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
- 10:00 Meet up @ The Machiya Ebisuya
- 10:50-11:40 @ Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
- 12:40-13:20 @ Kinkaku-ji Temple
- 13:45-14:20 @ Yoshinoya Enmachi Store
- 15:00-15:30 @ Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- 17:00 Dismissal @ In front of Yasaka Pagoda
What's a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, and Arashiyama
The guests were a group from Oceania visiting Japan for the first time. They arrived in Tokyo, stayed there for a few days, and then went skiing and snowboarding in Hakuba. They said the powder snow was wonderful, though one of the guests had hurt their tailbone after a fall and mentioned that it was painful to sit down or stand up. Since I had not been able to find out in advance where they wanted to go, we decided the plan together after meeting. They had arrived in Kyoto the previous night and were leaving the following day, so they said that today was effectively their only full day to explore Kyoto.
Fushimi Inari Taisha was quite crowded, but I was glad we were able to take a good group photo. For some reason, only one of the guests tried the Omokaru-ishi stone.
Kinkaku-ji was relatively empty, and although it was cloudy, there was no wind, so the Golden Pavilion was beautifully reflected on Kyoko-chi pond. After exploring Kinkaku-ji, they said they wanted to have lunch, so on the way to the Arashiyama bamboo grove we stopped at a Yoshinoya branch in Enmachi for lunch.
Everything went smoothly up to our walk through the Arashiyama bamboo grove, but afterward the bus heading to Yasaka Pagoda got caught in traffic, so we arrived near Yasaka Pagoda around 17:00. I gave a brief explanation of Yasaka Pagoda, and then we parted ways.
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 | Train | Kiyomizu-Gojo Station～Inari Station | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Inari Station～Enmachi Station | 200JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Nishinokyo-Enmachi～Kinkakuji-michi | 230JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Kinkakuji-michi～Nishinokyo-Enmachi | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Enmachi Station～Saga-Arashiyama Station | 190JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | Randen Arashiyama Station～Shijo-Omiya Station | 250JPY |
| Section 7 | Bus | Shijo-Omiya～Kiyomizu-michi | 230JPY |
| Total | 1,550JPY | ||
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.