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
- ① 09:00 Meet in front of Fushimi Inari Taisha
- ② 09:05 Itinerary explanation・Explanation about the history of Kyoto
- ③ 09:30 Fushimi Inari Taisha
- ④ 12:00 Heiseiin (Arashiyama)
- ⑤ 12:20 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- ⑥ 13:30 Tenryu-ji Garden
- ⑦ 15:00 Nijo Castle
- ⑧ 16;20 Tenju-an
- ⑨ 16:45 Stroll through Nanzen-ji Sanmon・Aqueduct
- ⑩ 17:00 Disband in front of Nanzen-ji
Can You Do a Full-Day Private Kyoto Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting from North America, and this was their first time in Japan and in Kyoto. They were remarkably energetic people who talked a lot, asked a lot of questions, took a lot of photos, and were constantly on the move. Wherever we went, they were quite bold about taking photos, spending more time and being more enthusiastic than most, but they explained that they were not there simply to take pictures and be done — they had come to "understand" everything, including the historical significance and roots of each spot. In the end, they skipped lunch and spent the entire day running around each site taking photos, but at the same time they listened intently to what I said and asked question after question until they were fully satisfied. They were trying to take in the various stories they had heard from various people in various places during their travels around Japan, understand them in their own way, and connect them into a single complete picture. This was true whether it concerned history, religion, or culture, so I repeated the same stories many times in different places. Toward the end, they said, "Now I really get it, it all finally connects!" For my part, I talked continuously for eight hours without lunch and was completely exhausted, but I felt a great sense of fulfillment.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Inari～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Total | 240JPY | ||
Hello, this is Kazu Akiyama, your tour guide. Nice to meet you and welcome to Japan. Thank you for joining me on the tour. Now I am a retired salaried worker, living in Osaka. I have been very much interested in not only learning Japanese history, culture, religion myself, but also talking about them (sometimes going off topics) in English with tourists from all over the world as well. I am so excited being with you as your guide on coming day! I am very much looking forward to you enjoying with me visiting the must-see places and some of the hidden gems. See you soon. Thank you – Kazu Akiyama
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable.…
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable. Spoke perfect English and made the day fun and educational. Was able to adjust the tour based on my needs.
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu…
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu san in Kyoto. From the moment that the tour was booked, his communication with email about planning the day was exceptional.
Kazu gave detailed explanations about the areas we visited and we appreciated all that he had to offer at each of our stops.
We thoroughly enjoyed our day with him.
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu.…
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu. By the end of the day, we felt like we had made a new friend.
Kazu helped us arrange the best day with our short time in Kyoto. He brought us to some “hidden gems” and gave us thorough explanations on history and culture.
I would highly recommend this tour.
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide…
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide Kazu was very knowledgeable in terms of the history and explaining many of
the wonderful ancient sites around Kyoto. Definitely a must! Otherwise, I think it would be
difficult to tourists to understand on their own.