I’m Ryoichi Kazuma and my nickname is “Kazz”. I live in Kyotanabe city next to Kyoto city. I want guests to enjoy Kyoto by seeing and experiencing not only from outside but also from inside. I offer various information from daily matters to traditional cultures. Most destinations in Kyoto are located on the eastern side or the western side. As I want to guide guests to as many destinations as possible, I make an efficient itinerary and recommend a taxi use to save time. Additionally, I take pictures at various spots and finally share the link to my storage. By doing so, guests can download their favorite pictures from my storage. Please enjoy Kyoto night and day!
This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan.
Tour Itinerary
- 09:30 Mimaru Suites Kyoto Shijo
- 10:00 Fushimiinari by subway and JR train
- 11:30 Kiyomizudera (500) by taxi
- Sannenzaka by walking
- Yasaka-no-to
- Ninenzaka
- Yasaka-no-to by walking
- 14:30 Kinkakuji (500) by taxi
- 15:30 Mimaru Suites Kyoto Shijo by taxi
- End of the tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Mimaru Suites Kyoto Shijo at 09:30, Fushimiinari by subway and JR train at 10:00, Kiyomizudera (500) by taxi at 11:30, Kinkakuji (500) by taxi at 14:30 and Mimaru Suites Kyoto Shijo by taxi at 15:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shijo (Kyoto Municipal) to Kyoto by train (220JPY); Kyoto to Inari by train (150JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 370JPY per person.
Title: What's a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like with a Licensed Guide? A Tour Report
Body: [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) guides led a private one-day tour of Kyoto for a group visiting from North America. Since the guests said they would not have lunch, at Fushimi Inari we climbed up to Kumataka-sha shrine. At Kiyomizu-dera, the Sennichi Mairi ("thousand-day pilgrimage") was being held from August 9 to 16, so we were able to see the interior of the main hall. We also lined up at the Otowa Waterfall, and each of the guests received the water of their choice. The guests were not very interested in Kiyomizu ware, but they were very pleased with the fresh yatsuhashi samples at the confectionery shop. Since one of the guests said they liked Studio Ghibli, we only took photos at the Yasaka Pagoda and returned to Ninenzaka. With a typhoon approaching, I had been prepared for rain all day, but it only started coming down a little on the way back from Kinkaku-ji, and we hardly needed to use umbrellas at all.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Shijo (Kyoto Municipal)～Kyoto | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Kyoto～Inari | 150JPY |
| Total | 370JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Mimaru Suites Kyoto Shijo, Fushimiinari by subway and JR train, Kiyomizudera (500) by taxi, Kinkakuji (500) by taxi and Mimaru Suites Kyoto Shijo by taxi.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 370JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Kazz is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Kyoto itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
I’m Ryoichi Kazuma and my nickname is “Kazz”. I live in Kyotanabe city next to Kyoto city. I want guests to enjoy Kyoto by seeing and experiencing not only from outside but also from inside. I offer various information from daily matters to traditional cultures. Most destinations in Kyoto are located on the eastern side or the western side. As I want to guide guests to as many destinations as possible, I make an efficient itinerary and recommend a taxi use to save time. Additionally, I take pictures at various spots and finally share the link to my storage. By doing so, guests can download their favorite pictures from my storage. Please enjoy Kyoto night and day!
Sep 25, 2026
Marvin_F
Kazz is an outstanding…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Kazz is an outstanding experiencedand friendly…
Sep 25, 2026
Marvin_F
Kazz is an outstanding…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Kazz is an outstanding experiencedand friendly tour guide. He took us to many interesting places during the six hours as well as off the tourist path to more interesting places. He thoroughly explained everything from a current and historical perspective. Outstanding tour.
Sep 21, 2026
Laura_K
Day in Kyoto with Kazz
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazz was an amazing…
Sep 21, 2026
Laura_K
Day in Kyoto with Kazz
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazz was an amazing guide! He was super knowledgeable and gave us really interesting info throughout all the stops. He’s also an amazing photographer!
Aug 27, 2026
M6034YWthomasm
Worth it
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
The day went by so quickly, a…
Aug 27, 2026
M6034YWthomasm
Worth it
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
The day went by so quickly, a true pleasure . Exceeded my expectations in knowledge and support of our questions.
Aug 10, 2026
Sez042
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Awesome experience
Tour guide Kazz was great. Very informative and showed…
Aug 10, 2026
Sez042
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Awesome experience
Tour guide Kazz was great. Very informative and showed us around which was great