Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Kazu

What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like, Including Nijo Castle and Gion? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visitors from North America, and this was their first trip to Japan, covering Tokyo, Hakone, and Kyoto. After that, they planned to continue from Naoshima in the Seto Inland Sea to Kanazawa, Hida Takayama, and then back to Tokyo before returning home. I was honestly envious — it's an itinerary I would love to do myself. Both had backgrounds related to medical research, but their personalities were complete opposites. One of the guests was quiet, calm, and composed, yet very logical once they started speaking. The other spoke their mind freely and openly, but was also extremely quick-witted, with no pretense or affectation, and pleasantly easygoing in the best sense.

The pattern of the day was that one of the guests would ask all sorts of questions, and I would answer them one after another. It seemed that a new question would come to mind before I had even finished my explanation, so I could rarely finish my story (laughs). It was as if the other guest was gently holding the reins from behind. They were a very intelligent and enjoyable group, and I had a wonderful time all day. We managed to complete the itinerary, and the day flew by.

The guests were warm and affectionate with each other, yet quite shy. When I suggested taking a photo of them together, they became so bashful that it came out a bit awkward. There was one good question I couldn't answer on the spot, so I looked it up later and replied via a messaging app. The question was about the painting in the final room of Nijo Castle (the Imperial Messenger's Room): what does it mean that heavy golden clouds hang so deeply above the trees? From now on, I will use this as material for my tours as well.

Today I gave it everything, speaking with my mind in full gear, so I was even more exhausted than usual after the tour. The guests were planning to join a two-hour walking tour of Gion right after my tour ended.

A notable stop on the tour was Nijo Castle. Nijo Castle in Kyoto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was built in the early 17th century as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shogunate. It is famous for its "nightingale floors," which chirp when walked upon to warn of intruders, and for the lavishly decorated rooms of the Ninomaru Palace, including paintings featuring golden clouds and detailed depictions of nature that symbolized the power of the ruling family.

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Tour Report by Kazu

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