Best Kyoto Tuk Tuk Tours: Our Top 8 Picks

1.Arashiyama Customized Rickshaw Tour & Bamboo Forest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 432 reviews · 45 - 190 minutes · from $51 per person Our pick

Meet your local English or Japanese speaking guide near Togetsu-kyo Bridge for a private rickshaw ride through Arashiyama. Choose 45 minutes or up to 3 hours 10 minutes, with bamboo paths, Nonomiya Shrine, quiet lanes, temples, gardens, and photo stops. Guides such as Koki, Shin, Aki, and Lucas are known for lively explanations and excellent pictures.

“The guide was very knowledgeable and super friendly. He made it a lovely experience for my wife and I. We went in the morning on New Years day. It was a great experience!”

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2.Kyoto Arashiyama Rickshaw Tour with Bamboo Forest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 354 reviews · from $86 per person

Your private Ebisuya guide pulls you through Arashiyama by rickshaw, then leads you on foot into the bamboo grove. Expect photo stops, Nonomiya Shrine, local stories, and guides such as Ocean, Yoshi, Aki, or Hikaru, depending on the day. Choose a one or two-hour route, and start early for lighter crowds.

“Very nice tour and a nice way to experience the Bamboo Forest. But it also brings you to an old village full of character and charm. Our rickshaw guide was Kazuma very friendly and knowledgeable, he spoke English perfectly.”

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3.Kyoto Rickshaw Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 210 reviews · from $39 per person Best value

Take a private Ebisuya rickshaw tour through Kyoto’s Higashiyama and Gion districts. Your English-speaking driver guides you past wooden townhouses, geisha streets, temples, shrines, bridges, and old stone lanes. Choose 30 minutes to 3 hours, ask for a custom route, and enjoy a comfortable introduction to old Kyoto without walking every step.

“Very easy and comfortable ride. Our Guide Motu was excellent and also knowledgeable. I would highly recommend him.”

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4.Private Rickshaw Tour of Gion and Higashiyama Area

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 144 reviews · 45 - 130 minutes · from $51 per person

Meet your guide near Kodaiji Temple and ride through Higashiyama and Gion in a private rickshaw. Guides such as Fumi, Moto, Shiro, and Daichi explain Kyoto’s customs, temples, wooden townhouses, and geisha districts while stopping for photos. Choose a 45-minute introduction or a longer route tailored to your interests.

“We had a wonderful experience. Msei was a great and safe driver. He showed and told us all about the Gion area and stopped for great photos. It was a great way to finish our Kyoto vacation. Highly recommended!”

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5.Kyoto Sagano Insider: Rickshaw and Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · from $228 per person

Spend about three hours and 10 minutes exploring Arashiyama by private rickshaw and on foot. Your guide takes you through the bamboo forest, pauses for photos, explains old buildings, brings you into a traditional machiya house, and visits Otagi Nenbutsu-ji. English and Japanese guides are fluent, while Chinese, Korean, and Spanish support depends on availability.

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6.Kiyomizu-dera Temple Rent a kimono and ride a rickshaw

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 7 reviews · 1 day · from $83 per person

Start at Shiki Sakura, choose a yukata, and take a 13-minute rickshaw ride near Kiyomizu-dera. Your driver guides you through Kiyomizu-dori, quiet back lanes, Ishin-no-michi, Koshin-do, and Kodaiji Park. Then explore Higashiyama on your own and return the outfit by 5pm. Groups are limited to four.

“The rickshaw ride was fun even in the rain. The kimono was kind of basic but it was fun to play dress up. I would recommend both!”

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7.Private 3-hour Kyoto Arashiyama Rickshaw Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $236 per person

Spend three hours exploring Arashiyama in a private rickshaw with a local English-speaking guide. You’ll pass through the bamboo forest, visit moss-covered Gio-ji and hilltop Jojakkoji, and choose from temples known for stone figures, samurai connections, or sweeping views. Guides such as Tai Tai, Yoppy, Akihisa, and Takeda are praised for warm service, local knowledge, and excellent photographs.

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8.Higashiyama | Kyoto: Sakura Season Private Rickshaw Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 70 minutes - 2 hours · from $125 per person

You’ll ride a private rickshaw through Higashiyama and Gion with an English- or Japanese-speaking guide. See wooden townhouses, shops, riverside views, geisha-district streets, and cherry blossoms, with time for photos. Choose a 70-minute route or a 120-minute option that includes a walk near Kiyomizu-Dera Temple.

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