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

  • 12:10 Meet at Kyoto Station 12:35 Fushimi Inari  14:15 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove  15:50 Kinkaku-ji  17:10 Nishiki Market 18:15 Drop off at Kyoto Station, tour ends

What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like from Tokyo by Bullet Train? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visitors from North America, arriving in Japan for the first time. Before coming to Japan, they had stayed in Asia for a week. It was a very busy trip, with only about three days spent in Japan. Today they came from Tokyo to Kyoto by bullet train. One of the guests seemed tired and found it hard to walk from Fushimi Inari onward, so the tour proceeded with frequent breaks, which made me a little worried about how the day would go. However, in the second half, another of the guests became tired instead, and at Nishiki Market took a break alone at a cafe near the entrance while the rest of the group explored the market. By then, the first guest had recovered and was full of energy. At Fushimi Inari, the fox-shaped ema plaques had gone up in price to 1,000 yen (previously 800 yen). It seems the shops feel confident raising prices because so many international visitors use them, and such shops and tourist spots are becoming more common in Kyoto. The photo was taken at the bamboo grove in Arashiyama.

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1TrainKyoto~Inari150JPY
Section 2TrainInari~Saga-Arashiyama240JPY
Section 3TrainSaga-Arashiyama~Enmachi190JPY
Section 4BusEnmachi~Kinkakuji-michi230JPY
Section 5BusKinkakuji-michi~Kitaoji Bus Terminal230JPY
Section 6SubwayKitaoji~Shijo260JPY
Section 7SubwayShijo~Kyoto220JPY
Total1,520JPY

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 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 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…