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 Depart from Ryokan "Uemura"
- 9:00 Kinkaku-ji Temple
- 9:00～10:10 Kinkaku-ji Temple
- 10:30 Nijo Castle
- 10:40～12:30 Nijo Castle
- Using the subway
- Using the Kyoto Municipal Tozai Line and Kyoto Municipal Karasuma Line to Shijo
- 13:00 Nishiki Market, disband
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Kinkaku-ji Temple at 9:00, Nijo Castle at 10:30 and Nishiki Market, disband at 13:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Nijojo-mae to Shijo (Kyoto Municipal) by train (220JPY). Across 1 sections the fare came to 220JPY per person.
Title: What's a Private Kyoto Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle, and Nishiki Market
The guests were visitors from North America on their first trip, and the meeting point was a ryokan on Ishibe-koji near Kodai-ji Temple.
First, we visited Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion). The guests were intrigued to learn that the admission ticket is designed like a paper talisman, and that placing it at the entrance of a home is said to ward off misfortune. They were also deeply moved by the beauty of Kinkaku-ji seen across the pond, and were interested in hearing how it has often been depicted in literature, such as in the novels of Yukio Mishima.
Next, we went to Nijo Castle. When I explained that the Ninomaru Palace consists of five buildings — the first and second for imperial envoys, the third for the outer feudal lords (tozama daimyo), the fourth for the hereditary feudal lords (fudai daimyo), and the fifth for the shogun, with 33 rooms and enough space for 800 tatami mats — the guests seemed very surprised. They also asked many questions, showing interest in the nightingale floors, the wall paintings by the Kano school, and the large decorative nail covers. In the Ninomaru Garden, they were interested to hear that the large pond and the stones shaped like a turtle and a crane symbolize longevity.
Finally, we visited Nishiki Market, where we parted ways.
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 | Nijojo-mae～Shijo (Kyoto Municipal) | 220JPY |
| Total | 220JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Kinkaku-ji Temple, Nijo Castle and Nishiki Market, disband.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 220JPY per person across 1 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?
Kaji 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 have been an English teacher since 1979. In 2024, I obtained the national qualification of Certified Guide Interpreter.
Currently, after retiring, I teach English as a part-time lecturer at a Hyogo Prefectural High School.
My hobbies are tennis, table tennis, traveling, studying English, and Japanese history.
I play tennis and table tennis twice a week. I love traveling because I can see beautiful scenery and learn about Japanese history.
I chose Kyoto and Nara prefectures as my guiding locations. Both were once the capitals of Japan.
Kyoto was the residence of emperors from 794 to 1868 and was a stage for Japanese history.
It has beautiful scenery, Japanese history, magnificent buildings and gardens, and delicious food.
I would like to share the charms of Japan with foreign tourists as much as possible.
I live in Amagasaki City, which is adjacent to Osaka. Kyoto is a little far from my home,
but I would like to leave home early in the morning and enjoy traveling with my guests.
Thank you for your consideration.
Mar 30, 2026
MrJames_L
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Great tour with Kaji
We had an excellent…
Mar 30, 2026
MrJames_L
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Great tour with Kaji
We had an excellent tour today in Kyoto at a number of different stops. We went to monkey park, bamboo Grove, tenryuji temple, Arashayama park and the Golden Temple. It was a packed schedule but our guide made sure we got everywhere and transited smoothly. He was also very helpful with our young kids and a food allergy. This was our third tour with JGA and we highly recommend them for Kyoto.
Jul 3, 2025
Radit T
Worthwhile private tour on our first full day in Kyoto!
Tripadvisor review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle…
Jul 3, 2025
Radit T
Worthwhile private tour on our first full day in Kyoto!
Tripadvisor review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
We had a wonderful day with Kaji and our driver seeing many sights during our first time in Kyoto!
To start, Japan Guide Agency (operator) went above and beyond to help us even have the tour on our requested day. Despite all of their regular rental vehicles being unavailable, they were able to secure a driver and minivan for the 5 of us and Kaji, our guide. Excellent communication and responsiveness by email as we worked through to resolve the challenge and confirmed the planned itinerary.
Kaji arrived at our hotel ahead of schedule to be ready for our pickup. From there, he led us with interesting facts and helpful tips to Tenryu-ji Temple, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Park, Nijo Castle, and a delicious casual udon lunch as requested at Tokutoku Fushimi Takeda. Lastly, we visited Fushimi Inari Taisha and for a bonus, quickly saw To-ji Temple before getting dropped back off at our hotel.
Overall, time and money well spent. We covered so much ground on this tour and it was a worthwhile experience with help from Kaji and our driver. Definitely recommend!
Jun 7, 2025
Lisa_H
Great tour guide and driver
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Overall a great…
Jun 7, 2025
Lisa_H
Great tour guide and driver
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Overall a great experience. The team is extremely professional and knowledgeable of the Kyoto area. Having a driver was great in the heat and on getting around to the various stopping points efficiently. Our guide was also very helpful and knowledgeable of each place we visited and knew of appropriate spots for pictures, info etc.
Great experience overall.