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
- PM13:00 Tour starts from the hotel
- Travel by subway to Nijo Castle
- PM 13:30-14:50 Nijo Castle tour
- Travel by subway & bus to Kinkaku-ji
- PM 15:45-16:45 Kinkaku-ji tour
- Travel by bus & railway
- PM 17:45-18:40 Bamboo Forest & Nonomiya Shrine tour
- Travel by railway to the hotel PM 19:00 Tour ends
What's a Half-Day Private Tour of Kyoto Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America on a trip to Japan. In Tokyo they had mostly traveled by taxi and on foot, so at the start of the tour I needed to explain how to purchase IC cards as well as how to use the subway and buses. Although we had a late start at 13:00 and the destinations had not been decided until the day itself, I arranged for the Sagano Bamboo Grove to be the final stop and had the guests enjoy Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji. We made it to the bamboo grove before sunset, and the guests liked the quiet Sagano at dusk with few people around. We ended the tour at a subway station near the Hotel.
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 | Subway | Karasuma Oike～Nijojo-mae | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Nijojo-mae～Kitaoji | 260JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Kitaoji Bus Terminal / Kyoto Bus～Kinkakuji-michi / Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Kinkakuji-michi / Kyoto City Bus～Kitano-Hakubaicho | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Saga-Arashiyama～Nijo | 200JPY |
| Section 6 | Subway | Nijo～Karasuma Oike | 220JPY |
| Total | 1,360JPY | ||
Hello , My name is Hideharu Yoshino . Just call me” Yoshi” .
I have been involved with many foreign Business partners through my business life for 38 years ,
Based on my work experience , I would like to try my best to make you comfortale and Happy fruitful times during your stay in Japan .
Not only giving you basic tourist information about famous sightseeing spot , also I would enjoy to give you the back ground inofrmation in my word.
” Once in a lifetime encounter ” Let’s enjoy with me Miracle time to be picked up from 6 billion in somewhere Japan!
Jul 25, 2026
Ann W
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Incredible tour, one of the highlights of my…
Jul 25, 2026
Ann W
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Incredible tour, one of the highlights of my trip!
Booking a private tour with Hideharu (Yoshi) Yoshino was easily one of the absolute highlights of my trip.
Yoshi-san customized the day perfectly to my interests, accommodating a last-minute hotel change and timing our morning perfectly so we could see the spectacular Gion Matsuri parade without the heavy crowds.
We explored Ginkaku-ji, Nanzen-ji, and the traditional streets of Gion at a wonderful, relaxed pace.
The tour was fascinating and packed with interesting details that allowed me to truly understand Kyoto’s rich history.
Highly recommended!
Jul 18, 2026
Geert73
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A Well-Organized and Informative Tour of Kanazawa
We, a…
Jul 18, 2026
Geert73
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A Well-Organized and Informative Tour of Kanazawa
We, a family of 5, had a very enjoyable 6-hour private tour of Kanazawa with Hideharu Yoshino from Japan Guide Agency.
Communication before the tour was excellent and made it very easy to plan the day. Yoshi’s English was excellent, which made communication throughout the tour very smooth. He provided very clear and interesting explanations, giving us a better understanding of the history and culture of the places we visited.
During the tour we explored Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen Garden, and the Geisha and Samurai districts.
It was a well-organized and informative tour. Highly recommended.
Jul 15, 2026
G5010ZVmelodys
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Local Food & Tea Culture Tour with Licensed Guide
Number one guide for personalised touring of Kanazawa
Our…
Jul 15, 2026
G5010ZVmelodys
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Local Food & Tea Culture Tour with Licensed Guide
Number one guide for personalised touring of Kanazawa
Our tea and culture day in Kanazawa with our guide Hideharu Yoshino was amazing! Yoshi is very fluent in English and a great companion to walk around with as he knows so much about the history and culture of Kanazawa and Japan. He also knew the best place to grab lunch and helped us pick what was good local fish, curry or tea to try. Plus he made sure we felt comfortable and never out of place wherever we went. I would recommend him for anyone who likes to know more about what they are seeing or what they can do in the area. Yoshi is great!
Jul 11, 2026
rikkes490
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Rigtig god guidet tur
Rigtig god oplevelse og gode forklaringer
とても良いガイドツアーでした。
とても良い体験でした。説明も分かりやすく、とても良かったです。