Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car — Guide Shoko
November, 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
- 1.8:55 Meet up @Rihga Gran Kyoto
- 2.9:10 @Fushimi Inari Taisha
- 3.10:40 @Yasui Konpiragu
- 4.11:05 @Ookini Kiyomizudera (kimono rental shop)
- 5.11:55 Kimono dressing finished @Ookini Kiyomizudera
- 6:12:00 Photo shoot @Shinkakuji, Hokanji, Higashiyama Sodo, Nene-no-michi, etc.
- 7.13:45 @Kiyomizudera
- 8:14:15 @Gojozaka, skewered grill shop
- 9.15:45 Dismissal @Rihga Gran Kyoto
Title: What Is a Private Kyoto Day Tour with Kimono Rental Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a family visiting from North America. In our email exchanges, they had listed many sightseeing spots they hoped to see, while also having an 11:30 reservation for kimono rental and a photo shoot near Kiyomizu-dera Temple. That is how the above itinerary came about. Putting on the kimono took nearly 50 minutes. Furthermore, I had assumed the photo shoot would take place at the shop, but a photographer had the family pose at various spots throughout the Higashiyama district, taking many photos in several locations, and the photo shoot alone took about an hour. One of the older guests had become tired. When the photographer finally released the family along Nene-no-Michi, I had the car come to Nene-no-Michi, and we returned to the kimono rental shop. After changing out of the kimono and feeling more comfortable, they toured Kiyomizu-dera Temple. On Gojo-zaka slope going down from Kiyomizu-dera, there is a grilled skewer shop, and the guests, who had grown hungry, enjoyed some grilled skewers and other items. After sightseeing at Kiyomizu-dera, in the morning they had said they wanted to go to Kinkaku-ji Temple and the bamboo grove as well, but in the car heading from Kiyomizu-dera toward Kinkaku-ji, around the Kitano-Hakubaicho area where we were about to arrive at Kinkaku-ji, they said, "We are tired, so we will not go to Kinkaku-ji. We want to go back to the hotel." So I had the driver change the destination to the hotel, and we headed back. The tour was also extended. In the morning the meeting time was 8:30, so I waited until 8:30, but they did not come to the hotel lobby. When I called via a messaging app, it seemed that day was their checkout day, and they said, "We are putting out our luggage now, so please wait a moment." I waited, and in the end they came to the lobby 25 minutes late. Because of this delay, along with the time it took for the kimono fitting and the photos, we were not able to do very much sightseeing, so I am not sure whether they were satisfied.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
I am an experienced guide, who live in Osaka. I have been a Government-Licensed Guide in English since 2018. I have already guided a lot of tourists overseas in Kansai Area, that is, in the vicinity of my prefecture, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, and Himeji. I am especially good at guiding in Kansai Area with sufficient knowledge of history, culture and transportation. I have guided people ranging from a small group of one or two to a group of 20-50 people in a big bus, that is, a coach. I like delicious food, because Osaka is a city of Kuidaorre, which means that people in Osaka love to eat and never spend too much money on food. Therefore, as an Osakan, I will do my best to explore restaurants which serve most delicious foods in wherever I take to my guests.
Mar 31, 2026
Michael A
Tripadvisor review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Perfectly customized tour
Shoko San did an amazing job planning a…
Mar 31, 2026
Michael A
Tripadvisor review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Perfectly customized tour
Shoko San did an amazing job planning a customized tour of more quiet places for Osaka.
We visited a couple of temples and a beautiful Japanese garden. Shoko was very
knowledgeable and accommodating for us. Highly recommended.
Mar 29, 2026
judyl582
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Shoko was great
Shoko was an excellent guide. From the moment she…
Mar 29, 2026
judyl582
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Shoko was great
Shoko was an excellent guide. From the moment she was assigned to our tour (month prior) to the day of, her communication was clear and proactive. She tailored our day based on our interests and got us where we needed to be quickly and efficiently. She was also VERY knowledgable of the history of the sites we visited.
Oct 8, 2025
441gayh
World Heritage Kyoto places with the best guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Absolutely perfect! SHOKO was…
Oct 8, 2025
441gayh
World Heritage Kyoto places with the best guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Absolutely perfect! SHOKO was the best person to take this tour with. She knew the history of the places we visited – we went to 4 of the world heritage listed places, by train, bus, tram, taxi – just a wonderful day and we will carry many happy memories. Thank you Shoko, you are a beautiful person.
Oct 3, 2025
Judi H
Introduction to Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful tour with Shoko.
She…
Oct 3, 2025
Judi H
Introduction to Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful tour with Shoko.
She was the same age as we were and we all had a lot of fun.
She had a lovely sense of humour and was very fit so we all worked hard to keep up and enjoy every moment.
She had been in touch with us prior to our arrival in Kyoto,and knew what we wanted to see, and she assisted us with the public transport as it was our first day to see this city.
We had a wonderful tour of Fushimi Inari Shrine where she helped us to make our way through the crowds and took some great photos.
She was up beat and enthusiastic, and could answer all of our many questions.
After taking us to three wonderful shrines and finding us a very cute little place to eat, she stayed with us until she was satisfied we could find our way home.
Shoko was a lovely guide and we left feeling like old friends.