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

  • 1)9:50    Tour start, then to Kinkaku-ji by bus, subway, and bus
  • 2)11:10~11:50 Kinkaku-ji, then to Ryoan-ji by taxi
  • 3)12:00 ~12:40 Ryoan-ji, then to Shijo Kawaramachi by bus
  • 4)Around 13:50 Farewell in front of Shinkyogoku Street

Title: What Is a Private Kyoto Tour of Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a friendly group. While the meeting was delayed, I explained the tour itinerary to one of the guests, and when I asked what they would like to do after visiting the final stop, Ryoan-ji Temple, they said they wanted to buy souvenirs and do some other shopping. So I suggested returning to Shijo Kawaramachi after Ryoan-ji. At the first stop, Kinkaku-ji Temple, the guests were both delighted by its beauty. After the visit, souvenirs were purchased at a shop. Next we went to Ryoan-ji Temple, and one of the guests seemed to prefer the calm atmosphere of Ryoan-ji over Kinkaku-ji. After the visit, one of the guests asked whether they could have a meal in the area, and I mentioned that there were nearby restaurants serving soba and tempura, but since the preference was for beef and yakitori, we decided to return to Shijo Kawaramachi. I took the guests to the Shinkyogoku Arcade and the Teramachi Arcade, introduced the many restaurants and various shops there, and mentioned that Nishiki Market was also nearby, and we said goodbye in front of the arcade. It seems the guests enjoyed the tour. A notable stop on the tour was Ryoan-ji Temple, a Zen temple in Kyoto famous for its rock garden, one of the most celebrated examples of Japanese dry landscape gardening. The garden consists of fifteen stones arranged on a bed of white gravel, and it is designed so that not all of the stones can be seen at once from any single viewpoint. The temple is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is admired for its tranquil and contemplative atmosphere.

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1BusKiyomizu-michi/Kyoto City Bus~Higashiyama (Kyoto)230JPY
Section 2SubwayHigashiyama (Kyoto)~Kitaoji Bus Terminal (Subway Kitaoji Station)/Kyoto City Bus260JPY
Section 3BusKitaoji Bus Terminal (Subway Kitaoji Station)/Kyoto City Bus~Kinkaku-ji-michi/Kyoto City Bus230JPY
Section 4BusRyoan-ji-mae/Kyoto City Bus~Shijo Kawaramachi/Kyoto City Bus230JPY
Total950JPY

Nice to meet you.
My name is Hiroki Muramoto, please call me Hiro.
Hiro in Japanese means large or big. Although I’m neither large nor big, you can call me Hiro. How are you doing ?
I lived in a city nearby Kobe city. Do you know Kobe ? Kobe is famous for Kobe beef and pearl. If you have not yet had Kobe beef, you should taste the authentic Kobe beef. It is very satisfying taste. But I have recently moved to a city in Kyoto prefecture, so I can be in Kyoto city in about one hour. By the way, I am a family of four. I have a son and a daughter. My son now works in Tokyo. I sometimes go to Tokyo to see him. Tokyo is a huge city, but too crowded, so it seems not to suit me. I seem to be better suited to a small city than a big one. Where do you live in ? How many families do you have ? If you like, please tell me about them. I worked in the quality assurance department of a pharmaceutical company and visited the factories of foreign affiliated companies, so I became interested in foreign cultures and obtained a qualification as an interpreter guide in 2015.

I have been a guide for about eight years. During that time, I have guided in Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Kochi and so on, although I could do little guiding work between 2020 and 2022 due to COVID-19. However, since last year, my guiding work has been back! So, I am happy to be able to meet different people again. My hobby is travelling, but sadly, I am not in a position to travel abroad easily at the moment due to the very weak yen, and I hope to travel abroad again when the situation eases a bit more.
How many countries have you been to so far ? Which countries have you liked so far? Another hobby is watching sports – baseball and football. Do you like the baseball ? Do you know Otani, Japanese baseball player ? He has joined Dodgers in Los Angeles this year. I look forward to another successful year for Otani.

By the way, what interests you in Japan? Food, history, scenery ? As far as tourist attractions are concerned, famous places are too crowded. If you like, I also would like to show you some less crowded places. Are you interested in experiencing something ? If you want to experience something, I can suggest an experience plan for you. If so, please contact me as early as possible. As for food, what kind of food do you like? There are many kinds of delicious food. Of course, you can get good food in fine restaurants, but you can also get good food in downtown restaurants. If you like alcohol, why don’t you try Japanese sake? It can range from light and fragrant to rich in flavor, so you’re sure to find a Japanese sake you like.

My motto is “Be content with life.” However, I find myself complaining all the time. If you like, please tell me your motto. I want to treat all guests who visit Japan with the spirit of “Treasure every encounter” and guide them so that they can enjoy themselves and have good memories of Japan.
You only live once (YOLO). So, I also want to enjoy it with you.

I look forward to meeting you.
Best regard.

Nov 27, 2024
Julianne_A
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