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
- 10:35 Meet in front of Fushimi Inari
- Fushimi Inari
- 12:10 Take a taxi from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station
- 12:20. Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
- 13:45. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- 15:20. Ryoan-ji Temple
- 16:50 Shopping at Teramachi Shopping Street
- 18:35 Guide to the dinner location and end the tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Over the course of the day the route took in Take a taxi from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station at 12:10, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple at 12:20, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove at 13:45, Ryoan-ji Temple at 15:20, Teramachi Shopping Street at 16:50 and Guide to the dinner location and end the tour at 18:35.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Inari to Saga-Arashiyama by train (240JPY); JR Saga-Arashiyama Station to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple (0JPY); Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (0JPY); Randen Arashiyama to Ryoanji-michi by train (250JPY); Ryoan-ji Temple to Nishioji Oike (0JPY); Nishioji Oike to Kyoto City Hall by subway (220JPY). Across 6 sections the fare came to 710JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private Kyoto Tour Like for Guests Who Prefer a Slower Pace? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests visited Japan from Asia. Initial contact was made with one of the guests, and later with another member of the group. The tour was originally scheduled to start at 10:00, but at the guests' request it was delayed by 30 minutes. Since one of the guests could not walk very much, we proceeded slowly from the first stop at Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple. The originally planned Sagano stroll became difficult, and the schedule began to shift considerably from that point. From Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple onward, we used a taxi instead of walking. Along the way, the guests frequently bought food and looked into various shops, so even short movements took quite a lot of time. At the stations, we mainly used elevators and escalators. We ended up visiting Ryoan-ji Temple, which was not originally planned, but walking took time, so we only briefly saw the famous rock garden, and more time was spent at the restrooms. Because even small movements took time, we could no longer make it to Kinkaku-ji Temple or the Kyoto Imperial Palace before closing, so we decided to go shopping at Teramachi shopping street, which the guests had been talking about the whole time. After that, I accompanied them for more than an hour of shopping, and since the guests each had different interests, I was careful to make sure the group did not get separated. As they wished to have okonomiyaki, I guided them there, and the tour ended. The photo was taken at Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Inari～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Other | JR Saga-Arashiyama Station～Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Other | Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple～Arashiyama Bamboo Grove | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Randen Arashiyama～Ryoanji-michi | 250JPY |
| Section 5 | Other | Ryoan-ji Temple～Nishioji Oike | 0JPY |
| Section 6 | Subway | Nishioji Oike～Kyoto City Hall | 220JPY |
| Total | 710JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Take a taxi from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Ryoan-ji Temple, Teramachi Shopping Street and Guide to the dinner location and end the tour.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 710JPY per person across 6 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?
Kazu 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.
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.
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo.…
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo. He had such insightful knowledge of each area we wanted to visit and had all the best spots to take photos and was very patient with us.
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi…
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi was excellent. We had a wonderful time, learned a lot of new things about Japanese culture and history, practiced navigating transport, enjoyed a perfect lunch. Kazuo-San even facilitated a purchase of a UV blocking umbrella, which was much needed on that sunny day.
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour…
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour with Kazuo, our guide. Days before arrival he communicated directly with me to set up the tour according to sites we wanted to see and he made good suggestions. Besides listening to his Kyoto detailed knowledge, we enjoyed the local walking of streets, taking buses and trains between sites. Kazuo has excellent English and has travelled himself so being with him for the day was a pleasure. I highly recommend using him as your guide
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had…
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had a wonderful experience during our Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide. Our guide, Kazuo, was truly outstanding from start to finish. He shared an impressive amount of knowledge about Kyoto’s history, culture, temples, and daily life. You can feel how passionate he is about his city, and he explains everything with the calm, precision and kindness so typical of Japanese guides. His English was clear and easy to follow, which made the whole day even more enjoyable. Kazuo was also extremely friendly, attentive and careful. He always made sure we were comfortable, took the time to answer all our questions, adapted the pace of the tour, and anticipated our needs without us even asking. Travelling by car made the experience smooth and relaxing, allowing us to see more places without rushing. We felt very well taken care of throughout the day, and we learned so much thanks to him. We highly recommend Kazuo to anyone looking for a personalized, insightful and stress‑free discovery of Kyoto.