Kyoto: Ginkakuji & Shorenin — Guide Nori

What's a Private Kyoto Garden-Themed Walking Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visitors from North America, traveling in Japan. All pre-tour arrangements, such as the selection of destinations, were coordinated by email in advance. One of the guests had an exceptionally strong interest in Japanese culture, and regarding Japanese gardens in particular, had read through a Japanese author's book on the hidden gardens of Kyoto published more than twenty years ago, and appeared to possess considerable knowledge on the subject. Based on that interest, the request was to visit Kyoto's major garden landmarks over two days, following two routes: (1) a route through the Higashiyama area from north to south, and (2) a route from central Kyoto toward the northwest. The guided tour I led covered only one of the two days (May 31), but I was also asked to provide a reference itinerary for the other day. After several exchanges by email, we finalized the plans as follows: (1) Ginkaku-ji Temple ⇒ the Philosopher's Path ⇒ Honen-in Temple ⇒ Eikando Temple ⇒ Nanzen-ji Temple ⇒ Shoren-in Temple (guided on May 31), and (2) Nijo Castle ⇒ Kinkaku-ji Temple ⇒ Ryoan-ji Temple ⇒ Arashiyama (the Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge) (reference for June 1, without a guide).

On the day of the tour (May 31), although the high temperature exceeded 30 degrees, it remained mostly cloudy throughout the day, which turned out to be ideal weather for a walking tour. The guests were very energetic and walked at a fast pace, so we were able to move from place to place far ahead of the planned schedule, allowing us to proceed through the itinerary with plenty of time to spare. Thanks to this, we were able to explore each site at a relaxed pace and even visit places that had not originally been planned. The guests' impressions could be summarized in two points: "the sculptural beauty of the Japanese gardens is wonderful," and "the harmony between the vivid greenery and the buildings is wonderful." One thing I noticed was the reaction of one of the guests, who occasionally yawned and seemed tired. When I frankly asked whether visiting only temples was becoming boring, the answer was, "Not at all, every place is very impressive." Upon asking further, I learned that they had stayed up late the previous night and had gotten only about six hours of sleep, so they were feeling a little tired. I accompanied the group for a full day of their trip in Japan, and there were many heartwarming moments, such as one guest posing for photos again and again at another's request. Accompanying this cheerful and lively group made for an enjoyable guided tour.

Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Nori

Hi, everyone! I’m Norifumi Kamon, a government registered guide interpreter. Please call me “Nori”, or “Kamon-san”.
Let me introdece myself. I was born on April 17th in 1952 in Miyazaki prefecture in Kyushu island. I used to be an English teacher of Osaka Prefectural high school. When I retired from a teacher ten years ago, I decided to get a professional guide license. I wanted to play a role of the bridge between Japanese people and the people from all over the world as a second life of mine. After two years efforts, I finally got the guide license. Since then, I have guided several handreds of foreign people mainly in Kyoto and Nara for about five years except Corona Pandemic period. Almost all the tourists were deeply impressed by the beauty of nature, traditoin, culture, and art of Japan. I can surely help you enjoy and be satisfied with the sightseeing in Japan. And I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.