Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Kazu
August, 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
- 7:00 Meet at hotel 7:35 Fushimi Inari 9:00 Yasaka Pagoda 9:20 Kiyomizu-dera 10:00 Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka 10:30 Yasaka Shrine 10:45 Gion 11:10 Lunch at Issen Yoshoku
- 12:00 Nijo Castle 13:10 Tour ends at Nijojo-mae, guests take a taxi to the hotel

What Is a Private Kyoto Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, and Nijo Castle
The guests visited Japan from North America. They were a very friendly and cheerful group. They asked many questions, but what left the strongest impression was that at the end of sightseeing at each destination, they would express their gratitude by saying, "Thank you for bringing us here." As a guide, that was truly appreciated. Since we started at 7:00, Fushimi Inari had few visitors, and we were able to take plenty of photos. The approach to Kiyomizu-dera was also uncrowded and easy to climb. It really does pay to get up early. For lunch, we went to a restaurant serving issen yoshoku. It had been a while since I had been inside that establishment, and I felt a strange mix of nostalgia and the sense that things had changed. At Nijo Castle, the restoration of the main keep has been completed, but visiting the interior requires an advance reservation. After leaving Nijo Castle, the guests asked to return to their hotel by taxi, and the tour came to an end. The photo was taken at Fushimi Inari.
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 | Bus | Higashiyama Shichijo~Tofukuji | 230JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Tofukuji~Inari | 150JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Inari~Tofukuji | 150JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Tofukuji~Kiyomizu-michi | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Gion-Shijo~Sanjo Keihan | 170JPY |
| Section 6 | Subway | Sanjo Keihan~Nijojo-mae | 220JPY |
| Total | 1,150JPY | ||
I was born and grew up in Kyoto and now live near Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. I used to be a schoolteacher of English and welcome a lot of students from foreign countries. I really enjoyed showing them around Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Himeji, and Hiroshima. I have been a professional tour guide for about 8 years. I always try to let my guests learn Japanese traditional and modern culture. Since I was born in Kyoto, I know a lot about its culture and people. I myself enjoyed several sports, such as soccer, judo, and marathon when I was young. I’m much interested in baseball and sumo. My motto as a tour guide is to let my guests learn about our tradition and culture precisely and really enjoy themselves. I strongly hope you will enjoy the tour in Japan with me.
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep…
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep knowledge about the history and culture of Japan. He is flexible and accommodates changes if you so desire. He is also very empathetic. I had a sprained back and he ensured we took elevators everywhere. You will be lucky if he is assigned as your guide .
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience…
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience on the tour. We travelled all around Kyoto with our guide Kazuo Sumi. He is a sweet older gentleman who had a great depth of knowledge about each place we went to. We told him places we wanted to go and he made the itinerary for us. There is no one better to have as your guide!!
Jul 16, 2026
margaretsM7923ON
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Great way to see Kyoto
Wonderful tour and exceptional guide.
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided…
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided some excellent recommendations. There’s a lot of walking so make sure you are prepared.
