Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide Kazu
June, 2026
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
- ① 13:00 Meet at Hotel Kyoto
- ② 13:05 Deciding the itinerary・About the history of Kyoto
- ③ 14:15 Nijo Castle
- ④ 15:30 Sanjusangendo
- ⑤ 16:15 Fushimi Inari Taisha
- ⑥ 17:20 Disband in front of Nishiki Market
What Can You See on a 4-Hour Private Kyoto Tour Starting at 1 PM? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from North America. It was a 4-hour half-day tour, but since it started at 1:00 PM and there was no need to plan around lunch, we were able to visit three places. When one of the guests said something, another would respond with "I know!" with a somewhat sullen expression, which reminded me that this kind of interaction is the same in any country. It made me smile to myself as I recalled old memories. For this trip, the guests spent five days in Tokyo and one day in Kyoto, and tomorrow they would return to Tokyo before flying home. The highlight was that one of the guests came to love Kyoto so much that they vowed to return and to stay at least two days next time. In Tokyo they visited Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, as well as the Imperial Palace and Meiji Shrine. They were moved by how Kyoto felt like a completely different world. Wonderful, I thought. After Fushimi Inari Taisha, we parted in front of Nishiki Market. When I said it was about time to say goodbye, one of the guests said in the present continuous, "Oh, we are enjoying," which, given the situation, sounded like "What, is it over already?" For a guide, there is no greater compliment.
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 | Shichijo～Fushimi Inari | 180JPY |
| Total | 180JPY | ||
Hello, this is Kazu Akiyama, your tour guide. Nice to meet you and welcome to Japan. Thank you for joining me on the tour. Now I am a retired salaried worker, living in Osaka. I have been very much interested in not only learning Japanese history, culture, religion myself, but also talking about them (sometimes going off topics) in English with tourists from all over the world as well. I am so excited being with you as your guide on coming day! I am very much looking forward to you enjoying with me visiting the must-see places and some of the hidden gems. See you soon. Thank you – Kazu Akiyama
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable.…
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable. Spoke perfect English and made the day fun and educational. Was able to adjust the tour based on my needs.
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu…
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu san in Kyoto. From the moment that the tour was booked, his communication with email about planning the day was exceptional.
Kazu gave detailed explanations about the areas we visited and we appreciated all that he had to offer at each of our stops.
We thoroughly enjoyed our day with him.
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu.…
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu. By the end of the day, we felt like we had made a new friend.
Kazu helped us arrange the best day with our short time in Kyoto. He brought us to some “hidden gems” and gave us thorough explanations on history and culture.
I would highly recommend this tour.
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide…
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide Kazu was very knowledgeable in terms of the history and explaining many of
the wonderful ancient sites around Kyoto. Definitely a must! Otherwise, I think it would be
difficult to tourists to understand on their own.