Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car — Guide Toshi

July, 2024

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. 9:00 Meet at hotel
  • 2. 10:00 Fushimi Inari Taisha tour
  • 3. 11:00 Kiyomizu-dera tour
  • 4. 12:00 Lunch @ Nishio Yatsuhashi no Sato
  • 5. 13:30 Kinkaku-ji tour
  • 6. 14:30 Bamboo grove tour
  • 7. 15:00 Togetsukyo Bridge tour
  • 8. 15:15 Dismissal @ Arashiyama

Title: What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like for a Group Visiting Japan? A Licensed Guide's Report

I met the group visiting from North America at their Hotel and first guided them to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Since one member of the group was moving in a buggy and a heat-illness alert had been issued, unfortunately we were unable to visit Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka slopes on this day. As some of the guests began to tire, I guided them to a quiet and relaxing restaurant in the city for lunch. After they had lunch a little earlier than usual, we moved on to the next destination, Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion). One of the guests had read Yukio Mishima's "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion" and had strongly wished to visit this place, so I guided them there at a leisurely pace. From Kinkaku-ji we moved to the bamboo grove in Arashiyama, and just as the group was enjoying the shaded bamboo tunnel, our scheduled guiding time came to an end. We parted from the taxi in front of the train station and continued on foot toward Togetsukyo Bridge and the Hozu River area. There, the group wished to continue exploring on their own for a while longer, so we said our goodbyes at that point.

Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Toshi

After a rather long teaching experience at Japanese college, I converted my career about 6 years ago into working as a tour guide for the tourists visiting Japan.
As my career overseas, I’ve been in the UN and the Japanese Embassy, all in the USA, totaling more than 6 years.
And then I had made a big change in my career from a diplomat to an academic researcher. For that career to achieve, I studied abroad and won a doctorate degree in linguistics from Indiana University and landed a teaching position at college in Japan.
With all these interesting and exciting experiences I’ve made myself ready to enrich your tour and make it both enjoyable and worthwhile.

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Apr 26, 2026
39ferdinandr
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Exceptional and entertaining
Great tour better the tour guide Toshi.

Apr 9, 2026
X1429XKclaudiam
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sehr zu empfehlen
Wir haben als Familie diese 6-stundige Tour durch Kyoto…

Jun 28, 2025
WilliamAlfonso_R
Toshi is a very eloquent, knowledgeable, and diligent tour guide.
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Toshi was…

May 30, 2025
Z
ZevP5
Best Tour Guide!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yoshi was the best guide!! He was so…