Kyoto in Half a Day: standby at Kyoto Sta. — Guide Hideyoshi
September, 2024
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
- 9:00 standby at Kyoto Sta.
- 9:20 pck you up in the south side of Kyoto Sta.
- 10:00 Nijojo Castle
- 11:00 (take taxi)
- 11:20 Sanjusangen-do
- 12:10 (take bus)
- 12:30 Kyoto Station.
Tour Itinerary in Detail
From there the group visited standby at Kyoto Sta. at 9:00, pck you up in the south side of Kyoto Sta. at 9:20, Nijojo Castle at 10:00, (take taxi) at 11:00, Sanjusangen-do at 11:20, (take bus) at 12:10 and Kyoto Station. at 12:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Kyoto to Nijojo-mae by subway (260JPY); Sanjusangen-do-mae to Kyoto Station by bus (230JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 490JPY per person.
What Is a Private Kyoto Tour Like with Nijo Castle and Sanjusangendo? A Licensed Guide's Report
1. The guests were visitors from North America. 2. We had originally planned to meet on the south side of Kyoto Station (the Shinkansen side), but the guests got out of the taxi on the north side, stored their baggage in a coin locker, and then moved to the south side, where I was able to pick them up. 3. At Nijo Castle and Sanjusangendo, the stroller was left in front of the halls, and the guests joined the tour carrying their belongings by hand. At Sanjusangendo, they were deeply moved by the 1,001 Buddhist statues. 4. At the guests' request, we ended the tour in front of Kyoto Station at 12:30. The guests planned to have a meal and then travel to Kanazawa in the afternoon.
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～Nijojo-mae | 260JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Sanjusangen-do-mae～Kyoto Station | 230JPY |
| Total | 490JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited standby at Kyoto Sta., pck you up in the south side of Kyoto Sta., Nijojo Castle, (take taxi), Sanjusangen-do, (take bus) and Kyoto Station..
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 490JPY per person across 2 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?
Hideyoshi 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.
Hello, I’m HIDEo YOSHIda. Please call me HIDEYOSHI, the same name as a famous shogun who unified Japan for the first time in 1590.
I was born in Kobe, worked in Osaka for nearly 40 years. I would like to introduce you Kansai region, including Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara and Wakayama.
In Kyoto, I can guide you Nijojo Castle, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Kinkakuji Tempe (Golden Pavilion), Gion area, and Fushimi Inari Taisha.
In Osaka, I’ll show you Osaka Castle, Shinsekai, Dotonbori, and Umeda Sky biilding. We have locall foods such as Kushikatau, Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki.
In Kobe, I’ll take you to former foreign residential area, Sannomiya Shopping Street, Chinese Market, and Arima Onsen.
In Nara, I’ll guide you Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple, Kasuga Taisha, and Yakushiji Temple.
In Wakayama, I take you to Koyasan, the center of Esoteric Buddhism.
I enjoy guiding foreign tourists.
I can show you Japanese history, especially samurai period, and Shinto and Buddhism.
I’ve been looking forward to guiding you !!
Jun 1, 2026
Stephan_F
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great overview of the…
Great overview of the highlights of Kyoto with…
Jun 1, 2026
Stephan_F
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great overview of the…
Great overview of the highlights of Kyoto with an excellent guide. Just beware that the
different sites may be located at different ends of the city so you will spend time on trains.
Also, in the summer a parasol is probably a good idea as it can get hot.
May 28, 2025
terrym866
Kyoto guided tour was as promised. Very knowledgeable guide and driver .
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full Day Tour from Kobe with…
May 28, 2025
terrym866
Kyoto guided tour was as promised. Very knowledgeable guide and driver .
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full Day Tour from Kobe with Licensed Guide and Vehicle
Tour was as promised , well planned and executed. The guide was very knowledgeable and
friendly and went out of his way to make sure we were pleased.
Oct 17, 2024
katiya2017
Walking visit in Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide
We booked a full day walking…
Oct 17, 2024
katiya2017
Walking visit in Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide
We booked a full day walking tour excursion from Osaka to Kyoto from our cruise ship. Hideo Yoshida met us promptly and escorted us all day from Osaka to visit 4 of Kyotos most famous sites.
He proved to be a true Japanese gentleman, very polite , very knowledgeable and knew the train system well. We must have changed at least 10 trains and it would have been impossible to navigate this without him. Also we had our most delicious sushi and sashimi lunch in Japan in a restaurant he recommended.
Thank you Hideo for providing us a wonderful insight in Kyotos history.
Sep 29, 2024
Roy_M
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a very good private tour with…
Sep 29, 2024
Roy_M
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a very good private tour with Hide Yoshi – he made a good plan for us and whisked us around Kyoto to the key sites very efficiently. He had good knowledge about the places we visited and had prepared materials and photos to show us. He really helped us to get the maximum out of our time in Kyoto and is a really nice person. Also took us for an excellent lunch! Highly recommended.