Kyoto in One Day: Kinkakuji & Ksrasuma — Guide Kazz
January, 2025
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
- 09:30 Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Urushitei
- 10:00 Kinkakuji (500) by taxi
- 11:00 Ryoanji (600) by taxi
- 12:30 Adashino Nenbutsuji (500) by taxi
- 13:30 Lunch (Satsukitei)
- 14:00 Gioji (300) by walking
- 14:30 Bamboo grove by walking
- 15:30 Arashiyama Togetsukyo and the Monkey Park(800)
- 16:10 Randen Arashiyama
- 16:30 Ksrasuma (Hankyu Railway)
- End of the tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Urushitei at 09:30, Kinkakuji (500) by taxi at 10:00, Ryoanji (600) by taxi at 11:00, Adashino Nenbutsuji (500) by taxi at 12:30, Gioji (300) by walking at 14:00, Bamboo grove by walking at 14:30, Arashiyama Togetsukyo and the Monkey Park(800) at 15:30, Randen Arashiyama at 16:10 and Ksrasuma (Hankyu Railway) at 16:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Randen Arashiyama to Sai by train (250JPY); Sai to Karasuma by train (170JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 420JPY per person.
Title: What's a Private Kyoto Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji, and the Monkey Park
Body: The guests visited Kyoto from Oceania, coming after Miyajima, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, and Osaka. Since they had enjoyed okonomiyaki (Hiroshima-style) so much in Hiroshima and wanted to have it again, I recommended "Warai," a local okonomiyaki restaurant in Kyoto. Because they wanted to drink matcha, we enjoyed thin tea at a shop within the grounds of Kinkaku-ji, our first destination. After Ryoan-ji, we went to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji and Gio-ji. At Gio-ji the autumn leaves were completely bare, but the moss was reasonably beautiful and the guests were pleased. Since one of the guests likes coffee, we went to the Arashiyama branch of Arabica, but it was extremely crowded. As they mentioned they would be sightseeing around the Higashiyama area the next day, I let them know that the Arabica main store near Kiyomizu-dera would likely be less crowded. At Iwatayama Monkey Park, it felt like about 90% of the visitors were international tourists. One of the guests loves monkeys and was very excited feeding them. Since they wanted to return to the Hotel using PASMO, we took the Randen tram to Sai, transferred to the Hankyu line, and finished the tour at Karasuma Station.
Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Randen Arashiyama～Sai | 250JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Sai～Karasuma | 170JPY |
| Total | 420JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Urushitei, Kinkakuji (500) by taxi, Ryoanji (600) by taxi, Adashino Nenbutsuji (500) by taxi, Gioji (300) by walking, Bamboo grove by walking, Arashiyama Togetsukyo and the Monkey Park(800), Randen Arashiyama and Ksrasuma (Hankyu Railway).
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 420JPY 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?
Kazz 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.
I’m Ryoichi Kazuma and my nickname is “Kazz”. I live in Kyotanabe city next to Kyoto city. I want guests to enjoy Kyoto by seeing and experiencing not only from outside but also from inside. I offer various information from daily matters to traditional cultures. Most destinations in Kyoto are located on the eastern side or the western side. As I want to guide guests to as many destinations as possible, I make an efficient itinerary and recommend a taxi use to save time. Additionally, I take pictures at various spots and finally share the link to my storage. By doing so, guests can download their favorite pictures from my storage. Please enjoy Kyoto night and day!
Sep 25, 2026
Marvin_F
Kazz is an outstanding…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Kazz is an outstanding experiencedand friendly…
Sep 25, 2026
Marvin_F
Kazz is an outstanding…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Kazz is an outstanding experiencedand friendly tour guide. He took us to many interesting places during the six hours as well as off the tourist path to more interesting places. He thoroughly explained everything from a current and historical perspective. Outstanding tour.
Sep 21, 2026
Laura_K
Day in Kyoto with Kazz
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazz was an amazing…
Sep 21, 2026
Laura_K
Day in Kyoto with Kazz
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazz was an amazing guide! He was super knowledgeable and gave us really interesting info throughout all the stops. He’s also an amazing photographer!
Aug 27, 2026
M6034YWthomasm
Worth it
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
The day went by so quickly, a…
Aug 27, 2026
M6034YWthomasm
Worth it
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
The day went by so quickly, a true pleasure . Exceeded my expectations in knowledge and support of our questions.
Aug 10, 2026
Sez042
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Awesome experience
Tour guide Kazz was great. Very informative and showed…
Aug 10, 2026
Sez042
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Awesome experience
Tour guide Kazz was great. Very informative and showed us around which was great