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. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- ① 10:00 Meet at Hotel Sanjo Omiya － Travel by Subway Tozai Line & JR Line
- ② 10:45 Heiseiin (Jizo Bodhisattva)
- ③ 11:00 Stroll through Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Nonomiya Shrine
- ④ 11:40 Okochi Sanso Villa
- ⑤ 12:30 Stroll through Kameyama Park & Togetsukyo Bridge
- ⑥ 13:20 Lunch (Arashiyama)
- ⑦ 14:00 Tenryuji Temple
- ⑧ 15:00 Saga Daikakuji Temple
- ⑨ 16:15 Disband at Hankyu Arashiyama Station
What Can You See on a Private Walking Tour of Arashiyama in Kyoto? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a very friendly and kind group visiting from North America. Following their wishes, we strolled through the sights of Arashiyama in Kyoto. They were greatly moved by the bamboo grove, of course, as well as Okochi Sanso Villa, Kameyama Park, and the beautiful scenery and nature seen from the Togetsukyo Bridge. I also introduced the sightseeing train, the Hozugawa River boat ride, museums, the Gozan no Okuribi fire festival, cormorant fishing, Suminokura Ryoi, and the memorial monument dedicated to Zhou Enlai. The guests said they would definitely like to return to Arashiyama once more next year, stay overnight here, and fully enjoy the autumn foliage or cherry blossoms. I also introduced Senkoji, a small temple with a long history located halfway up the mountainside of Arashiyama, which is wonderful for autumn foliage. They asked in great detail how to get there, so they may visit again the next day.
As a note for information, at Okochi Sanso Villa, the admission fee used to include a service of matcha and Japanese sweets at the tea house, but this service has already been discontinued, so anyone who has not visited for a while should be aware of this.
Click here for more details: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Sagano Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Subway Tozai Line Nijojomae～JR Nijo | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | JR Nijo～Saga-Arashiyama | 200JPY |
| Total | 420JPY | ||
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
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable.…
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable. Spoke perfect English and made the day fun and educational. Was able to adjust the tour based on my needs.
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu…
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu san in Kyoto. From the moment that the tour was booked, his communication with email about planning the day was exceptional.
Kazu gave detailed explanations about the areas we visited and we appreciated all that he had to offer at each of our stops.
We thoroughly enjoyed our day with him.
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu.…
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu. By the end of the day, we felt like we had made a new friend.
Kazu helped us arrange the best day with our short time in Kyoto. He brought us to some “hidden gems” and gave us thorough explanations on history and culture.
I would highly recommend this tour.
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide…
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide Kazu was very knowledgeable in terms of the history and explaining many of
the wonderful ancient sites around Kyoto. Definitely a must! Otherwise, I think it would be
difficult to tourists to understand on their own.