Kyoto: Shimogamo Shrine & Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple — Guide Kazu

What Is a Private 8-Hour Kyoto Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Quiet Temples and Shrines

The guests came to Japan for the first time from Europe. Their itinerary included Tokyo, Hakone, Takayama, Kanazawa, three days in Kyoto, and then Osaka before returning home. For this tour, the guests specifically requested that we avoid all crowded tourist spots entirely, while still finding places where they could immerse themselves in history and culture — somewhere quiet and truly evocative of Kyoto. They wished to see Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, and also to visit a shrine. Based on these requests, I decided on today's destinations.

The timing was fortunate, as Shimogamo Shrine happened to be in a period when the interior of the main hall was open to the public. This shrine is a treasure house of history, with ties not only to the imperial family but also deep connections to the Kamo clan dating back to the ancient days of Nara, as well as extremely significant links to the Tokugawa shogunate. I was able to speak at length about the world of Shinto and the world of Onmyodo. At the Zen temple, the conversation naturally turned to what Buddhism is, what Zen is, the spirit of the dry landscape garden, the meaning of wabi-sabi, and wabi-cha. When this happens, the question almost always comes: is Shinto or Buddhism the main religion in this country? There are many answers, and this is where we on-site guides can show our skill.

In Arashiyama, we visited two temples that are like treasure houses of religious culture and history, and I wove in folk traditions such as Kannon Bodhisattva, Jizo Bodhisattva (Sai no Kawara), Obon, and the Sento Kuyo lantern memorial. Today, at a relaxed pace over eight hours, I thoroughly conveyed what the guests had requested — Japan, its form and its heart. They listened carefully to my explanations throughout, and were wonderful listeners. At the same time, there was plenty of laughter. The guests loved joking around, and whenever I explained something they would immediately tease me, and when I retorted "What on earth am I even talking about? (laughs)," they were delighted. While I was showing a photo of a monk chanting a sutra before a Buddhist altar as one scene of Obon, they teased me by asking, of all things, "Is this you?" The moment I shot back "I don't have a shaved head!" the laughter would not stop, and we could hardly continue. And so, in this manner, we wandered here and there through a quiet and peaceful Kyoto all day, and the guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves. In the end, we spent some time in Gion before parting ways.

A notable stop on the tour was Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple in the Arashiyama area of Kyoto. This tranquil mountain temple is famous for its more than 1,200 stone statues of rakan (disciples of the Buddha), each carved with a unique and often humorous expression. Nestled among the greenery away from the busier tourist areas, it offers a peaceful atmosphere that reflects the quieter, more contemplative side of Kyoto.

Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide

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