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
- 10:00 Meet @JR Kyoto Station
- 10:10-10:.25 Kyoto Station Front → Kiyomizuzaka 500 yen Limited Express Bus
- 10:40-12:00 Yasaka Pagoda, Sannenzaka. Kiyomizu-dera Temple sightseeing
- 12:20-13:20 Lunch @Kiyomizu Junsei Okabeya
- 13:30-13:43 Kiyomizu-michi → Museum Front Bus 230 yen
- 13:50-14:40 Sanjusangendo sightseeing
- Travel by taxi
- 15:00 Disband @JR Kyoto Station
What's a Private Kyoto Day Tour from a Cruise Port Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group of longtime friends visiting from North America. They arrived at Osaka on a cruise ship and traveled to Kyoto by bullet train, so we met at the bullet train ticket gate. From there, we took a direct bus to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Since the guests preferred a relaxed pace, we walked slowly up Sannenzaka. For lunch, we stopped at a restaurant along the approach to Kiyomizu-dera, where we were seated without much of a wait. We had originally planned to visit the Gion area and Nishiki Market afterward, but as the guests were tired from walking, we decided to go to Sanjusangen-do instead. We viewed the hall's interior and then returned to Kyoto Station by taxi. A notable stop on the tour was Sanjusangen-do. Sanjusangen-do is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto famous for its remarkably long main hall, which houses 1,001 statues of Kannon, the Buddhist deity of mercy. The hall's name refers to the thirty-three spaces between its pillars, and the rows of gilded statues make it one of the most striking religious sites in Kyoto. The temple is also known historically for an archery event held along its long veranda.
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 | Other | Kyoto Station Front／Kyoto City Bus～Kiyomizu-michi／Kyoto City Bus | 500JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Kiyomizu-michi／Kyoto City Bus～Museum Sanjusangendo-mae／Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Total | 730JPY | ||
Hello! I am Andy Murao. I love this job as I can visit various destinations with the people from all over the world. I am always thinking that I could help you know more about Japan and understand the attractiveness of Japan.
I would like to provide a tour in accordance with your request and preference. Please let me know what you want to see, eat, experience, etc. and then I will propose a schedule based on them.
There is one point to note. I like walking very much, so I might be a guide who forces you to take long walks.
I look forward to attending you in Japan.
Best regards,
Andy Murao
Sep 20, 2026
Bobby_B
A great Kyoto guide.
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Andy was very nice and…
Sep 20, 2026
Bobby_B
A great Kyoto guide.
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Andy was very nice and knowledgeable. He helped customize the tour to our needs. He helped us find a local Udon restaurant for lunch. There is so much to see in Kyoto, it’s important to have a guide to move across town to different venues. We highly recommend him.
Jul 13, 2026
webstere2025
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Excellent
Andy(Atsushi) was great and communicated with us beforehand about our…
Jul 13, 2026
webstere2025
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Excellent
Andy(Atsushi) was great and communicated with us beforehand about our itinerary. He was flexible with changes we requested. Andy was very informative during the tour. He also was willing to take our family’s pictures. We were able to stop and check out shops as we pleased along the way. He also accommodated lunch requests(as our daughter has food allergies).
One thing I wish we realized was that there is quite a bit of walking. We were fine but for people who are perhaps older or with young children you may want to consider taking a cab between different sites.
Jun 21, 2026
Catherine_D
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
First time in Osaka
Andy was great . On time and patience…
Jun 21, 2026
Catherine_D
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
First time in Osaka
Andy was great . On time and patience with our walking tour since we had a 14 yr old with
us. Very informative and picked us up and dropped us off our hotel. Thank you Andy for
showing us Osaka
Jun 6, 2026
eyeessess
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Early Morning Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour!
Andy Murao was an amazing and wonderful tour guide.…
Jun 6, 2026
eyeessess
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Early Morning Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour!
Andy Murao was an amazing and wonderful tour guide. He reached out to us with some ideas for our private tour. He worked with us as we made the tour perfectly suited to our needs. He met us on time. He navigated the crowds and the sites perfectly. He was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. He even put together a nice photo collection of photos he emailed us after. Highly recommend.