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
- 10:00 Meeting in the lobby of Miyako City Kintetsu Kyoto Station
- 10:08 JR train from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama
- 10:20 walk
- 10:30 stroll in bamboo grove
- 11:00 Tenryuji Temple
- 12:00 Randen train from Arashiyama to Omuro-Ninnaji
- 12:30 Ninnaji-Temple
- 13:15 End of the tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Kyoto began at 10:00, when the guide met the guests at lobby of Miyako City Kintetsu Kyoto Station, and finished at 13:15. The day ran to 3 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish.
From there the group visited JR train from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama at 10:08, walk at 10:20, stroll in bamboo grove at 10:30, Tenryuji Temple at 11:00, Randen train from Arashiyama to Omuro-Ninnaji at 12:00 and Ninnaji-Temple at 12:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama by train (240JPY); Arashiyama (Keifuku Line) to Omuro-Ninnaji by train (250JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 490JPY per person.
Title: What's a Private Kyoto Tour of Arashiyama and Ninna-ji Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a family group visiting from Asia. It was their first time in Kyoto, and since they had no particular requests for places to visit, I offered them a choice between a Fushimi Inari & Kiyomizu-dera / Higashiyama course and an Arashiyama & Ninna-ji / Kinkaku-ji course, and they chose the latter.
When I mentioned that I had visited their region about ten times for work and travel during my time based in Asia, one of the guests conversed with me in a very friendly manner.
Yesterday the lingering summer heat was truly intense, and even inside the bamboo grove it felt more humid and muggy than before mid-August. For that reason, after strolling through the bamboo grove, I had them take a rest right after entering Tenryu-ji. They were very moved by the bamboo grove and the Sogen-ji pond at Tenryu-ji, and one of the guests said they would love to come back during the autumn foliage season. One of the guests was very well-studied and knew about the Cloud Dragon painting in the Dharma Hall, so I guided them to it. It was memorable when, during my explanation of the large onigawara (ogre roof tile), one of the guests was surprised and said it looked just like a Hindu mask seen in Bali. Following on from that, I talked about how Hinduism and Buddhism share common roots, and they listened with great interest.
Next, we took the Randen tram to Ninna-ji. On the veranda of the Shinden, a pleasant breeze could be felt, and we rested for a while, leisurely gazing at the garden. After I guided them to the five-story pagoda, one of the guests said they were feeling tired and wished to return to the Hotel. Since they were not particularly set on visiting Kinkaku-ji, we canceled the final part of the itinerary, hailed a taxi, saw them off, and ended the tour.
While it was a shame that I could not guide them through to the very end due to attention to their physical condition, they promptly gave a five-star review, and I was glad that they were very satisfied with the tour itself.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Kyoto～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Arashiyama (Keifuku Line)～Omuro-Ninnaji | 250JPY |
| Total | 490JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kyoto tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at lobby of Miyako City Kintetsu Kyoto Station at 10:00, and the tour finished at of the tour at 13:15.
How long does the tour last?
About 3 hours and 15 minutes in total, from 10:00 to 13:15.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited JR train from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama, walk, stroll in bamboo grove, Tenryuji Temple, Randen train from Arashiyama to Omuro-Ninnaji and Ninnaji-Temple.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 490JPY 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?
Nabet 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.
“He was easy to talk to, friendly, and knowledgeable and even made sure we successfully navigated the public transit back to our hotel. If we are ever back in Kyoto, we’d love to book a tour with him again! ”
“At every side we got an indepth explanation to any minor detail and every question we asked was answered and explained really well. It felt like a relaxing and wholesome walk through Kyoto even while it was pouring rain. We can absolutely recommend choosing Nabet!”
“Nabet’s English is just perfect, he knows the way around sights, little streets and hidden secrets, he is very authentic…just a perfect tour!”
Here are just a few of the many kind reviews I’ve received from the more than 100 groups I’ve guided through Kyoto and other cities.
I’m deeply thankful for the chance to connect with my guests and contribute to a memorable tour experience!
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• Associate Professor specially appointed for Entrepreneurship Education and University-Based Startup Support
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• Government-Licensed Interpreter Guide
+Hobbies+
Travel, music, sake, ice hockey, squash, watching soccer
May 29, 2026
Tamara M
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kyoto bei Nacht – faszinierende Einblicke in Kultur und Spiritualität
Ich…
May 29, 2026
Tamara M
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kyoto bei Nacht – faszinierende Einblicke in Kultur und Spiritualität
Ich habe eine wundervolle private Tour mit Nabet am Abend gehabt. Wir waren unter anderem im Viertel der Geiko und Maiko sowie am Fushimi-Inari Schrein. Ich habe viel über die Stadt Kyoto erfahren sowie die Religionen des Shinotismus und des Buddhismus. Nabet hatte viel Wissen und hat es mit Freude geteilt. Eine wirklich tolle Tour und ein schönes Erlebnis!
「夜の京都 — 文化と精神性への魅力的な洞察」
夕方にNabetと素晴らしいプライベートツアーを楽しみました。私たちは主に、芸妓や舞妓のいる地区や、伏見稲荷神社にも行きました。京都という街について、そして神道や仏教といった宗教について多くを学ぶことができました。ナベトは豊富な知識を持っていて、それを喜んで共有してくれました。本当に素晴らしいツアーで、良い体験でした。
Oct 21, 2025
Jana_C
4-hour private tour with Nabet was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Viator review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had an amazing experience…
Oct 21, 2025
Jana_C
4-hour private tour with Nabet was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Viator review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had an amazing experience with Nabet as our tour guide! He was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to answer all of our questions thoughtfully. From the beginning, he was on time, organized, and made sure to ask which locations we wanted to visit so he could tailor the tour to our interests since we were only in Kyoto for a day.
Nabet was also very friendly, engaging, and easy to talk to, which made the experience even more enjoyable. We learned so much throughout the tour thanks to his clear explanations and insights. Everything ran smoothly and right on schedule.
He gave us the best recommendation for dinner after the tour as well.
We highly recommend Nabet as he’s a fantastic guide who made our day truly memorable!
Oct 16, 2025
987kayeh
Knowledgeable guide who was will to respond to our multiple questions
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Thankyou…
Oct 16, 2025
987kayeh
Knowledgeable guide who was will to respond to our multiple questions
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Thankyou Nabet for a very interesting tour. Your historical knowledge of Japan and its culture added extra benefits to our tour. We appreciated visiting a temple with less people to appreciate the significance of significance of the environment to enable us to ask many questions.
Thank you for sharing our day in Kyoto.
Kaye and Doug
Oct 16, 2025
janiec555
Significant sites in Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Nabet is an excellent guide. He explained Japanese…
Oct 16, 2025
janiec555
Significant sites in Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Nabet is an excellent guide. He explained Japanese history and customs clearly and comprehensively, including pointing out behaviour considered disrespectfu.
He was energetic and enthusiastic despite the humidity, long walks up hills and steps and crowded conditions, and was very patient dealing with the public transport ticketing systems. I recommend him wholeheartedly.