Kyoto bike tour: why two wheels work here
Kyoto's temples are spread across the city, and its flat basin is easy to ride. A Kyoto bike tour joins sights that a bus tour handles in one long day, but you move through side streets, along the Kamo River and past the canal at the Philosopher's Path.
The routes fall into three kinds. Arashiyama in the west is the gentlest ride, about 11 km on mostly flat ground. East Kyoto around Ginkaku-ji suits an e-bike, because the temples sit at the foot of the hills. North Kyoto and the full-day loop cover the most distance, up to 44 km.
Our picks: Kyoto bike tours
Choose a morning ride through the Arashiyama bamboo grove, an e-bike loop of three and a half to four hours in east Kyoto, or the full-day route from Kinkaku-ji to Fushimi Inari. The north Kyoto ride with lunch covers about 22 km.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator and GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Full-day Kyoto bike tour from Arashiyama to Fushimi Inari
- Bicycle and helmet
- Guide, snacks and light lunch
- Admission fees
Leaves at 8:30 and covers about 44 km in seven to eight hours through Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion and Fushimi Inari. Open from age 16, with an e-bike as an upgrade for an extra fee.
Check availability →Early bike tour through Arashiyama and the bamboo grove
- Bicycle and helmet
- English-speaking guide
- Bottled water
Starts at 8:00 and covers about 11 km on mostly flat ground: the bamboo grove, the Tenryu-ji garden and Togetsukyo Bridge. Open from age 10.
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North Kyoto bike tour with lunch
- Bike
- Guide and lunch
- Bottled water
About 22 km in five to six hours past Kinkaku-ji, Kitano Tenmangu, the Imperial Palace grounds and the Kamo River. Open from age 13, with lunch and water included.
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E-bike tour to the Silver Pavilion and Philosopher's Path
- E-bike rental
- Guide
- Facility fees
Starts at 9:00 and spends four hours at Ginkaku-ji, the Philosopher's Path, Nanzen-ji and the Heian Shrine garden. Open from age 12 for confident riders.
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E-bike tour by side streets to Fushimi Inari
- Bicycle and helmet
- Water and snacks
- English-speaking route coordinator
Starts at 9:00 and runs about 14 km in four hours along back streets to Fushimi Inari. Riders need to be 12 or older and at least 146 cm tall.
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E-bike tour of east Kyoto with a local guide
- E-bike and helmet
- Guide
- Entry ticket and parking fees
Along the Kamo River to Ginkaku-ji, the Philosopher's Path, Nanzen-ji and Heian Shrine in 3.5 hours. Children under 10 and pregnant riders cannot join.
Check availability →Kyoto bike tours and e-bike tours
Six guided rides: the Arashiyama bamboo grove, e-bike loops in east Kyoto, a ride to Fushimi Inari, north Kyoto with lunch and a full day across the city.
Kyoto bike tour routes: Arashiyama, east and north
The early Arashiyama ride meets at JR Saga-Arashiyama Station and leaves at 8:00, before the crowds reach the bamboo grove. In three to four hours it covers about 11 km: the grove on foot, the Tenryu-ji garden, Togetsukyo Bridge and quiet back lanes. It is the easiest ride here and takes children from age 10.
Two e-bike rides head to the eastern hills. One starts at a bike shop a minute from Kuramaguchi Station at 9:00, and spends four hours at Ginkaku-ji, the Philosopher's Path, Nanzen-ji and the Heian Shrine garden. The other leaves from a shop near Gojo and follows the Kamo River to the same area in 3.5 hours, with the entry ticket and parking fees covered. Both suit riders who want the temples without sweating up the slopes.
A third e-bike ride runs four hours and about 14 km along back streets to Fushimi Inari, starting at 9:00 from the bike shop where the guide waits. Riders need to be 12 or older and at least 146 cm tall.
North Kyoto is the longest half-day option. Lunch and water are included, and riders must be 13 or older.
Full-day Kyoto bike tour and e-bike option
The full-day route leaves Arashiyama at 8:30 and covers about 44 km in seven to eight hours, with Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion and Fushimi Inari on the way. Riders must be 16 or older and comfortable in city traffic. An e-bike is available as an upgrade for an extra fee.
What the price buys
The short e-bike loop in east Kyoto costs $78. The Arashiyama ride starts at $110, north Kyoto with lunch at $103 and the full day at $181.
Riding in Kyoto
Ride on the left of the road; pavements are allowed only in a few permitted cases, and pedestrians come first. Parked bikes left outside marked racks are removed, and getting one back costs 3,500 yen. Wear seasonal cycling clothes without loose trousers. Summer rides start early because July to September is hot and humid, and winter rides need warm gloves. Two of the operators cancel when the forecast the day before shows 60 percent rain or more.
If you would rather see Kyoto on foot or by coach, our page on Kyoto tours compares those formats, and the Ginkaku-ji guide covers the stop that two of these rides share.
Kyoto bike tour: frequently asked questions
How much does a Kyoto bike tour cost?
Prices as of November 2026 run from $78 for the 3.5 hour e-bike loop to $181 for the full-day route. Most half-day rides cost $84 to $110 per person.
Which Kyoto bike tour is easiest?
The early Arashiyama ride is mostly flat and covers about 11 km in three to four hours. East Kyoto e-bike tours remove the effort of the hill approaches.
Can children join a bike tour in Kyoto?
The minimum age is 10 for the Arashiyama ride, 12 for the east Kyoto and Fushimi Inari e-bike rides, 13 for north Kyoto and 16 for the full-day route. Children must be able to ride safely.
Does a Kyoto bike tour include lunch?
North Kyoto includes lunch and the full-day route a light lunch. The other rides include at most water or snacks, so plan a meal stop around them.