Kyoto secret streets group walking tour

Are you “templed out” in Kyoto? Do you want to switch away from the main drag and discover the city in a more intimate way? Come with us on a casual guided stroll through Kyoto’s best kept secret : its maze-like network of narrow back streets. Tucked between tourists-filled avenues lies an uncharted labyrinth of alleyways. “Roji” is how local people call these old-fashioned streets that are lined on each side with “Machiya-style” wooden houses. In summer, providing shade to the residents, they are a haven from the sweltering temperatures. In winter, the spirit of community created by the intimacy of the narrow street offers warmth to the dwellers.

We have selected the most interesting “Roji” in Kyoto’s Gion district and we would love to introduce to you the lifestyle of its residents. We will explain to you the history of those alleyways and how people live in them. We will also visit some of the artisans who chose to live and work in them. We will learn also about Kyoto’s geisha history exploring hard to find back-alleys only locals know about. Come along for a journey on foot where Kyoto’s underground culture lives.