Kyoto Nishiki Market Food Tour – Daytime

Tour Summary:

3-hour walking food tour in the world-famous Nishiki Market. Explore the beautiful flavors of Kyoto on this tour of the 400-year-old Nishiki Market. Get an excellent introduction to the cuisine of Kyoto as you enjoy tastings of different local and seasonal food unique to the area. Take a peek into the history and culture of Kyoto through regional flavors, souvenirs, and insider stories you wouldn’t want to miss. Stop by a shrine beloved by locals for its rich history.

Discover fascinating insights about Japanese culture on this small-group guided tour of the city’s best food spots.

Single travelers: please email us directly and let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies.

Maximum number of participants: 6-8 

(We can sometimes accommodate larger groups or single travelers: contact our office for special arrangements at bookings@arigatojapan.co.jp)

Family-friendly pricing: If you are traveling with children and need a price adjustment- please email our team at Bookings@ArigatoJapan.co.jp.

Tour Details:

Enjoy a walking food tour through the Nishiki Food Market, an area known to locals as the Kitchen of Kyoto because it plays a huge part in supporting the Kyoto food industry. Business has been conducted here for the past 400 years. With one of the richest culinary atmospheres in the world, you will have a chance to sample some of the freshest food of your life.

Your experience will include stops at family-owned stalls and shops that have stood the test of time. While walking through the market, you will try delectable regional and seasonal dishes, specialty items, and snacks. Japan is truly a country that emphasizes the seasonality of ingredients, and the fresh seafood in the Nishiki Market is no exception. The vendors ensure that everything is available when they are the most delicious. During the tour, you will learn detailed information about the ingredients of different Japanese dishes, how they prepare their food, and what they use to eat it.

Your experience will do more than just give you a chance to taste Kyoto’s delicious food. It will also help you to grow more in tune with the history and atmosphere of the Nishiki Market as it has been experienced by the Japanese for generations. You will be surrounded by physical and visual stimuli every step of the way and enjoy stories from the past told directly by shopkeepers and families we will spend time with. After your market exploration, you will take a short walk and have a traditional lunch at a restaurant the locals adore. We look forward to welcoming you to one of the most beloved tours in all of Japan and hope to see you soon.

*Please note, if our regular lunch restaurant is unavailable in peak season or on holidays we will substitute with equal quality and value traditional lunch restaurant in the area.

Strict start time policy:  We are sorry to say that if you are not able to arrive at the meeting point by the departure time, we will need to start the tour regardless and no refund can be provided. We are also unable to accommodate meeting up at any of the food stops. This is to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all guests and also to respect our relationships with restaurants.

5-minute grace period: We can only wait an additional five minutes after the starting time and then the tour will depart. In addition, please note that we cannot give directions or contact the guides on the phone once the tour begins.

Private Tours:  For a more customized experience, make your tour private for an additional ¥19,500+ TAX. (min. 2 people). Please click the add-on button on your cart when you check out.

For a more customized experience, make your tour private for an additional ¥19,500+ TAX. (2-10 people)

**Groups of 9 or more are automatically private

Tour Schedule:

Monday-Saturday (not available on Sunday or National Holidays)
Meeting Time      9:45 – 10:00 AM
Start Time           10:00 AM
End Time             1:00 PM

Changes on tours: Applicable substitutions may be made due to public holidays, weather conditions, and other unforeseen circumstances.

For Vegetarians: 

Some food that we serve may have dashi, a soup stock made from kelp (seaweed) and bonito (skipjack tuna) as well as other ingredients. Dashi is the cornerstone of Japanese cuisine and is used in many/most Japanese dishes. Please note that we may not be able to accommodate your dietary needs if you cannot consume dashi. Additionally, please inform us if you can eat eggs and dairy products.

If you cannot consume Dashi, we recommend booking a private tour with us and we can offer some alternatives. Again, be aware, it will still be a challenge to 100% avoid fish stock.

For this tour, it is possible (with advanced notice at the time of booking) to make adjustments to support the following dietary restrictions:

Please keep in mind, however, that we cannot make an allergy-free or dietary restriction food guarantee since food is prepared in kitchens that do not belong to Arigato Travel. Also, some stops may not have a viable substitution but we will make every effort to compensate at different stops throughout the tour.

TRAVEL BLOGGER Tested and Approved!

Stephanie of Eat, Drink, Travel, Y’all! recaps her experience on our Nishiki Market tour as a love letter to Kyoto. Read her impressions here so that you can fall in love with the city as well.

Naramonochi 375, Kyōto-fu, Kyōto-shi, Shimogyō-ku, 〒600-8004

〒600-8004 京都府京都市下京区 四条通寺町西入奈良物町375

Train Station Access: From the Hankyu train Line, get off Kawaramachi Station and take exit 9.

Our guide will be there holding an Arigato Travel sign, the tour involves walking so please wear comfortable shoes.

We will end the tour in the Karasuma Area.

WEATHER REMINDER: 
On rainy days, we recommend bringing an umbrella. They can be easily purchased at any convenience store.