Highlights
- Meet the famous Samurai Joe, an experienced samurai tour guide
- Discover the true gems of Kyoto
- Enjoy a delicious local lunch
Description
Explore the real and cool Kyoto with Joe Okada, an experienced samurai guide, on a walking tour of the city. Embark on a fun, informative walk through the streets of Japan's ancient capital. Let Samurai Joe (re)discover Kyoto for you.
Details
Samurai guide Joe Okada knows Kyoto inside out. Walk with Joe, the cool samurai, and discover the charms of Japan's ancient capital - the cool Kyoto.
Read more about Joe-san, your Kyoto samurai guide.
Tour itinerary
09:45 Meet at Kyoto City Hall Square
10:00 Start the walk, enjoy Teramachi Street and visit:
- several art-related stores
- a sake store for sake tasting
- a Buddhist temple
- Shimo Goryo Jinja (Shinto temple) and a rare samurai sword demonstration
12:00 Walk into the Kyoto Old Imperial Palace, Coronation Hall and two private gardens
14: 00 Meet people at the local Demachi Market, try sushi, tofu, chicken, sweets, etc.
15: 00 The tour ends and Joe assists you by providing further traveling information
Important information
Included in price
- Services of the guide, Samurai Joe
- All items listed in the itinerary
- Lunch (throughout 2019)
Not included
- Travel to/from the starting and ending point of the tour
- Lunch for children under the age of 12 (1,000 yen to be paid in cash on the day)
- Travel insurance
- Lunch (from January 1, 2020)
Minimum number of participants required for the tour to run is 5 (negotiable).
Maximum number of participants per tour is 30.
The tour runs on Saturdays, between 10:00 and 15:00, and it covers the distance of approximately 4 miles (a little over 6 km).
*If the tour is not running on your preferred date, Joe Okada will offer an alternate date, as the tour is subject to his availability, since he is the only guide.
Tour price is 4,000 yen per person, with a local lunch included.
*Local lunch is included in the price throughout 2019. From January 1, 2020, local lunch is optional (not included in the tour price).
The tour is free of charge for children under the age of 12, however a fee of 1,000 yen (for lunch) is to be paid in cash on the day.
OTHER EXCLUSIVE TOURS with SAMURAI JOE
- Private tour with Samurai Joe
Duration: 7 hours
Rate: 50,000 yen
- Tour Package A: Includes performances of Samurai Joe and two ninjas. There is also a lecture on history, philosophy, and the Way of Samurai and Ninja.
Venue is at the Ninja Dojo or a selected venue in downtown Kyoto
Duration: 60 minutes
Rate: 130,000 yen
- Tour Package C: Focuses mainly on a Samurai and Ninja show at your banquet. Samurai Joe has hosted 400 times for leading companies.
Venue is not included in the package.
Duration: 40 minutes
Rate: 210,000 yen
- Tour Package D: Private lesson to learn the art of Katana, including "How to cut an apple in the air in 60 seconds". Okada has taught two American students, and got on the Guinness World Record by cutting 14 and 24 apples. Samurai Joe will make sure you cut at least a few apples.
Duration: 4 hours
Rate: 100,000 yen
For the above tour packages a 30% downpayment is needed for final confirmation, and the cancellation fee after that is 30%.
Contact us for more information and availability at tours@japantravel.com
Meeting point
The meeting point is Kyoto City Hall Square. (Subway Tozai Line at Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae station, station number T12)
Organised by Cool Kyoto Walking Tour
3 Reviews
4-6 of 12 Reviews
Sam
Jul 28, 2019My father, brother, and grandparents toured with Samurai Joe in August of 1988 when I was a teenager, and I still remember his tour well. My father kept his stuff, and I just found it and looked him up, and am pleased to find he’s still at it! Great experience, and memories for a lifetime.
Samuele
May 13, 2019Samurai Joe was an incredible guide. He always had a nice joke ready to entertain the group. The tour he proposes let you quickly immerse yourself into the nice ambiance that Kyoto has to offer. I personally love the samurai story and culture, and I was delighted to listen to all the story Joe told us about his life as a samurai and the Japanese culture. His show is something you definitely do not want to miss! I definitely recommend this tour!
Ignatius
Apr 11, 2019Joe was an engaging guide who brought the group through the lesser-visited parts of Kyoto. He had good relations with the shops that were along his tour and that made the atmosphere comfortable. His enthusiasm belies his age. We even had the chance to sample some good sake and inari sushi! The highlight of Joe's tour has to be his samurai show, where he gets brave volunteers to hold various fruits and vegetables while he slices them up — it's perfectly safe if you follow his instructions! Joe is a meticulous guide and explains anything you are unsure of, and he is clearly well-versed in history. If you find yourself needing a tour guide to kickstart your Kyoto journey, Joe is the man for you!
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