Kyoto Gion Tour and Rare Fugu Banquet with Michelin Chef

Organized by Nadja Piskernik
(1)
Detail
Detail
Detail
Show all photos
Detail
Share
Save
Show all photos
Summary
Highlights
Experience Details
Experience Location
Reviews
Duration
3 hours
Number of Guests
2 - 7 guests
Language
Japanese, English, German
Other
Pescetarian, Private Experience

Get an in-depth tour of Kyoto’s historic Gion district, followed by a spread of fugu pufferfish at an exclusive restaurant with a guide who works at a three Michelin-starred restaurant.

Highlights

  • Walking tour of the historic Gion district in Kyoto with an experienced guide

  • A full course meal of fugu pufferfish at an exclusive restaurant prepared by a certified fugu specialist and the expertise of a guide who has a fugu license

For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals

Experience Details

Nowhere else in Kyoto quite encapsulates the city’s traditional charm quite like Gion. The historic geisha district plays host to some of the city’s most famous sights, like the neat rows of teahouses on Hanami-koji Street, or the Shirakawa Canal, lined with willow trees gently swaying in the breeze. Traditional geisha entertainers and their maiko apprentices are impossible to miss as they elegantly sweep down the streets in their beautifully-patterned kimono.


And of course, there’s the magnificent turret of the Minamiza Theater, the most iconic kabuki theater in the city, which also happens to be where you’ll meet your host, Nadja. For an hour, she’ll show you around the labyrinthine streets of Gion, regaling you with tales of maiko and geisha so vivid that you’ll feel like you’ve been taken back in time to the Edo period.


After walking, you’re sure to have worked up an appetite, and there’s no better way to sate your hunger than with a legendary Japanese delicacy: fugu, or Japanese pufferfish. The fugu can be so deadly poisonous, that chefs are legally required to train for two years before they can receive a license to prepare and serve it safely.


Fugu chefs are already few in number, but Gion is home to famously exclusive fugu restaurants — some so secretive that reservations aren’t even open to the public.


It’s under the careful knife of a knowledgeable chef and certified fugu specialist that guests on this tour will be presented with a full fugu spread of six to seven courses, ranging from “tessa” sashimi, to grilled and even deep-fried. Your guide, a holder of a fugu pufferfish license with deep knowledge in the field, will explain the intricacies of this exquisite meal. If you’re lucky, tecchiri hotpot will be on the menu too, arguably the most famous way to eat this potentially deadly delicacy.

Inclusions

  • Guide fees for walking tour

  • 6- to 7-course banquet of fugu pufferfish professionally prepared in a number of ways with 1 drink

Exclusions

  • Transportation fees to and from the venue

  • Cost of additional purchases during the walking tour

  • Additional drinks during the meal

Meeting Point and Meeting Time

  • Meet your host at Exit 6 of Gion-Shijo Station (Keihan Main Line), less than 10 min. walk from Sanjo Station and Yasaka-jinja Shrine.

Remarks

  • The legal drinking age in Japan is 20. Guests under the legal age must refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages.

  • If necessary, the restaurant can provide high chairs for children.

  • Children participating will be served the same multi course meal as adults; alternatively, they can participate for free and order individual items on the menu (not included in the experience price).

  • The tour is expected to last 3 hours in total. Please plan accordingly.

Cancellation Policy

Cancel your booking at least 2 days before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.

Read more

Experience Location

Featuring beautiful landscapes from mountain to sea, Kyoto Prefecture conveys traditional Japanese culture through its architecture and gardens, art and artisanal crafts, and delicious local cuisine made from regional produce.

Get Directions
Book This Experience
Select at least 2 guests
Select Guest
Select at least 2 guests
Adult
(3 - 99)
0
Clear
Apply
Date
Select Date
Date
November
2024
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
272829303112
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
Time
Select Time
Time
Available Today
from
¥25,500
per guest
Book Now
Please note that the time is in Japan Standard Time.
Free cancellation (2 days notice)
For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals
You may also be interested in these experiences
Dining Experiences
KYOTO
Gion Tour with Kaiseki Meal in Kyoto at Night

Join a local guide as you stroll the cobbled streets of Gion and the Pontocho alley, and take in the atmosphere and local culture and history. After exploring, sit down to an elegant, multi-course kaiseki dinner.

from¥30,500
(7)
With dessert
Cooking Classes
OSAKA
Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class in Osaka

Learn how to make soy-sauce based ramen during this cooking class in Osaka! Yoko, a certified food coordinator and licensed guide will teach you her recipe for this iconic dish, as well as how to make gyoza (pan-fried dumplings).

from¥18,000
(7)
With dessert
Dining Experiences
KYOTO
Kyoto Izakaya Food Adventure

Join Hiroshi–your spirited guide–for an izakaya, street food, & nightlife adventure in Kyoto! Explore key areas like the downtown district & Gion, visit local izakayas & drinking dens, & make lifelong memories along the way. Flexible itinerary!

from¥10,000
(16)
Food Tours
KYOTO
Evening in Gion: Kyoto Walking & Food Tour

Stroll through the lantern-lit streets of Gion, Japan’s most famous geisha district, in this family-friendly Kyoto food and walking tour. See Pontocho and the Yasaka Shrine, and enjoy sashimi, tempura, karaage and drinks at two izakaya restaurants.

from¥15,000
(1)
Regional food