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
- 08:00 Meet at Nazuna Kyoto Tsubaki St.
- 09:40 to 10:15 Ryoanji Temple
- 11:00 to 11:40 Ginkakuji Temple
- 12:00 to 12:40 Eikando Temple
- 12:50 to 13:15 Nanzenji Temple
- 13:25 to 14:00 Lunch at Gion (Tendon)
- 14:20 to 14:50 Sanjusangendo
- 16:00 Dismiss at Ryoanji Temple
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 08:00 at Nazuna Kyoto Tsubaki St. and ended at 16:00. The day ran to 8 hours from start to finish. It included lunch at Gion (Tendon) at 13:25.
Over the course of the day the route took in Ryoanji Temple at 09:40, Ginkakuji Temple at 11:00, Eikando Temple at 12:00, Nanzenji Temple at 12:50 and Sanjusangendo at 14:20.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shijo Omiya to Ryoanji Temple by train (250JPY); Ryoanji-mae by bus (230JPY); Karasuma Imadegawa (Imadegawa Subway Station) by bus (230JPY); Ginkakuji-michi by bus (230JPY); Nanzenji Eikando-michi by bus (230JPY); Gion Shijo to Shichijo by train (180JPY); Kyoto Station-mae by bus (230JPY). Across 7 sections the fare came to 1,580JPY per person.
What Can You See on a Private Kyoto Day Tour Avoiding the Crowds? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting Japan from North America. The trip was to celebrate a graduation. Since they preferred to avoid crowded places, we visited the spots mentioned above. However, at Ryoan-ji Temple, one of the guests accidentally left a mobile phone behind. They asked to go back and retrieve it, even if it meant interrupting the tour. We had originally planned to visit To-ji Temple after Sanjusangen-do, but we skipped it and returned to Ryoan-ji instead. Fortunately, the phone was found safely. As it was just about the scheduled time, we ended the tour there.
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 | Shijo Omiya～Ryoanji Temple | 250JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Ryoanji-mae / Kyoto City Bus～Karasuma Imadegawa (Imadegawa Subway Station) / Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Karasuma Imadegawa (Imadegawa Subway Station) / Kyoto City Bus～Ginkakuji-michi / Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Ginkakuji-michi / Kyoto City Bus～Nanzenji Eikando-michi / Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Bus | Nanzenji Eikando-michi / Kyoto City Bus～Shijo Kawaramachi / Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | Gion Shijo～Shichijo | 180JPY |
| Section 7 | Bus | Kyoto Station-mae / West Japan JR Bus～Ryoanji-mae / West Japan JR Bus | 230JPY |
| Total | 1,580JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kyoto tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Nazuna Kyoto Tsubaki St. at 08:00, and the tour finished at Ryoanji Temple at 16:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 8 hours in total, from 08:00 to 16:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Ryoanji Temple, Ginkakuji Temple, Eikando Temple, Nanzenji Temple and Sanjusangendo.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,580JPY per person across 7 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?
Haru 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.
Personal data
Born in : May 1st, 1957
Hobby : Visiting scenic places,
historic spots, Japanese
gardens and old townscape
Former career : Worked for electric
company and engaged in
international sales for
about 40 years.
Travel history in the former career :
Visited about 20 countries about 200 times
Career as guide interpreter
Acquisition of guide license : 2016
Career of guide : 8 years
Genre of my specialty :
Japanese historic structures such as
temple, shrine, castle and garden.
Area of guide : Kyoto, Nara, Osaka &
Himeji
Let’s enjoy Japan with me !!
Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained…
Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained the history of the sites on our tour. He even prepared a book that helped explain the historical significance of each site we visited. He was really fantastic, funny and engaging and connected with every member (young and old) in our group. We all learned a lot! Thank u Haru!
Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was…
Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was very knowledgeable about the various cites and came prepared with a binder and useful images. He was organized and even found a delicious ramen place for our family of 6 (not an easy task in the middle of busy Nara). He really cared about the cites and the history of the temples and spoke great English. Highly recommend!
Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with…
Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide
We were able to customize our trip to the top places we wanted to see. We were able to get to all of them. Our guide Haru was great and the places we visited were amazing and interesting. Our guide gave us a lot of history around the different sites. Our favorites were Kiyomizudera temple, Sanjyu Sangendo Temple and Kinkakuji Temple. We also visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine which was pretty great. We did a lot of walking and public transportation to get around. All in all it wasn’t bad and our guide got us to all the sites with ease. Haru was great as he took most of our family pictures. He did a great job.
Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He…
Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He added a lot to our trip and
allowed us to experience a lot in the limited time we had available.