15 Bike Tours in Kyoto That Earn the Train Fare

Hidden Kyoto E-Biking tour - Daitokuji: a temple complex with breathing room

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,843 reviews · from $116Our pick

Spend about 3 hours and 45 minutes cycling Kyoto with a guide such as Yuta, Michael, Sean, Henry, or Shizuka. The easy 7 to 8-kilometer route links Kinkakuji, Daitokuji, Kitano Tenmangu, Koto-in, and Zuihoin with quiet lanes, Zen gardens, and local stories. E-bike, helmet, and water are included.

“Excellent bike tour with our guide Shizuka. Small group of 6, good quality bikes, interesting history, charming backstreet, temples, & riding in the hills. Really special afternoon & highly recommend.”

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Bike Tour Exploring North Kyoto plus Lunch

2.Bike Tour Exploring North Kyoto plus Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,087 reviews · from $106

Ride through Kyoto with guides such as Mayko, Quinn, Indra, Karl, or Jay, stopping at Nishi Honganji, Kitano Tenmangu, Kinkakuji, the former imperial grounds, and Gion. Expect about 24 kilometers of mostly easy cycling, frequent sightseeing stops, an included Japanese lunch, and a small group of no more than eight people.

“Excellent guide, excellent itinerary, excellent value for money. Really couldn’t fault it in any way”

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Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Hidden Gems Bike Tour (Early Bird)

3.Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Hidden Gems Bike Tour (Early Bird)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 613 reviews · from $106

Start at 8:00 am near Saga-Arashiyama Station for a private ride with an English-speaking guide such as Rob, Yuki, Ray, Milo, or Cass. Use a standard Cannondale city bike to visit the bamboo forest, Tenryu-ji, Togetsukyo Bridge, quiet shrines, temples, and countryside lanes. Bikes, helmets, and water are included.

“Great trip to the bamboo forest, lily ponds, temple and then onto rice fields, temples, and hidden backstreets. Really good to have stepped out of the city bustle . Cass was a really good guide and ensured all on the tour enjoyed it.”

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5 Top Highlights of Kyoto Full Day Bike Tour (E-bike option)

4.5 Top Highlights of Kyoto Full Day Bike Tour (E-bike option)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 511 reviews · from $172

Start near Saga-Arashiyama Station at 8:30 a.m. and pedal up to 44 kilometers through Kyoto with a traditional bike or optional e-bike. Guides such as Rob, Cass, Peter, and Ray combine the Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari, Gion, and Arashiyama with quieter streets, river paths, local stories, lunch, and photo stops.

“Ray our guide was so informative and knowledgeable. We covered so much in a day and we all had a good laugh. Most of the sights were very busy with tourist, but Ray found a way for us through it all.”

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Full Day Biking Tour Exploring the Best of Kyoto

5.Full Day Biking Tour Exploring the Best of Kyoto

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 498 reviews · from $119

Spend a full day cycling Kyoto with a guide and a group of no more than eight riders. Visit Nishi Honganji, Kinkaku-ji, Gion, Tofuku-ji, Fushimi Inari, Kitano Tenmangu, and the Imperial Palace grounds. Bikes, helmets, lunch, and water are included. Expect roughly 18 to 20 miles of riding, mostly on manageable streets.

“It’s a great tour with a wonderful guide. You get a glimpse of all of Kyoto’s beauty within a day. Highly recommended.”

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E-Bike Tours of the highlights of Kyoto!!!

6.E-Bike Tours of the highlights of Kyoto!!!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 291 reviews · from $109

Ride an e-bike through Kyoto with guides such as Philippe, Kevin, and Niall, stopping at temples, gardens, Gion, riverside paths, and local neighborhoods. Choose an east-side route with Heian Shrine, Ginkakuji, and the Philosopher’s Walk, or a west-side route featuring Kinkakuji, Arashiyama, and Ryoan-ji. Bikes and admission fees are included.

“Great tour - philippe was great guide! Zen and fun. Nice walks through the temples and gardens alongside the cycling”

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Afternoon Kyoto Bike Tour: Bamboo Forest, Monkeys & Hidden Spots

7.Afternoon Kyoto Bike Tour: Bamboo Forest, Monkeys & Hidden Spots

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 283 reviews · from $106

Start at Saga-Arashiyama Station at 1 p.m. for a small-group ride to Iwatayama Monkey Park, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Tenryu-ji, and Togetsukyo Bridge. Guides such as Yuki, Rob, Peter, and Ray add local stories and cultural context. Bikes, helmets, water, and admissions are included, but the monkey park requires a 20-minute uphill walk.

“What a great cultural and educational experience. My wife and I did a morning tour with Peter and enjoyed every moment of our time. We wish we would have scheduled the tour earlier in our stay because it was so educational and heRead more”

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South Kyoto in a Nutshell: Gentle Backstreet Bike Tour!

8.South Kyoto in a Nutshell: Gentle Backstreet Bike Tour!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 225 reviews · from $79

Start near Kyoto Station at 9:00 am for a 3 to 4 hour ride through southern Kyoto. Your guide leads a small group of up to eight by Cannondale bike through backstreets, past Nishi Honganji, Gion, Tofukuji, Takase Canal, and Fushimi Inari. Guides such as Jay, Indra, Juan, and Kevin add local stories, route tips, and flexible stops.

“Cycling is always the best way to get a round a Japanese city. It’s surprisingly relaxing and less touristy. Our guide showed us a mixture of sights and his own favorite spots. Fantastic value”

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Kyoto: City Secrets eBike Tour

9.City Secrets eBike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 196 reviews · 3h 45m · from $127

Spend 225 minutes cycling about 9 kilometers through Kyoto with an English-speaking guide and a group of no more than eight. Visit the Golden Pavilion, geisha streets, shrines, Zen gardens, and quieter temple districts. Guides such as Yuta, Henry, Sean, Michael, and Shizuka bring local history and culture to life while electric bikes make Kyoto’s hills manageable.

“Sean was great. He took in beautiful temples and places where there were no tourists. he event took us to a super fun bike hike and down-hill with panoramic view, and a river stop to cool down really worth the experience!”

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Kyoto: Hidden Gems E-Bike Tour with Local Japanese Guide

10.Hidden Gems E-Bike Tour with Local Japanese Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 189 reviews · 3h 30m · from $75

Ride an electric bike through northeast Kyoto with Aska or another English-speaking Japanese guide who has lived abroad. Follow the Kamogawa River to Ginkaku-ji, browse near its shopping street, cycle the Philosopher’s Path, visit Nanzen-ji and Heian Jingu, and learn about local culture at an easy pace.

“Aska was the perfect guide. The just the right amount of information delivered with a smile. Her riding skills gave everyone confidence. It was so pleasant to see interesting temples and shrines without the crowds. I really enjoyed cycling along the river on such a beautiful day.”

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Pedal Adventure Kyoto’s iconic landmarks on an e-bike tour

11.Pedal Adventure Kyoto’s iconic landmarks on an e-bike tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 189 reviews · from $86

Spend about four hours cycling Kyoto with an English-speaking guide such as Maki or Mika. Ride comfortable e-bikes through Gion, quiet Higashiyama lanes, Fushimi Inari, Tofuku-ji, and along the Kamogawa River. The tour covers Shinto, Buddhism, geisha culture, samurai, local customs, and lesser-known corners, with water and snacks included.

“Awesome. Very good informative. Great route. Great stops along the way. Good idea of town and its surroundings. Maki has great energy and is a true pleasure. A+”

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Arashiyama Bamboo Forest E-Biking Tour

12.Arashiyama Bamboo Forest E-Biking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 183 reviews · from $116

This 4-hour-15-minute small-group ride takes you beyond Kyoto’s main sights by electric bike. With guides such as Yuta, Michael, Sean, and Henry, you’ll visit quiet temples, cycle rural roads, walk the bamboo grove, and receive bikes, helmets, temple fees, and snacks. Strong cycling skills are essential.

“We had a wonderful time on the tour with Sean. He knows Kyoto inside and out and loved sharing his knowledge. The tour was fantastic and we saw more of Kyoto in the four hours of the tour than we ever would have on our own. The elecRead more”

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Historical Kyoto E-Bike Tour

13.Historical Kyoto E-Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 181 reviews · from $99

Spend five to six hours cycling Kyoto with a guide such as Jody, Pohan, Diego, or George. Ride through back streets to Kitano Tenmangu, Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and Tenryu-ji. E-bikes reduce the effort, but expect plenty of walking at the temples and bring yen for lunch and small shrine offerings.

“Pohan was such a delight and great host! The instructions on the ticket made finding the location easy, and the bikes were in great condition. Upgrading to the e-bike was easy and worth it. Bring cash for lunch! The ride was not too strenuous, but was a good activity. We visited beautiful locations and Pohan was able to give us great background for all places. I would recommend this to anyone!”

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4.5-Hour Kyoto Bike Tour with Lunch and UNESCO Zen Temples

14.4.5-Hour Kyoto Bike Tour with Lunch and UNESCO Zen Temples

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 122 reviews · from $99

Start near Kyoto Station at 9:00 am and cycle in a group of up to five through Gion, Kennin-ji, Nanzen-ji, Heian Shrine, and along the Kamogawa River. Your English-speaking guide leads the route, explains Kyoto’s temples, and takes you to a traditional Japanese house for a local lunch. Bikes, locks, insurance, and Kennin-ji admission are included.

“I had a great day biking around Kyoto with Yusuke! I wasn’t expecting it to be a private tour but that was a nice surprise because I could go at my own pace. Yusuke was a super friendly and knowledgeable guide - he made sure I was comfoRead more”

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Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Morning Tour by Bike

15.Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Morning Tour by Bike

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 115 reviews · 3h 30m · from $103

Start early with an English-speaking guide such as Milo, Rob, Ray, Yuki, or Peter, then ride through Arashiyama for 210 minutes. You’ll visit the bamboo forest, Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryuji gardens, quiet temples, shrines, residential lanes, and rice fields. Bikes, helmets, water, and admission fees are included.

“Our guide Rob was excellent. So knowledgable, interesting and full of facts. He made us all feel really safe navigating the roads on our bikes and i would highly recommend this tour and I hope you get Rob because he is awesome!”

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