Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Sagano Tour — Guide Toshi

November, 2024

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 up @Hotel Kyoto
  • 2. 10:30 Guide through Fushimi Inari Taisha
  • 3. 12:30 Lunch @Randen Arashiyama Station premises
  • 4. 13:30 Stroll around the Arashiyama area
  • 5. 14:00 Guide through the garden of Tenryu-ji Temple
  • 6. 14:30 Guide through the bamboo grove
  • 7. 15:30 Guide through Kinkaku-ji Temple
  • 8. 16: 15 Disband @Kinkaku-ji taxi drop-off area

Title: What's a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, and Kinkaku-ji

I met the group of guests visiting from Oceania at their Hotel at the scheduled time and discussed the day's itinerary with them. According to their wishes, we decided to first visit Fushimi Inari Taisha and the bamboo grove, and to decide the rest as we went along, so we set off toward the Inari shrine first. At Fushimi Inari Taisha, the guests already knew that it was a shrine glowing in vermilion, so I explained the relationship between Shinto and the "fox" of the Inari shrine while showing them around the precincts. Within the grounds, we offered prayers at the worship hall, and then they passed through the famous Senbon Torii (thousand torii gates) before heading back down. After Fushimi Inari, I recommended Arashiyama and we decided to go there. Since the guests wanted to have just a light bite rather than a full restaurant lunch, we had a free lunch near the Randen station area. After lunch, I guided them across Togetsukyo Bridge, and from there we made our way to Tenryu-ji Temple, where they enjoyed the wonderful garden. From Tenryu-ji we entered the bamboo grove and they took photos in the bamboo tunnel. Finally, we traveled from Randen Arashiyama Station by city bus, transferring along the way, to Kinkaku-ji, where they enjoyed the magnificent view of the golden Shariden (Golden Pavilion), bringing today's sightseeing to a close.

Click here for more details: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Sagano Tour with Licensed Guide

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1TrainJR Kyoto Station～JR Inari Station150JPY
Section 2TrainJR Inari Station～JR Saga-Arashiyama Station240JPY
Section 3TrainRanden Arashiyama Station～Randen Kitano-Hakubaicho Station250JPY
Section 4BusKitano-Hakubaicho Station～Kinkakuji-michi Station230JPY
Total870JPY

Tour Report by Toshi

After a rather long teaching experience at Japanese college, I converted my career about 6 years ago into working as a tour guide for the tourists visiting Japan.
As my career overseas, I’ve been in the UN and the Japanese Embassy, all in the USA, totaling more than 6 years.
And then I had made a big change in my career from a diplomat to an academic researcher. For that career to achieve, I studied abroad and won a doctorate degree in linguistics from Indiana University and landed a teaching position at college in Japan.
With all these interesting and exciting experiences I’ve made myself ready to enrich your tour and make it both enjoyable and worthwhile.

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Apr 26, 2026
39ferdinandr
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Exceptional and entertaining
Great tour better the tour guide Toshi.

Apr 9, 2026
X1429XKclaudiam
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sehr zu empfehlen
Wir haben als Familie diese 6-stundige Tour durch Kyoto…

Jun 28, 2025
WilliamAlfonso_R
Toshi is a very eloquent, knowledgeable, and diligent tour guide.
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Toshi was…

May 30, 2025
Z
ZevP5
Best Tour Guide!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yoshi was the best guide!! He was so…