Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Kazu

Title: What's a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like for First-Time Visitors? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visiting Japan for the first time, coming from North America. Their trip included Tokyo, Hakone, and Kyoto, followed by some time in Osaka and Nara, then island cycling in the Seto Inland Sea before returning to Tokyo and heading home. Both of them listened carefully to my explanations and asked questions from time to time. Like most visitors, they were interested in the history of the shrines and temples we visited and in Japanese history in general, so today I guided them to places such as Nijo Castle and the Kyoto Imperial Palace according to their wishes.

While chatting during the tour, I learned that today, July 4th, is a national holiday in North America, when families across the region enjoy barbecues, parades, and various local celebrations, spending relaxed time together. I listened while thinking that in Japan we don't celebrate our national foundation day in quite the same way. About 100 years after that independence day, during Japan's Meiji Restoration, the 15th shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu returned political power to the emperor and the Boshin War began; around the same time in North America there was a civil war, and the old order of an earlier era was gone with the wind. Both were times of great transformation. We spent the day together sharing stories like these.

In the taxi heading to Sanjusangendo, I asked the driver for a piece of trivia. The principal image of Sanjusangendo, the Thousand-Armed Kannon, was created about 800 years ago by Tankei. When you view the face from the right side it looks a little stern, and from the opposite side it looks slightly smiling. So how does it look from directly in front? It is said to reflect the heart of the person looking at it. I found this fascinating and shared the story with the guests right away, and it was enjoyable to stand before the statue at Sanjusangendo, looking at its face and discussing what we each saw. After we parted, the guests were going to join a food tour at Nishiki Market. I would be happy if I was able to contribute even a little to their wonderful trip.

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Tour Report by Kazu

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