so I booked it for her and she absolutely loved it. Being able to walk around in the kimonos made it even more special.”

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The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Kyoto: The 10 Tastings - Nishiki Market: The Main Food Stage
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The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Kyoto: The 10 Tastings

10.The Award-Winning PRIVATE Food Tour of Kyoto: The 10 Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 100 reviews · from $207

Spend three hours with a private local foodie guide tasting 10 Kyoto favorites, from gyoza and sushi to wagyu, takoyaki, and sansho pepper ice cream. Routes may include Nishiki Market, Kennin-ji, Gion, and Hanamikoji Street. Guides such as Ted, Eiji, Guia, and Tiro are praised for flexibility.

“Ted was an absolute gentleman and amazing historian. Ted knew the details of the markets we visited and share unforgettable food samplings. Ted helped us miscellaneous shopping items that was very beneficial. Ted continued to be gracious of Bill’s old knees and provided places where we could rest comfortably in a crowded, festive atmosphere.”

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Kyoto Food Tour of 10 Tastings with Wagyu, Mochi & More Surprises - First stop: katsudon with a Kyoto twist
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Kyoto Food Tour of 10 Tastings with Wagyu, Mochi & More Surprises

11.Kyoto Food Tour of 10 Tastings with Wagyu, Mochi & More Surprises

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 85 reviews · from $142

This 3.5-hour small-group walk takes you from Karasuma to Gion with up to 10 people. Expect katsudon, yuba tofu, wagyu sushi, fish cakes, sake, beer, matcha, seasonal daifuku, and a secret dish, led by guides such as Yuma or Tomoro.

“Disappointing tour. Lot of street food. Don’t think it was value for money. I could have bought the items myself for much less cost. Tour guide very quietly spoken and didn’t offer much in the way of descriptions, history etc.”

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Kyoto: Gion & Pontocho Food Tour with 13 Dishes - Meeting at Yasaka Shrine after dark
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Kyoto: Gion & Pontocho Food Tour with 13 Dishes

12.Gion & Pontocho Food Tour with 13 Dishes

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 81 reviews · from $105

Walk through Yasaka Shrine, Gion, and Pontocho with a local guide, then eat up to 13 Japanese dishes at a restaurant and izakaya. Expect tempura, sashimi, tofu, fried chicken, two drinks, and help with menus and local customs. Guides may include Kohtaro, Yuna, Meiko, Moto, or Takuma.

“I enjoyed the food tour in Gion, especially the variety of dishes we tried, and getting to know a local guide originally from Kyoto. Thank you!”

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Kyoto: Nishiki Market and Depachika Food Tour with a Local - Meeting at Apple Kyoto
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Kyoto: Nishiki Market and Depachika Food Tour with a Local

13.Nishiki Market and Depachika Food Tour with a Local

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 76 reviews · 2 hours · from $42Best value

Meet your English-speaking TripGuru guide at Apple Kyoto for a small-group food walk through Daimaru’s Depachika and Nishiki Market. Taste yuba sashimi, soy milk donut, Nishiki gyoza, and hamo tempura, then visit Nishiki-Tenmangu Shrine. Guides such as Mao, Jasmine, Boris, and Ai add local food and cultural context.

“Was fab to taste local food in the Nishiki market. Fab guide 🤩”

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Kyoto: Nishiki Market Tour with a Local Foodie & Tastings - Meeting at Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine
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Kyoto: Nishiki Market Tour with a Local Foodie & Tastings

14.Nishiki Market Tour with a Local Foodie & Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 67 reviews · 1h 30m · from $67

Meet your English or Japanese-speaking guide at Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine, then visit the shrine, browse Teramachi, and taste Kyoto foods at Nishiki Market. Guides such as Kaito and Akino explain ingredients, customs, sake, sweets, and market life. Tastings are included, but beverages are extra.

“it was an amazing experience Hiro was the best guide that we could of possible get, knowledgeable funny and entertaining, had a lot of information and we even learned how to thank our hosts in Japanese,overall I would highly recommend this tour...”

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Kyoto Evening Gion Food Tour Including Kaiseki Dinner - Pontocho After Dark
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Kyoto Evening Gion Food Tour Including Kaiseki Dinner

15.Kyoto Evening Gion Food Tour Including Kaiseki Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · from $276

Meet at the Japan Kanji Museum and Library at 5 pm for a guided walk through Gion, Gion Shirakawa, and Pontocho. Guides such as Yoshiko, Thomas, Sae, and Bernard explain geisha culture, local sweets, and kaiseki customs before a 10-course dinner with green tea, dessert, and one drink.

“This tour was one of our favorite memories from our Japan trip, strongly recommend for both adults and children. Our great guides Yoshiko and Sabreena provided lot of information about Japan culture, Kyoto, food and answered all questions we had. Just join!”

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New in Food Market Tours in Kyoto

★ 4.5Nishiki Market Walking Food Tour with Local guideFrom $7929 reviews
★ 4.5Kyoto Nishiki Market & Depachika: 2-hours Food Tour with a LocalFrom $4823 reviews
★ 5.0Guided Food Tour with 12 Dishes & 3 DrinksFrom $10529 reviews
★ 5.0Kyoto Casual Evening Pontocho Food TourFrom $22129 reviews
★ 5.0Taste of Nishiki Market Walking Food Tour with Local guideFrom $7717 reviews
★ 4.9Nishiki Market Food TourFrom $17321 reviews

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