Kyoto in One Day: @ Nijo Castle & @ Tenryu-ji — Guide Kaz
November, 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
- 8:30 Meet @ Hotel Kyoto Shijo
- 8:55-10:10 @ Nijo Castle
- 10:45-11:40 @ Kinkaku-ji
- 11:45-12:20 Lunch @ Ramen Kazu Kinkaku-ji Branch
- 12:45-13:15 @ Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- 13:30-14:15 @ Tenryu-ji
- 14:20 Disband @ Front Gate of Tenryu-ji
Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji, and Arashiyama: A Licensed Guide's Private Kyoto Day Tour Report
The guests were visitors from North America. We arrived at Nijo Castle just before opening, and perhaps because of this there was a line at the ticket booth, so we waited a few minutes. When a group of students who had been waiting for the opening all entered at once, it became quite crowded for a while. I was surprised to find that the shogun mannequin usually displayed in the grand hall of the Ninomaru Palace had, for some reason, been removed. We used the city bus from Nijo Castle to Kinkaku-ji, and along the way one of the guests helped an elderly person who was trying to board the bus. At Kinkaku-ji, the golden pavilion reflected in the Kyoko-chi pond was truly beautiful. One of the guests successfully tossed a coin onto the three sacred statues, which was an exciting moment. Since one of the guests followed a vegetarian diet, we visited a ramen shop near Kinkaku-ji that offers a vegetarian menu. We took a taxi from Kinkaku-ji to the Arashiyama bamboo grove. On the way from the bamboo grove to Tenryu-ji, one of the guests bought a pair of chopsticks at a shop along Nagatsuji-dori. At Tenryu-ji, the autumn leaves were beginning to change color and were beautiful. At the guests' request, we parted ways in front of the main gate of Tenryu-ji.
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 | Shijo Horikawa～Nijojo-mae | 230JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Nijojo-mae～Kinkaku-ji-mae | 230JPY |
| Total | 460JPY | ||
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.