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 Four flex hotel Sheraton Meeting
- 8:50 Nijo Castle
- 10:30 Arashiyama
- 12:30 Nishiki Market
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Nijo Castle at 8:50, Arashiyama at 10:30 and Nishiki Market at 12:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Karasuma Oike to Nijojo-mae by subway (220JPY); Nijojo-mae to Uzumasa Tenjingawa by train (260JPY); Uzumasa Tenjingawa to Arashiyama (Keifuku Line) by train (250JPY); Arashiyama (Hankyu Line) to Karasuma by train (240JPY). Across 4 sections the fare came to 970JPY per person.
What's a Private Kyoto Hiking Tour Like at Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. They were soft-spoken and gentle in manner. Since hiking was among their interests, they planned to climb all the way to the summit of Fushimi Inari this time. We also climbed straight up to the Monkey Park on the mountain in Arashiyama. For me, the climb only grew more challenging as time went on. The guests enjoyed the view from the summit and feeding the monkeys. They would be staying in Kyoto for a few more days, so I wrote down some other sightseeing spots for them on paper. They had gone to Gion the previous day and seemed disappointed at not having seen any geisha, so I explained that, with the changing times, both the number of geisha and the number of teahouses have declined significantly compared to their peak. They were very easy to get along with.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Subway | Karasuma Oike～Nijojo-mae | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Nijojo-mae～Uzumasa Tenjingawa | 260JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Uzumasa Tenjingawa～Arashiyama (Keifuku Line) | 250JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Arashiyama (Hankyu Line)～Karasuma | 240JPY |
| Total | 970JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Nijo Castle, Arashiyama and Nishiki Market.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 970JPY per person across 4 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?
Naoki 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 am Naoki Nakatani. I live in Osaka.
I started tour guide from 2023 after 40 years
work experience in Japanese manufacturing company. I am currently teaching Japanese as volunteer staff to foreign residents who live in my community. I have 11 and half years work experience in overseas office and I had interacted with people of foreign countries for a long time enjoying business and friendship with them. My guide experience is still short but I will provide my best service to the guests. I am in a position to prepare the itinerary if guests request and to send any information for the guest to make plan before visit to Japan.
Jul 11, 2026
Trevor_F
Viator review: Osaka Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
4 hour Private Tour
Naomi was our guide and did a…
Jul 11, 2026
Trevor_F
Viator review: Osaka Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
4 hour Private Tour
Naomi was our guide and did a fantastic job. He met us at our hotel and suggested several places to visit. He navigated us to each spot, providing history and information about each location. Our time spent with him was enjoyable and I would recommend this tour to anyone!
Jun 6, 2026
May_O
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Wonderful time in Kyoto
We had a terrific time with Naoki. He…
Jun 6, 2026
May_O
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Wonderful time in Kyoto
We had a terrific time with Naoki. He brought enthusiasm and excitement to our tour. My
family had a wonderful time.
May 1, 2026
Sanfrancisco820
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Choose Naoki – you will have a great day!!
Naoki is an…
May 1, 2026
Sanfrancisco820
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Choose Naoki – you will have a great day!!
Naoki is an excellent guide. His communication with us before our trip was outstanding. I sent him a very long list of things we were interested in, and he carefully helped us understand what was in each area and what we could realistically accomplish in a day.
Naoki even navigated a couple of bus rides for us—which turned out to be a lot of fun! He is highly knowledgeable while still making everything engaging, which made him perfect for first-time visitors to Japan.
We had a lovely day and were able to see many of the things we were most interested in, thanks to Naoki’s thoughtful guidance. He clearly put a great deal of effort into planning our day.
We highly recommend Naoki if you are looking for an easygoing guide who puts genuine care into tailoring your experience to your interests.
Mar 28, 2026
Tanya_R
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great guide
Naoki was very kind and knowledgeable He knew the best…
Mar 28, 2026
Tanya_R
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great guide
Naoki was very kind and knowledgeable He knew the best highlights of osaka castle and
even got us in by skipping lines