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
- 9:20 Meet at Kyoto Station 9:44 JR Saga-Arashiyama Station 10:00 Board Kyoto Bus from Nonomiya Bus Stop 10:20 Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple 11:30 Gio-ji Temple 12:00 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 12:30 Short Break 13:00 Tenryu-ji Temple 13:50 Shopping at Bamboo Craft Shop 14:10 Kimono Forest 14:50 Nishiki Market 15:20 Tour Ends
What Is a Private Walking Tour of Arashiyama and Sagano in Kyoto Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from Europe. They walked well without stopping, from Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple through the bamboo grove village to the Randen Keifuku station. They had a regional accent that was at times a little difficult to catch.
What surprised me today was how extremely crowded the Kyoto Bus was that we boarded from Nonomiya — it was packed entirely with international visitors. It was so full that people waiting at bus stops along the way were unable to get on. About a year ago I used this same bus, and back then everyone could comfortably find a seat. Moreover, we three were the only ones who got off at "Toriimoto" to head to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, while the other international visitors seemed to ride on toward Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple.
In the past, many international visitors used taxis for this route, but everyone seems to have done their research well, as the bus was already full by the time it reached the Nonomiya stop. I really felt the information-gathering ability of international tourists and the influence of social media. During the Sagano walk, I also saw many school-trip students who had come off tour buses, which showed just how popular this area has become.
Going forward, sightseeing in this area may require careful consideration, including the timing of visits. The photo was taken in the bamboo grove village of Arashiyama.
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 | Kyoto～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Nonomiya～Toriimoto | 230JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Randen Arashiyama～Shijo-Omiya | 250JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Omiya～Karasuma | 170JPY |
| Total | 890JPY | ||
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.
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo.…
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo. He had such insightful knowledge of each area we wanted to visit and had all the best spots to take photos and was very patient with us.
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi…
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi was excellent. We had a wonderful time, learned a lot of new things about Japanese culture and history, practiced navigating transport, enjoyed a perfect lunch. Kazuo-San even facilitated a purchase of a UV blocking umbrella, which was much needed on that sunny day.
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour…
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour with Kazuo, our guide. Days before arrival he communicated directly with me to set up the tour according to sites we wanted to see and he made good suggestions. Besides listening to his Kyoto detailed knowledge, we enjoyed the local walking of streets, taking buses and trains between sites. Kazuo has excellent English and has travelled himself so being with him for the day was a pleasure. I highly recommend using him as your guide
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had…
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had a wonderful experience during our Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide. Our guide, Kazuo, was truly outstanding from start to finish. He shared an impressive amount of knowledge about Kyoto’s history, culture, temples, and daily life. You can feel how passionate he is about his city, and he explains everything with the calm, precision and kindness so typical of Japanese guides. His English was clear and easy to follow, which made the whole day even more enjoyable. Kazuo was also extremely friendly, attentive and careful. He always made sure we were comfortable, took the time to answer all our questions, adapted the pace of the tour, and anticipated our needs without us even asking. Travelling by car made the experience smooth and relaxing, allowing us to see more places without rushing. We felt very well taken care of throughout the day, and we learned so much thanks to him. We highly recommend Kazuo to anyone looking for a personalized, insightful and stress‑free discovery of Kyoto.