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. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 08:55 Meet @ Zentis Osaka
- 10:00 – 11:30 Visit @ Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- 12:00 – 13:00 Visit @ Nijo Castle
- 13:20 – 14:20 Visit @ Gion
- 14:50 – 15:40 Visit @ Fushimi Inari Taisha
- 16:35 Dismissal @ Zentis Osaka
Can You Do a Private Day Trip in Kyoto Visiting Arashiyama, Nijo Castle, and Fushimi Inari? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America. Since they mentioned they were not particularly interested in temples and shrines, their original requested walking spots were the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Nijo Castle, and Gion. However, since we had a lot of time to spare, I recommended Fushimi Inari Taisha and we explored it together.
Before walking through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, they stopped at a Snoopy shop on Nagatsuji Street and bought some souvenirs. Some of the guests had been watching the "Shogun" series streamed on Disney Plus, and they said the walk through Nijo Castle was very interesting.
While walking through Gion, they passed by maiko and geiko several times, which delighted them greatly.
After the walk in Gion, they mentioned they wanted to buy small packs of jelly along the way, so we stopped at a nearby supermarket. They also bought some snacks and ate them in the car.
On the way to Fushimi Inari Taisha, we stopped at both the birthplace of Nintendo, "Marufukuro," and the current Nintendo headquarters, where some of the guests got out of the car to take photos.
Click here for more details: Kyoto in 1 Day from Osaka: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide
Hi, thank you very much for choosing the JGA tour!
My name is Kazuhiro Yoshida, please call me “Kaz”.
I am an English-speaking National Licensed Tour Guide in Japan, and have been guiding mainly in Kyoto and other Kansai areas since April 2023. I have guided over 1,000 tours in total so far, and I am on my way to becoming one of the best English-speaking tour guides in Japan.
I have a great passion to show people from all over the world, the deep histories and cultures of Japan, the country I truly love.
I am focused to take you out on a tour that will become one of the best highlights of your entire trip.
I am glad to have an opportunity to be your guide, and I hope that we can explore many hidden gems of Japan together!
May 19, 2026
498stephenq
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
An enjoyable visit
Really enjoyed our visit with Kaz. Friendly, informative, and…
May 19, 2026
498stephenq
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
An enjoyable visit
Really enjoyed our visit with Kaz. Friendly, informative, and a pleasure to be with.
Apr 11, 2026
V5131MFjodieh
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kyoto morning tour with Kaz
Kaz (Kazuhiro) guided my family in historic…
Apr 11, 2026
V5131MFjodieh
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kyoto morning tour with Kaz
Kaz (Kazuhiro) guided my family in historic Kyoto. He was flexible when we decided to modify our itinerary on the morning due to rain forecast the next day. Kaz’s English was great which meant he kept my teenage sons engaged with stories about shoguns and samurai battles. We visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine, and the Golden and Silver pavilions. The highlight of the tour with Kaz was being shown around beautiful gardens to see cherry blossoms still blooming and views of the city. We highly recommend going on a tour with him.
Oct 14, 2025
Scenic61154406959
Great Historical Perspective
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yoshida was excellent, he had a great knowledge of…
Oct 14, 2025
Scenic61154406959
Great Historical Perspective
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yoshida was excellent, he had a great knowledge of of the historical aspects of the sites we visit, provided us great guidance on appropriate behavior at each site. He was energetic throughout the tour. More important he was more of a companion which made the experience even more enjoyable.
Sep 29, 2025
Jea L
Excellent Tour of Kyoto with Kaz
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kaz was an excellent tour…
Sep 29, 2025
Jea L
Excellent Tour of Kyoto with Kaz
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kaz was an excellent tour guide! He spent 6 hours showing us around Kyoto including Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-Ji Temple and the bamboo forest. He was very knowledgeable, spoke English well (lived in the US for 3 years), and took lots of photos for us. We are so glad we booked this tour.