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
- ① 12:30 Meet at JR Kyoto Station Platform 33
- ② 13:15 Heiseiin (Jizo Bodhisattva)
- ③ 13:40 Stroll through the Bamboo Grove ~ Nonomiya Shrine
- ④ 14:20 Stroll through Tenryuji Temple Garden
- ⑤ 15:00 Lunch (Arashiyama)
- ⑥ 16:30 Stroll through Gion
- ⑦ 17:30 Take a taxi to JR Kyoto Station
- ⑧ 18:10 Disband in front of the Shinkansen ticket gate at JR Kyoto Station
What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour from Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting Japan for the first time and were staying in Tokyo. It was a busy itinerary: they came from Tokyo to Kyoto by bullet train in the morning, spent the whole day exploring Kyoto with me, and returned to Tokyo by bullet train in the evening. They said they were quite captivated by Kyoto and told me they would definitely come back next year to stay in Kyoto and see the autumn leaves, promising that we would meet again. Although politics and religion are normally taboo topics for a guide, the guests kept asking about exactly these subjects, and the three of us ended up talking at length about current world political affairs — especially the situation in the Middle East and the state of the country after leaving a political and economic union. In the end they said, "Kazu, Fushimi Inari will have to wait until next time!" It was an unusual Kyoto trip, quite unlike a typical Kyoto tour.
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 | Kyoto～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Saga-Arashiyama～Nijo | 200JPY |
| Total | 440JPY | ||
Hello, this is Kazu Akiyama, your tour guide. Nice to meet you and welcome to Japan. Thank you for joining me on the tour. Now I am a retired salaried worker, living in Osaka. I have been very much interested in not only learning Japanese history, culture, religion myself, but also talking about them (sometimes going off topics) in English with tourists from all over the world as well. I am so excited being with you as your guide on coming day! I am very much looking forward to you enjoying with me visiting the must-see places and some of the hidden gems. See you soon. Thank you – Kazu Akiyama
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable.…
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable. Spoke perfect English and made the day fun and educational. Was able to adjust the tour based on my needs.
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu…
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu san in Kyoto. From the moment that the tour was booked, his communication with email about planning the day was exceptional.
Kazu gave detailed explanations about the areas we visited and we appreciated all that he had to offer at each of our stops.
We thoroughly enjoyed our day with him.
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu.…
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu. By the end of the day, we felt like we had made a new friend.
Kazu helped us arrange the best day with our short time in Kyoto. He brought us to some “hidden gems” and gave us thorough explanations on history and culture.
I would highly recommend this tour.
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide…
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide Kazu was very knowledgeable in terms of the history and explaining many of
the wonderful ancient sites around Kyoto. Definitely a must! Otherwise, I think it would be
difficult to tourists to understand on their own.