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 11:00 Meet in front of the Avanti Building at JR Kyoto Station
- ② 11:05 Itinerary explanation & a brief explanation about the history of Kyoto
- ③ 11:40 Fushimi Inari Taisha
- ④ 13:00 Quick lunch break at a nearby convenience store
- ⑤ 13:10 Cherry blossom viewing at Hirano Shrine
- ⑥ 13:30 Kinkaku-ji
- ⑦ 15:00 Stroll through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- ⑧ 16:30 Disband at JR Kyoto Station
What Is a Private Day Trip to Kyoto Like from Tokyo? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America, and it was their first time in Kyoto. They were based at a hotel in Tokyo and were taking day trips to places such as Hakone and Kyoto. At first the guests were surprisingly quiet, and I wondered how the day would go, but at some point something clicked and from there the conversation really came alive. There is a moment when you can almost hear that silent switch flip on, and hearing that is one of the rewarding parts of this work. They returned to Tokyo on the 6 p.m. bullet train. Since they said they would come again in five years, I made sure to promote various spots around Kyoto (laughs). Even though Tokyo was the main focus of their trip, I was glad they set aside a full day just for Kyoto.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
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.