Kyoto in 1 Day from Osaka: Customized Tour — Guide Kazu
December, 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
- 9:00 Hotel meeting. Due to a mistake in the luggage transport arrangements, the guests had to travel to the hotel in Kyoto carrying their own suitcases each
- 10:45 Arrived at Hyatt Place Kyoto, where they will be staying starting today 11:00 Short break at a matcha cafe near the hotel 12:00 Kinkaku-ji 13:45 Light meal (lunch) in Arashiyama
- 14:35 Bamboo Grove 16:00 Fushimi Inari 17:25 Guided them to the hotel and the tour ended

What Can You See on a Private Osaka-to-Kyoto Day Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests had arranged to have their luggage transported in advance to their Kyoto hotel for that night's stay, but due to some error the luggage could not be transported, so they had no choice but to carry it themselves to the Kyoto hotel. The tour began with all of us moving while carrying the luggage, using the Osaka subway, JR, and the Kyoto city subway. I searched for elevators wherever possible and moved with care to minimize the burden on the guests. We spent the first two hours or so just traveling, so in the end we only visited three places: Kinkaku-ji, the Arashiyama bamboo grove, and Fushimi Inari. The group was very close-knit, and everyone carried their luggage without a single complaint. I did not even ask why the transport had failed, as everyone was focused solely on solving the problem in front of us. Moving while carrying the luggage was tough, so after arriving at the Kyoto hotel and checking in, we rested for a while at a nearby matcha café before heading to Kinkaku-ji. At the end I saw them back to the hotel, and the tour concluded. The photo was taken in Arashiyama.
Click here for more details: Kyoto in 1 Day from Osaka: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Subway | Namba~Umeda | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Osaka~Kyoto | 580JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Kyoto~Marutamachi | 1,100JPY |
| Section 4 | Subway | Marutamachi~Kitaoji | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Bus | Kitaoji Bus Terminal~Kinkaku-ji-michi | 0JPY |
| Section 6 | Bus | Kinkaku-ji-michi~Kitano-Hakubaicho | 0JPY |
| Section 7 | Train | Kitano-Hakubaicho~Randen Arashiyama | 250JPY |
| Section 8 | Train | Saga-Arashiyama~Inari | 240JPY |
| Section 9 | Train | Inari~Kyoto | 150JPY |
| Section 10 | Subway | Kyoto~Marutamachi | 0JPY |
| Total | 2,560JPY | ||
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.
