Fun Kyoto Ride: Scooter Tour, Gorge Lunch & Samurai Armor Review

Kyoto, Japan, with its shrines, gardens, and history, just has so many must-sees! If you’re thinking about how to see some highlights but want to see more than just popular temples, there’s a tour that’s maybe worth checking out: the “Fun Kyoto Ride Scoot to Gorge Local Lunch Samurai Armor” experience. So, that is a mouthful of a name, yeah? What you have to know is, that it mixes exploring on two wheels, getting a real bite of the local food scene, and geeking out over some armor, yeah, some serious samurai armor.

First, Hitting the Road on Scooters

Right, so picture this: rather than going on a tour bus, you’re on a scooter, just out on the open road. You could feel the breeze as you roll around those streets! That part of the trip really gave us that kind of adventure! What’s good to realize is that you’re not exactly alone. These tours usually have a guide. Ours knew some routes; they kept us safe and showed us some spots you might not even find if you looked around.

They can start with some popular stops such as maybe Kiyomizu-dera or Fushimi Inari, but you can zoom down smaller paths and end up at tucked-away temples and gardens that the tour buses miss. That flexibility to just pull over and check something unique is something you wouldn’t find if you take those bigger tour groups.

Now, the Local Lunch That You Won’t Forget

You might have a local meal planned with your scooter tour. Not any ordinary meal. The tour we experienced took us away from crowded tourist spots to a local restaurant. The grub there was, well, totally real, just like how people in Kyoto eat. This is probably when you try some dishes that maybe won’t be found at any tourist trap; like you might try some regional ramen. These are little restaurants that have been cooking up the same special for maybe generations! If you want that truly unique travel story, the food angle is quite the win.

What really made it top-tier was just listening to our guide chatting to the people working there, the owner probably, you know, joking with them. It just makes you feel less like you’re just passing through and more like you’re actually just hanging with the locals for an afternoon, which is nice, alright?

That Awesome Samurai Armor Experience

OK, so the Samurai bit might just be the highlight, depending. A stop to a place where you could wear authentic samurai armor really is something! They can actually dress you up in all of the different armor pieces and everything. You are talking the whole kaboodle, from the helmet, the “mempo” which is the facial armor, to the “kote” or armored sleeves. You will really, really look like you walked straight out of a history book.

Many places even give you an overview of some history surrounding those famous samurai families and tell you stories of Japan’s warrior past. Usually they let you get photos while in the armor, so that can be an awesome thing that is for sure going up on the ‘gram.

A Few Things That Are Important To Know Beforehand

Before you pull that trigger on booking anything, you just want to double-check that anyone who’s planning on driving a scooter actually has the needed license for use in Japan. The law over there sees foreign licenses just a bit differently, right? You will want to call or go online just to double-check what is, and is not, kosher.

Think through, as well, about how easy you adapt, OK? A lot of smaller roads you’re dealing with are narrower and packed with maybe walkers and cyclists and cars all going every which way. If maybe the idea of hopping on a scooter sounds like a whole day’s worth of stress, maybe consider whether you need something just a little less intense. Also? Check your health insurance so you’re covered, yeah?

Something a little more nuanced to plan on as well is what part of the year you will be in Japan. That Kyoto weather? Very up and down. The summer has you with some hot days, or the winter months get pretty cold. Spring and fall might be pretty decent. Keep a careful watch, you’ll want that “Goldilocks” weather, yeah, so it isn’t some rainy misery the whole day.

What’s My Verdict, Then?

When you combine doing some travel by scooter with taking the road less travelled to grub and trying out samurai armor, those “Fun Kyoto Ride” style tours, seem pretty worth it. These can show off what there is, but, that is shown from just a bit of an unusual and fun viewpoint, more or less. The armor experience is a nice little cultural high point as you see what it must have been like at the height of the Samurai. You are getting a tour of sights. You are getting awesome foods that they can’t find everywhere. And you are getting those great stories and some new views. If those fit your style, you just might want to check this kind of Kyoto thing out, OK?

Anyway, hopefully this rundown has you prepped for how to decide. Safe travels, basically!