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.
Tour Itinerary
- 10:30: Meet at the hotel
- 11:00: Guide through Tenryu-ji Temple
- 12:00: Guide through the bamboo grove and Kameyama Park
- 13:00: Lunch @ Arashiyama udon "Ozuru"
- 14:00: Guide through Ninna-ji Temple
- 15:00: Guide through Kinkaku-ji Temple
- 16:30: Disband @ Nishiki Market
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 10:30 at hotel and ended at 16:30. The day ran to 6 hours from start to finish. It included lunch @ Arashiyama udon "Ozuru" at 13:00.
Over the course of the day the route took in Guide through Tenryu-ji Temple at 11:00, Guide through the bamboo grove and Kameyama Park at 12:00, Guide through Ninna-ji Temple at 14:00 and Guide through Kinkaku-ji Temple at 15:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: JR Kyoto Station to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station by train (240JPY); Randen Arashiyama Station to Randen Ninna-ji Station by train (250JPY); Randen Ninna-ji Station to Randen Kitano-Hakubaicho Station by train (250JPY). Across 3 sections the fare came to 740JPY per person.
What's a Private Kyoto Sightseeing Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Tenryu-ji, Ninna-ji, and Kinkaku-ji
The guests were a group from Oceania, and they were a relaxed and easygoing group. One of the guests had a deep interest in Japanese culture and had been studying Japanese even before visiting Japan. Another of the guests already had a solid basic knowledge of Japanese culture, and I was surprised when this guest shared original opinions about Oceania's economy and trade situation over lunch. At Tenryu-ji Temple, in front of the beautiful pond-strolling garden, I taught the guests how to sit in zazen meditation so they could experience the atmosphere of Zen. After strolling through the lovely botanical garden of Tenryu-ji, we walked through the bamboo grove, passed through Kameyama Park, and proceeded to the area behind Tenryu-ji, where we had lunch. After lunch, one of the guests expressed a wish to see cherry blossoms and asked to be taken somewhere, so we took the Randen tram to Ninna-ji Temple, where the guests admired the Omuro cherry blossoms and were very pleased. From Ninna-ji, we moved to Kinkaku-ji Temple by Randen tram and taxi. After the guests fully enjoyed the beautiful Kinkaku-ji, a request was made to do some shopping, so we took a taxi to the Teramachi area and parted ways at Nishiki Market. Throughout today's guiding, I focused on flexible responses and made every effort to accommodate the guests' wishes.
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 | JR Kyoto Station～JR Saga-Arashiyama Station | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Randen Arashiyama Station～Randen Ninna-ji Station | 250JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Randen Ninna-ji Station～Randen Kitano-Hakubaicho Station | 250JPY |
| Total | 740JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kyoto tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at hotel at 10:30, and the tour finished at @ Nishiki Market at 16:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours in total, from 10:30 to 16:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Guide through Tenryu-ji Temple, Guide through the bamboo grove and Kameyama Park, Guide through Ninna-ji Temple and Guide through Kinkaku-ji Temple.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 740JPY per person across 3 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Toshi is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Kyoto itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
After a rather long teaching experience at Japanese college, I converted my career about 6 years ago into working as a tour guide for the tourists visiting Japan.
As my career overseas, I’ve been in the UN and the Japanese Embassy, all in the USA, totaling more than 6 years.
And then I had made a big change in my career from a diplomat to an academic researcher. For that career to achieve, I studied abroad and won a doctorate degree in linguistics from Indiana University and landed a teaching position at college in Japan.
With all these interesting and exciting experiences I’ve made myself ready to enrich your tour and make it both enjoyable and worthwhile.
Apr 26, 2026
39ferdinandr
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Exceptional and entertaining
Great tour better the tour guide Toshi.
Apr 9, 2026
X1429XKclaudiam
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sehr zu empfehlen
Wir haben als Familie diese 6-stundige Tour durch Kyoto…
Apr 9, 2026
X1429XKclaudiam
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sehr zu empfehlen
Wir haben als Familie diese 6-stundige Tour durch Kyoto mit unserem Guide Toshi verbracht. Er hat uns so viel Hintergrundwissen zu den einzelnen Sehenswurdigkeiten und daruber hinaus vermittelt! Wir haben in den 6 Stunden 4 Spots erreichen konnen.
Diese Tour durch Kyoto konnen wir jedem zum Einstieg in die Kultur, Religion und Tradition nur empfehlen. Wir wurden sie jederzeit wieder buchen.
とてもおすすめです
私たちは家族で、ガイドのトシさんと一緒に京都の6時間ツアーに参加しました。彼は各観光地についての背景知識だけでなく、それ以上に多くのことを教えてくれました！6時間の中で、4つのスポットを訪れることができました。
この京都ツアーは、日本の文化・宗教・伝統を知る入門として、どなたにも強くおすすめできます。ぜひまた参加したいと思える内容でした。
Jun 28, 2025
WilliamAlfonso_R
Toshi is a very eloquent, knowledgeable, and diligent tour guide.
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Toshi was…
Jun 28, 2025
WilliamAlfonso_R
Toshi is a very eloquent, knowledgeable, and diligent tour guide.
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Toshi was very eloquent, knowledgeable, and patient. He diligently guided us through the Deer Park and various important Buddhist and Shinto landmarks in the area. He answered each question with clear detail. We often saw other tourists trying to overhear the historical context explanations he shared. We were very lucky to have him.
May 30, 2025
Z
ZevP5
Best Tour Guide!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yoshi was the best guide!! He was so…
May 30, 2025
Z
ZevP5
Best Tour Guide!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yoshi was the best guide!! He was so kind, patient and knowledgeable. He took us on a very
fun tour filled with detailed knowledge of each location and patience to answer all of our
questions including my two kids.
※こちら、「Yoshi」との記載がございますが、ゲストのニックネーム「ZevP5」およびレビュー内容より、吉川様にご担当いただいた案件（JGA-T93795962）と一致すると判断し、お送りさせていただきました。
万が一お心当たりがない場合は、お手数ですがご放念いただけますと幸いです。