Tour Itinerary
- 8:30 Hotel～8:50－10:30 Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Sannenzaka～11:00ー11:40 Kinkaku-ji Temple～12:10～12:30 Gion
What's a Private Car Tour of Kyoto Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Kinkaku-ji and Kiyomizu-dera The guests were a group visiting from North America. They were very friendly and had a strong interest in Japanese culture. This time we traveled the entire route by car, and while I explained each location, the guests actively asked questions. For example, they asked why only the first floor of Kinkaku-ji is not covered in gold leaf. At Kiyomizu-dera as well, they listened attentively to the meaning of the Aterui monument and the monument related to Monet. The guests showed such deep interest in the culture that it inspired me to study further and in greater detail. At Kinkaku-ji, the admission fee can only be paid in cash, and the guests ran short of cash and were troubled by it. I reflected that I should inform guests of this in advance in the future.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Hello. It is very nice to meet you. My name is Etsuko Nakaba. I am based in the Kansai Area, which includes popular sightseeing spots
such as the old capital Kyoto with many old temples, Nara, which is well known for vowing deer, and Osaka-the city of gourmet, entertainment and commerce.
The Kansai area was the center of Japanese culture, as this is the place where the capital of Japan was located in the olden times.
I was born and raised in a historical city Kobe, which is also in the Kansai area. The city is famous for its port and old residences
of merchants from Europe and Asia, as it opened its port for forreign trade about 150 years ago.
It is also well known for the premium quality beef-Kobe Beef.
The melting in the mouth texture is what every tourist would like to try. It is also one of the best 3 Japanese sake producing spots.
Sake’s refined taste goes with not only Japanese traditional quisine, but also various dishes from around the worldaround.
I am certain of its good match with Kobe beef. Some sake breweries show traditional sake making process, which are intriguing.
It is also renowned for being home to one of the 3 oldest hot springs in Japan, Arima.The color of the water is gold,
as it contains a lot of iron. It was frequented by a famous warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi 500 years ago.
I love my hometown Kobe; however, I also lived in Tokyo for 20 years. So, l know the allure
of the representative two cities o feastern and western Japan, Tokyo and Osaka.
As a matter of course, there are many hidden gems in each area, in the northern, middle, or southern Japan.
For example, Himeji City, which is to the west of Kobe city is renowned for its 400 year old castle. which is a world cultural heritage site.
It was built by a shogun, the leader of samaurai- feudal warriors and the de facto leader of the nation.
The original structure of the castle transfers us back to the olden times governed by samurai.
Though some people believe that they still exist, the class was abolished aobut 150 years ago due to the drastic political reform called “Meiji Restoration”.
If you would like to, I could take you to the fascilities where you can see authentic samurai’s armor and swords.
Ninja or secret agents, who served feudal lords, do not exist any more either. A ninja museum in Shiga prefecture was a residence of ninja before.
It is not rennovated for the service, so you can enjoy the complicated interior with some contraptions to defeat the intruders.
Japan has distinct four seasons, which makes this country more attractive. Each season has its own attractions.
Spring and autumn are ideal for sightseeing, as the climate is mild and you can enjoy beautiful scenery such as cherry blossoms or autumn foliage.
Between summer and autumn, there is the rainy season which lasts for about a month. This season feartures hydrangeas.
A historical city Kamakura, where the first samurai government started, is embraced by a serene atomosphere in June, as the combination of the
old temples and the delicate beauty of hydrangeas in the overcast or rainy weather is the essence of Japanese beauty.
The southern island Kyushu was also a gate for overseas trade. Okinawa also has its own unique and rich culture, as it was not a part of Japan in the past.
It was an independent country called ” Ryukyu Kingdom.”in the past.
The beauty of the ocean and the unique culture and food have been captivating the hearts of the people all over the world.
Like these, Japan is filled with historical and natural beauty.Furthermore, traditional Japanese quisene is an intangible world cultural heritage.
It would be an honor if I could introduce you even one of them.
I am thrilled to meet you and iintroduce the beauty of Japan to you.
Jun 17, 2026
Jason_W
Viator review: Kobe 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Absolutely amazing tour and guide
This was the perfect Kyoto tour for…
Jun 17, 2026
Jason_W
Viator review: Kobe 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Absolutely amazing tour and guide
This was the perfect Kyoto tour for our family (two older kids). LJ was the absolute best guide. He explained things along the way and made sure we could have memorable photos to go along with our trip. Our kids haven’t stopped raving about him and the tour which never happens! This is a must do for Kyoto
Jun 2, 2026
Malcolm_S
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Custom Private Tour of Kyoto
Our tour guide,…
Jun 2, 2026
Malcolm_S
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Custom Private Tour of Kyoto
Our tour guide, Etsuko, was wonderful. The driver was very experienced and competent. The communication pre-tour with Etsuko was excellent and allowed us to custom make our tour to include the sights we were most interested in. Etsuko was very knowledgeable about each site and was very prepared to provide that information. She was kind and cheerful and enthusiastic about sharing her country’s history with us. She kept us on track and on time (all six of us) and navigated the crowded venues ensuring that we had quality time at the most important locations. Very professional, but still personal. She even took some great photos of our family! We ended our tour at a great restaurant that she recommended that accommodated our food preferences. Overall, just a great experience and we highly recommend it.
May 29, 2026
Andrew_B
Viator review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Etsuko was an exceptional…
Etsuko was an exceptional tour guide. She catered…
May 29, 2026
Andrew_B
Viator review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Etsuko was an exceptional…
Etsuko was an exceptional tour guide. She catered our tour to what we were hoping to see
and was so knowledgeable. We feel like we wouldn’t have been able to see the parts of
Kyoto we did without her.
May 21, 2026
Claire_G
Viator review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Day Trip to Kyoto
We could not have got around Kyoto in…
May 21, 2026
Claire_G
Viator review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Day Trip to Kyoto
We could not have got around Kyoto in the short time we had (day trip) without Joy. She was amazingly knowledgeable, and spoke very good English. We posed various questions which she researched and got back to us after doing her own research and communicated with us after our return to the US. Joy definitely deserves a 5 star rating.
