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
- 8:30 Hotel Meet 9:15 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 10:30 Ryoan-ji Temple 11:25 Kinkaku-ji Temple 12:25 Lunch (Ramen) 13:30 Kyoto Imperial Palace 15:00 Ginkaku-ji Temple 16:30 Fushimi Inari
- 17:30 Disband at Kyoto Station・Tour End
What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like in Summer? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from Oceania. It was a hot day, and since one of the guests appeared tired along the way, we took a short break at the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The schedule had been tight from the start, but starting the first meeting at the hotel and taking longer than expected for lunch gradually pushed everything back. As a result, eight hours had already passed by the time we arrived at Fushimi Inari. We then saw them off at Kyoto Station, ending the tour. Since we had gone considerably over time, the guests said they would walk back to their hotel from Kyoto Station on their own. I felt they would probably take a break somewhere before returning. What caught my attention today was that the heat brought out bees. Quite large bees were seen at Ryoanji and Kinkakuji, so it seemed wise to be careful. Also, the crowding at JR Inari Station on the way back was severe, with people overflowing onto the platform, which felt dangerous. The photo was taken at Ryoanji.
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Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Subway | Gojo～Kyoto | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Kyoto～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Randen Arashiyama～Ryoan-ji | 250JPY |
| Section 4 | Other | Ryoan-ji～Kinkaku-ji | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Other | Kinkaku-ji～Nijo Station | 0JPY |
| Section 6 | Subway | Nijo～Imadegawa | 260JPY |
| Section 7 | Bus | Karasuma Imadegawa～Ginkaku-ji-michi | 230JPY |
| Section 8 | Bus | Ginkaku-ji-michi～Demachiyanagi | 230JPY |
| Section 9 | Train | Demachiyanagi～Fushimi Inari | 280JPY |
| Section 10 | Train | Inari～Kyoto | 150JPY |
| Total | 1,860JPY | ||
I was born and grew up in Kyoto and now live near Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. I used to be a schoolteacher of English and welcome a lot of students from foreign countries. I really enjoyed showing them around Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Himeji, and Hiroshima. I have been a professional tour guide for about 8 years. I always try to let my guests learn Japanese traditional and modern culture. Since I was born in Kyoto, I know a lot about its culture and people. I myself enjoyed several sports, such as soccer, judo, and marathon when I was young. I’m much interested in baseball and sumo. My motto as a tour guide is to let my guests learn about our tradition and culture precisely and really enjoy themselves. I strongly hope you will enjoy the tour in Japan with me.
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep…
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep knowledge about the history and culture of Japan. He is flexible and accommodates changes if you so desire. He is also very empathetic. I had a sprained back and he ensured we took elevators everywhere. You will be lucky if he is assigned as your guide .
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience…
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience on the tour. We travelled all around Kyoto with our guide Kazuo Sumi. He is a sweet older gentleman who had a great depth of knowledge about each place we went to. We told him places we wanted to go and he made the itinerary for us. There is no one better to have as your guide!!
Jul 16, 2026
margaretsM7923ON
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Great way to see Kyoto
Wonderful tour and exceptional guide.
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided…
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided some excellent recommendations. There’s a lot of walking so make sure you are prepared.