The 15 Food Market Tours in Kyoto That Earn Their Price

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”

Check availability →Read our full review

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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

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!”

Check availability →Read our full review

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”

Check availability →Read our full review

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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.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 🤩”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.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...”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Nishiki Market Food Tour with Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 42 reviews · 2h 30m · from $109

Meet your English-speaking guide at Nishiki Market’s western entrance for a private walk through Kyoto’s famous food street. Taste pickles and market samples, learn local food etiquette, then take a taxi to a cooking studio and prepare your choice of kaisen-don, ten-don, or oyako-don.

“We each could choose a different dish. The guide explained everything on the market, and there was time for special requests.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Kyoto Evening Gion Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 35 reviews · 3 hours · from $216

Walk through Gion and Shirakawa with a small group of up to 10, hear about Maiko and Geiko culture, taste Kyoto snacks, and finish with a 10-course seasonal kaiseki dinner, dessert, and one drink. Guides such as Sae, Miki, Marie, and Russ have led especially well-liked outings.

“Great, friendly, and informative guide! The restaurant for the food tour offered fantastic food, and great service.”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Casual Pontocho Evening Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 31 reviews · 3 hours · from $173

Walk Pontocho and Gion Shirakawa from 4:30 to 7:30 PM with an English-speaking local guide. Try several Kyoto dishes, enjoy two drinks, and visit small eateries and back lanes. Guides such as Eduardo, Micky, Mai, and Yoshie have earned praise for friendly, personal hosting.

“Worth every penny! We did the Kyoto: Casual Pontocho Evening Food Tour and our guide Yoshie was the best part. She was an instant friend taking us on a tour of her city. The out of the way places, the amazing food, and the wonderful ppl made for one of the best evenings of our trip”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, & Nishiki Market Half day tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 4 hours · from $90

Join Kyoto City Certified Guide Roberto from Kyoto Station for a four-hour private tour of Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle, and Nishiki Market. Learn about shoguns, samurai, and the Edo Period through clear English or Spanish explanations, iPad images, public transport, and time to choose lunch at Kyoto’s food market.

“La Experiencia fue excelente. Muy amable atención. Roberto es un gran guía profesional y comprometido. Una persona muy agradable. Nos encantó a mi familia y a mi. Súper recomendable.”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Nishiki Market Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 21 reviews · 3 hours · from $173

Spend three hours with an English-speaking guide and a group of up to eight at Kyoto’s Nishiki Market. Visit about 10 vendors, taste seasonal seafood, snacks, tea, and regional specialties, then shop with a better sense of what you are seeing.

“Absolutely stellar experience! Our guide, Sanae, was a treasure trove of historical insights, making the market tour truly fascinating. Her knowledge and warmth made the journey even more enjoyable. Five stars all the way!”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Taste of Nishiki Market Walking Food Tour with Local guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · 3 hours · from $77

Walk from Starbucks Kyoto Sanjo Karasuma Building to Rokkakudo Temple, Yaoyaichi, Daimaru’s basement, Nishiki Market, and Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine. An English-speaking guide such as Kaoru or Rikka leads a group of up to six, with six to ten tastings and plenty of local food advice.

“Rikka was an absolutely great guide. We had a great experience in Kyoto, which I can recommend to everyone. The market is very crowded, but Rikka took us to her favorite stores and we were able to try a lot of small delicacies. She told us a lot about Kyoto and also showed us a hidden temple that we would never have found ourselves. Rikka is also happy to take photos and send them to you. All in all, you have a great complete program of culture, interesting information, great food and a super nice guide.”

Check availability →Read our full review