Kyoto Early Morning Customized Tour — Guide Mako

What Does a Private Walking Tour of Kyoto's Fushimi Inari and Higashiyama Look Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visitors from North America and Europe. We had originally planned to meet at Fushimi Inari Station on the Keihan Line, but because the Keihan Line had suspended operations, I suggested meeting in front of JR Inari Station instead, where I met the guests. Even at 7:00 in the morning, there were many international visitors at Fushimi Inari Taisha. I guided them from the main hall to the Senbon Torii (thousand torii gates) and the Omokaru Ishi stone, and they enjoyed taking photos. We then moved by taxi to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. They also enjoyed taking photos at Kiyomizu-dera, and they had the experience of drinking the water at Otowa Waterfall, which they enjoyed. After that, we headed to the approach to Kiyomizu-dera. At a long-established yatsuhashi shop, they enjoyed samples of green tea and yatsuhashi, and they also purchased yatsuhashi as souvenirs. Next, they bought coffee at a takeout shop just before Sannenzaka. From Sannenzaka, we took a route past the Yasaka Pagoda and Ninenzaka to Kodai-ji Temple. At Kodai-ji, I talked about Hideyoshi and Nene while they viewed the garden and the main hall. They especially enjoyed taking photos in the bamboo grove. The tour concluded at Kodai-ji Temple.

A notable stop on the tour was Fushimi Inari Taisha. Fushimi Inari Taisha is one of Kyoto's most iconic shrines, dedicated to Inari, the Shinto deity associated with rice, prosperity, and business. It is especially famous for its Senbon Torii, thousands of vermilion torii gates that form winding tunnels up the sacred Mount Inari. Visitors can also encounter numerous fox statues throughout the grounds, as foxes are believed to be the messengers of Inari. The shrine is open 24 hours a day, which is why many travelers choose to visit in the early morning to enjoy a quieter and more atmospheric experience.

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Tour Report by Mako

Hello! I’m Mako. I’m from Nara and live in Kobe city in Japan right now. I used to live in mountainous area in Nara.
Nara is famous for deer. There is no sea in Nara. On the other hands, Kobe is one of famous port cities in Japan and famous for Kobe beef and night views.
My favorite food is Yatsuhashi. It is one of famous sweets in Kyoto city. When I was a University student, I used to be a volunteer guide at Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto. There are many shops which sells yatsuhashi in Kyoto.

I like traveling. I have been to Canada, South Korea, France, Australia and the United States.

I studied English in South Florida University when I was a university student. I stayed for about 1 year. During stay in the U.S, I visited Las Vegas, New York, Boston, Miami, and so on. After that I worked at the travel company in Japan. Then I got the license of tour guide in 2014. I started to work as a tour guide in 2015. I usually visit Kyoto, Nara ,Osaka and Kobe with my guests. I’m very looking forward to meeting you!