Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide Emi
October, 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.
Tour Itinerary
- 11:00 Meet and depart ➡ By subway & bus to Kinkaku-ji (11:30~11:50) ➡ By taxi to Arashiyama, Tenryu-ji's garden & bamboo grove (12:30~14:00) ➡ By Randen & Hankyu train to Nishiki Market (14:40~15:10) ➡ Guide you to a recommended lunch restaurant and the tour ends (15:00)
**タイトル**
What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour by Public Transport Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
**本文**
The guests were a very close-knit group visiting from Europe. Some of the guests were collecting stamps, and at first I thought they meant goshuin temple seals, but it turned out they were collecting the free stamps placed at sightseeing spots and train stations. They had already gathered quite a large number of them, so at each destination and station we first searched for the stamp locations. The guests said it was wonderful that today we were able to use five different types of public transportation: the subway, a bus, a taxi, the Randen tram, and the Hankyu railway. The tour ended once they had decided on an okonomiyaki restaurant near Nishiki Market for lunch. A notable stop on the tour was Nishiki Market in Kyoto. Nishiki Market is a narrow shopping street often called "Kyoto's Kitchen," stretching for about five blocks in the center of the city. Lined with more than a hundred shops and stalls, it offers a wide variety of local ingredients, fresh seafood, pickles, sweets, and traditional Kyoto delicacies. The market has a history dating back several centuries and remains a popular place for both locals and visitors to experience the food culture of Kyoto.
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 | Kyoto～Kitaoji | 260JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Kitaoji Bus Terminal (Subway Kitaoji Station)／Kyoto City Bus～Kinkakuji-michi／Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 3 | Other | Arashiyama～Shijo-Omiya | 250JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Omiya (Kyoto Prefecture)～Karasuma | 170JPY |
| Total | 910JPY | ||
Hello! I’m Emi (meaning “smile” or “laugh” in Japanese) , born, raised, and living in Osaka for more than half a century. I’ve been working as a government-licensed tour guide since 2018 after early retirement from a company. My favorite things are hiking, cooking, eating, laughing, learning different cultures, jazz, playing the chromatic harmonica, etc.
I’ll provide you with a few suggested itineraries first, but of course I’ll be happy to provide you with a flexible itinerary according to your preferences and requests and to help you enjoy your stay in Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, etc. I can also offer a tour visiting not only popular destinations but also hidden or less-crowded places.
I’m looking forward to meeting and guiding you!!
Jul 17, 2026
TROY_R
Viator review: Osaka Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
This was a perfect tour…
This was a perfect tour of…
Jul 17, 2026
TROY_R
Viator review: Osaka Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
This was a perfect tour…
This was a perfect tour of Osaka! Our guide Emi built a tailored itinerary that exactly met our needs and we visited amazing sites we would’ve never known about thanks to her. Throughout the tour, Emi was so kind, knowledgable, positive, and flexible – we enjoyed every second and are so grateful she was the person that showed us beautiful Osaka. Strongly recommend Emi and this tour if you’re planning a trip to Osaka!
Sep 18, 2025
L9831WKjenniferb
4 hour Kyoto tour with English speaking guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lovely afternoon with English…
Sep 18, 2025
L9831WKjenniferb
4 hour Kyoto tour with English speaking guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lovely afternoon with English speaking Emiko Yamanaka. Very informative and knowledgeable about the history of the city. Visited the Torii shrine, sadly the other shrine had just closed, and walked through the Gion district. Emi also provided us with a map that she had made with the must see places, including which subway line and how many stops to take! Very useful for the next day trip. Would highly recommend Emi as your tour guide
Aug 15, 2025
SuperGC68
Great value
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a two day 6hr tour with our guide…
Aug 15, 2025
SuperGC68
Great value
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a two day 6hr tour with our guide who took us around in Kyoto. It was a well balanced walking tour through historical sites, famous streets/neighbourhoods and local markets. We travelled very efficiently with a combination of taxis, trains and buses. Our guide Emi was very well prepared, with high flexibility, kindness and curiosity. She was a great value to the tour. I highly recommend this two day tour to visit Kyoto in a very efficient way.
Jul 4, 2025
Inspire64445626178
Delightful day with Emi
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a delightful day with our guide…
Jul 4, 2025
Inspire64445626178
Delightful day with Emi
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a delightful day with our guide Emi. She designed a day around all the main spots that we wanted to visit at a comfortable pace. We learned a lot from her! And we couldn’t have done all that we did that day without her deep knowledge and experience. My niece said that it was the best day of our vacation! Thank you Emi for guiding us and sharing your knowledge with us! I would highly recommend this tour with Emi.