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 at Hotel Kyoto Nijo Premium
- 10:50 to 11:40 Kinkaku-ji Temple
- 12:30 to 14:00 Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- 14:30 Disband at Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 10:00 at Hotel Kyoto Nijo Premium and ended at 14:30. The day ran to 4 hours and 30 minutes from start to finish.
Over the course of the day the route took in Kinkaku-ji Temple at 10:50 and Kiyomizu-dera Temple at 12:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Senbon Kyunijo／Kyoto City Bus to Waratenjin-mae／Kyoto City Bus by bus (230JPY); Waratenjin-mae／Kyoto City Bus to Kinkaku-ji-michi／Kyoto City Bus by bus (230JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 460JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private Family Tour of Kyoto Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests today were a group visiting from North America, a total group that included young children. The group had mistakenly believed that this tour included a vehicle, and upon learning that no car had been arranged, requested that a car be arranged immediately. I contacted the taxi companies I work with, but during a busy holiday period it was not possible to call a large taxi on short notice. In the end, we traveled from the Hotel to Kinkaku-ji by taking city buses, transferring along the way. On the crowded bus heading to Kinkaku-ji, we had three strollers lined up, which caused some inconvenience to the people around us. The next destination was Kiyomizu-dera Temple. I suggested we go by taxi, and we went in two cars. While exploring Kiyomizu-dera, the group decided to end the tour early and return to the Hotel. They returned to the Hotel by taxi. It was an early conclusion to the tour.
A notable stop on the tour was Kinkaku-ji Temple. Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Originally built in the late 14th century as a retirement villa for a shogun, it was later converted into a temple and remains one of Kyoto's most iconic landmarks. The pavilion is set beside a reflecting pond surrounded by meticulously designed gardens, making it especially striking across the changing seasons.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Bus | Senbon Kyunijo／Kyoto City Bus～Waratenjin-mae／Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Waratenjin-mae／Kyoto City Bus～Kinkaku-ji-michi／Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Total | 460JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kyoto tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Hotel Kyoto Nijo Premium at 10:00, and the tour finished at Kiyomizu-dera Temple at 14:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 4 hours and 30 minutes in total, from 10:00 to 14:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Kinkaku-ji Temple and Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 460JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Haru is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Kyoto itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Personal data
Born in : May 1st, 1957
Hobby : Visiting scenic places,
historic spots, Japanese
gardens and old townscape
Former career : Worked for electric
company and engaged in
international sales for
about 40 years.
Travel history in the former career :
Visited about 20 countries about 200 times
Career as guide interpreter
Acquisition of guide license : 2016
Career of guide : 8 years
Genre of my specialty :
Japanese historic structures such as
temple, shrine, castle and garden.
Area of guide : Kyoto, Nara, Osaka &
Himeji
Let’s enjoy Japan with me !!
Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained…
Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained the history of the sites on our tour. He even prepared a book that helped explain the historical significance of each site we visited. He was really fantastic, funny and engaging and connected with every member (young and old) in our group. We all learned a lot! Thank u Haru!
Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was…
Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was very knowledgeable about the various cites and came prepared with a binder and useful images. He was organized and even found a delicious ramen place for our family of 6 (not an easy task in the middle of busy Nara). He really cared about the cites and the history of the temples and spoke great English. Highly recommend!
Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with…
Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide
We were able to customize our trip to the top places we wanted to see. We were able to get to all of them. Our guide Haru was great and the places we visited were amazing and interesting. Our guide gave us a lot of history around the different sites. Our favorites were Kiyomizudera temple, Sanjyu Sangendo Temple and Kinkakuji Temple. We also visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine which was pretty great. We did a lot of walking and public transportation to get around. All in all it wasn’t bad and our guide got us to all the sites with ease. Haru was great as he took most of our family pictures. He did a great job.
Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He…
Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He added a lot to our trip and
allowed us to experience a lot in the limited time we had available.