Kyoto Gion & Pontocho Night Izakaya and Bar Hopping Tour With Local Guide

Explore Kyoto's nighttime food scene on a guided walking tour through Pontocho, Gion, and 3 local izakaya and bars.

Getting started

Meet your expert guide at Gion Shijo Station in Kyoto, the designated meeting point for this Standard Guided Tour. After a brief introduction, join your small group and set off on a walking tour into the nearby historic streets. The first leg of the route leads you toward Pontocho and Gion, where your guide starts sharing local context and practical tips for the evening.

What to expect

Pontocho area

Pontocho is a narrow, historic entertainment alley along the Kamo River, known for its compact restaurants, bars, and teahouses. This is one of the key districts where Kyoto comes alive at night and is an early focus of your route.

Features

• Safely explore the atmospheric streets of Pontocho with your professional guide, who steers you away from tourist traps and toward venues popular with locals.
• As part of the walking tour of 3 local izakaya and bars, your guide explains how Kyoto residents typically eat and drink here, preparing you for ordering at the first stop.
• Your expert guide also starts taking photos during the tour in this area, capturing the lantern-lit alleys and group shots so you can focus on the experience instead of your camera.

Gion area

Gion is Kyoto's most famous traditional entertainment district, and you continue your walk through its historic streets. The focus here is on the night atmosphere and using the district as a gateway to the bars and izakaya you will visit.

Features

• Walk through Gion's historic streets with a local expert, learning how the district connects to Kyoto's food and bar culture today.
• The visit to Gion is part of your guided walking tour, which links the neighborhoods to the 3 local izakaya and bars you will visit later in the evening.
• Your guide continues to take photos during the tour in Gion, documenting candid moments and group memories in this distinctive setting.

Local izakaya and bars

Across the evening, you hop between three local izakaya and bars, including two authentic local izakayas and one secret bar. These venues are selected to avoid tourist-focused spots and introduce you to Kyoto flavors.

Features

• At the izakaya, you can try Kyoto specialties such as Obanzai and Yuba, and there are opportunities to pair your dishes with premium Kyoto spirits, paid for directly at each venue.
• Hopping 3 local izakaya and bars is central to this experience; your expert guide leads the way, recommends what to order, and helps with the flow at each stop.
• Food and drinks are not included in the tour price, so at every venue guests are expected to order at least one food item and one drink, typically paying in cash when the check is split.
• Photos during the tour continue at these stops, giving you a record of the secret bar and izakaya interiors that you might not feel comfortable photographing on your own.

Wrapping up

The guided portion of your walking tour concludes after the third bar, where you settle any final cash-on-delivery payments and are then free to continue your night independently from the Gion or Pontocho area using nearby public transportation.