15 Cycling Tours in Kyoto to Build a Day Around

1.Hidden Kyoto E-Biking tour

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

Join NORU for a 3-hour-45-minute morning or afternoon e-bike ride through northern Kyoto. Guides such as Yuta, Michael, Sean, Henry, and Shizuka lead small groups to Kinkakuji, Daitokuji, Kitano Tenmangu, Koto-in, and Zuihoin, with temple history, Zen insights, quiet lanes, and a tea stop.

“An incredible experience! Definitely get to see some lesser known hidden gems. Our guide Yuta was fantastic, really paints the picture for you when you’re at each stop. He was incredibly patient and made sure everyone was taken care of and had a great time!”

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2.Bike Tour Exploring North Kyoto plus Lunch

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

Ride about 13 miles through Kyoto with a guide such as Mayko, Julian, Quinn, Indra, or Jay. Visit Nishi Honganji, Kitano Tenmangu, Kinkakuji, former imperial grounds, and Gion, with lunch, water, a Cannondale bike, and temple admission included.

“This was one of the best bike tours of a major city I have done in a while. Our guide Karl was fantastic: personable, witty and most importantly very knowledgable about the sites we visited. One of our best days in Kyoto!”

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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 3 to 4-hour private ride on standard Cannondale city bikes. Guides such as Rob, Yuki, Milo, Ray, Cass, and Peter lead you through the bamboo forest, Tenryu-ji, quiet lanes, rice fields, shrines, and Togetsukyo Bridge.

“Our tour guide, Yuki was fabulous!! He spoke perfect English , shared many stories about the culture past and current, and answered all our questions in depth. In addition, the bike tour took us to places that would be unreachable by foot in a few hours.”

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

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

Start at Saga-Arashiyama Station for a 7 to 8-hour ride covering up to 27 miles. Guides such as Rob, Cass, Peter, and Ray combine Kyoto’s famous temples with quieter streets, river paths, gardens, and local neighborhoods. Choose a standard bike or request an e-bike for an extra fee.

“We loved being guided around the city by bicycle. Peter was informative, patient, knowledgeable and a joy to be with.”

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5.Full Day Biking Tour Exploring the Best of Kyoto

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

Spend 7 to 8 hours cycling Kyoto with a guide and up to seven other riders. Visit Nishi Honganji, Kinkaku-ji, Gion, Tofuku-ji, Fushimi Inari, Kitano Tenmangu, and the Imperial Palace grounds. Bikes, helmets, bottled water, and lunch are included.

“Had an amazing day cycling all through Kyoto with Jay. Learned a lot about Japan, temples, shrines, Geishas and more. Jay made the day so much fun and took us to a very cool and delicious lunch place in Gion. He also was always there to take lots of pics of our entire group. Best day and best tour of our trip! Thank you!!”

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

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

Explore Kyoto by e-bike with guides such as Philippe, Kevin, or Niall. Choose an East or West course featuring temples, gardens, Gion, riverside paths, or the Bamboo Grove. Expect about 5.5 hours of easy cycling, walking, storytelling, and a possible picnic lunch.

“The gardens, history, and nature were awesome. Phillip did a wonderful job of storytelling both the legends and true history. The backstreets and alleys kept us safe and sound from the hustle and bustle of Kyoto. We’ll done!”

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

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

Spend four hours cycling through Arashiyama with guides such as Yuki, Rob, Peter, and Ray. Standard bikes, helmets, water, and entrance fees are included. You will visit Iwatayama Monkey Park, the Bamboo Forest, Tenryu-ji Garden, Togetsukyo Bridge, and quieter local corners.

“This was a super fun and easy ride around town with history and culture. We loved every minute, it was a highlight of our trip!”

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

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

Ride through southern Kyoto for 3 to 4 hours with Cycle Kyoto, visiting Nishi Honganji, Gion, Tofukuji Temple, Takase Canal, and Fushimi Inari. Guides such as Jay, Indra, Juan, and Sam share local history while you travel mostly by calm backstreets. Bikes, helmets, and water are included.

“Thierry was an amazing host, taking us through quiet backstreets of Kyoto and sharing his knowledge of Kyoto, whilst teaching us how to count in Japanese.”

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9.City Secrets eBike Tour

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

Spend 225 minutes riding a 9-kilometer route through Kyoto with an English-speaking guide and up to seven other guests. You’ll see the Golden Pavilion, a historic Geisha district, Zen temples, quiet shrines, mountain roads, and traditional cafés. Guides such as Yuta, Henry, Sean, and Michael add history, local detail, and careful bike handling.

“We had a wonderful bike tour with Henry – he was extremely knowledgeable about Kyoto and shared with us some lovely off the beaten path places that we rode to on our bicycles. Kyoto is a very busy city, but we felt very safe on our travels with Henry! I would not recommend this tour if are a first time visitor to Kyoto, but if you are a return visitor or add this in conjunction with a more typical tour,, it’s a perfect package!”

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

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

Ride an electric bike through northeastern Kyoto with Aska or another English-speaking Japanese guide who has lived abroad. You’ll follow the Kamo River, visit Ginkaku-ji, cycle the Philosopher’s Path, see Nanzen-ji and Heian Jingu, and enjoy time for coffee, matcha crepes, and conversation.

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

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

Pedal through Gion, Higashiyama, Fushimi Inari, and Tōfuku-ji on a small-group e-bike tour led by Maki or Mika. Expect quiet lanes, shrine and temple visits, Kyoto culture, snacks, water, and an easy riverside ride back.

“The Kyoto bike tour was exceptional! We rode on big streets, small side streets, and scenic bike paths on comfortable e-assist bikes that were equipped with baskets (handy for backpacks or jackets). Maki was fun and personable, and we coRead more”

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12.Arashiyama Bamboo Forest E-Biking Tour

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

Join NORU Kyoto Bike Tours for a 4-hour-15-minute electric bike ride through Kyoto. With guides such as Yuta, Michael, Sean, and Henry, you’ll visit Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, Tōji-in, rural lanes, and Arashiyama’s bamboo grove in a group of no more than eight.

“This tour was a fantastic way to explore some of Kyoto. Michael was very informative when we went to each place, giving us a richer insight into the temples and the bamboo forest. We highly recommend this tour, especially if you need a break from walking!”

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13.Historical Kyoto E-Bike Tour

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

Spend five to six hours cycling across Kyoto with an e-bike, helmet, water, and a guide such as Pohan, Jody, Diego, or Jorge. Visit Kitano Tenmangu, Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and Tenryu-ji, with time for lunch and quiet back streets.

“Great experience and way to see multiple sights in one day. The bikes were very nice and our guide Posan answered all of our questions and gave interesting insights into Japanese culture. He adapted well when we hit some rain mid day to adjust for the comfort of our group. My only advice is that we had our 12 and 14 year olds who were somewhat street savvy and proficient on bikes, but it is a city tour and there are few designated bike paths and you are sharing the path with pedestrians, cars, buses, mopeds and other cyclists. I would recommend for teens and above age wise and those…”

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

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

Ride through Kyoto with an English-speaking MagicalTrip guide, visiting Kennin-ji and Nanzen-ji, passing Heian Shrine, and cycling beside the Kamogawa River. Your $99.10 fee includes a bike, helmet, temple admission, photos, and a traditional Kyoto lunch with vegetarian options available.

“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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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 Ray, Rob, Milo, Peter, or Yuki, then cycle through Arashiyama for 3.5 hours. Visit the bamboo forest, Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryuji gardens, shrines, temples, rice fields, and quiet residential lanes in a small group of up to eight.

“Great experience overall! Excellent guide and a really fun way to discover this out of the way part of Kyoto.”

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