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Offered languages
- English
Heian Shrine may look a thousand years old, but it was built in 1895. In 1869, the Emperor moved to Tokyo, and Kyoto, the capital for over a thousand years, began to fade. The city refused to give up. Led by Tanabe Sakuro, a 21-year-old engineer, Japanese hands alone tunneled through mountains to bring Lake Biwa's water into Kyoto. The canal powered Japan's first commercial hydroelectric plant and first electric streetcar. Heian Shrine was built to mark 1,100 years since Kyoto's founding: a symbol of a city reborn.
Tokyo's No.1 bike tour (most-reviewed in Tokyo on GetYourGuide, Viator, Tripadvisor, Klook and Google, as of October 2026) is now in Kyoto.
Grand Opening price for tours in November 2026. From December, the regular price is 10,000 yen with a cross bike and 14,000 yen with an e-bike.
The route was created with a Kyoto City Visitor's Host, a guide certified by the City of Kyoto. We are a member of the Kyoto City Tourism Association. Departures: 10:15 and 14:30.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meeting point: the Pokémon manhole cover right in front of Heian Shrine's main gate (Otenmon). https://maps.app.goo.gl/izHXnpSPNCi5yLtB7
Itinerary
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1Heian Shrine
The tour starts and ends here. Walk under one of Japan's largest torii gates and through the vermilion gate of Heian Shrine, built in 1895 to mark Kyoto's 1,100th anniversary. Your guide explains the shrine's history and how to pray at a Shinto shrine.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Nanzen-ji Temple
See the massive Sanmon gate of Nanzen-ji, one of Japan's most important Zen temples, and the red-brick Meiji-era aqueduct that still carries water from Lake Biwa through the temple grounds.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3The philosophers path
Ride along the Philosopher's Path, a quiet stone path beside a canal lined with cherry trees, named after the philosopher Nishida Kitaro who walked here every day.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Kamogawa Delta (Kyoto Prefectural Kamogawa Park)
Stop at the Kamo River Delta, where the Takano and Kamo rivers meet. A favorite local spot, with stepping stones across the water.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Nashinoki Shrine
A quiet shrine next to the Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds, home to Somei-no-mizu, one of the three famous springs of Kyoto, where locals still come to fill bottles with water.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Kamogawa River
Cycle along the open riverside of the Kamo River, Kyoto's favorite place to relax, with mountain views and the stepping stones near the Kamogawa Delta where locals gather.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Gion Shirakawa
Follow the Shirakawa canal past old wooden townhouses and weeping willows into Gion Shirakawa, one of the most beautiful streets in Kyoto's geisha district.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8Lake Biwa Canal
Ride along the Lake Biwa Canal, built in 1890 to bring water from Lake Biwa and help Kyoto recover after the capital moved to Tokyo. Your guide explains the story on the way back to Heian Shrine.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- For safety reasons, we ask that all pregnant women refrain from participating.
Additional info
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- For safety reasons, we ask that all pregnant women refrain from participating.
- If your riding causes damage to the bicycle (such as damage to the side stand or frame), we may charge you for the repair costs, depending on the circumstances.
- If we determine that it would be difficult or dangerous for a participant to ride a bicycle at the starting point, we may refuse to allow them to participate in the tour, in which case no refund will be issued.
- Total Duration includes the travel time between stops
- Please arrive at the meeting point before the scheduled tour start time. To ensure the best experience for all guests, our tours depart on schedule. Guests who do not arrive by the scheduled start time, regardless of the reason, will be considered a No Show. No refunds or rescheduling will be provided. Exceptions: Tours cancelled by the operator due to severe weather.
- Both the morning and afternoon tours follow the same loop route and end at Heian Shrine.
- Not recommended for participants under 150 cm tall
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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