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
- 08:30 Gion Elite Terrace
- 09:00 Kinkakuji (500) by taxi
- 10:00 Ryoanji (600) by taxi
- 11:30 Bamboo Path by taxi
- 11:40 Tenryuji (500) by walking
- 12:00 Lunch at Shigetsu (booked) in Tenryuji grounds
- Arashiyama
- Togetsukyo
- 14:00 Fushimiinari by JR Saga line and JR Nara line
- 15:00 Kyoto Sta.
- End of the tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Gion Elite Terrace at 08:30, Kinkakuji (500) by taxi at 09:00, Ryoanji (600) by taxi at 10:00, Bamboo Path by taxi at 11:30, Tenryuji (500) by walking at 11:40, Fushimiinari by JR Saga line and JR Nara line at 14:00 and Kyoto Sta. at 15:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Saga-Arashiyama to Inari by train (240JPY). Across 1 sections the fare came to 240JPY per person.
What Is a Private Kyoto Day Tour Like in Spring? A Licensed Guide's Report on Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari
The guests were visitors from North America who were very knowledgeable about plants, having studied gardening. As I also had a fair amount of knowledge on the subject, we enjoyed a lively conversation full of enthusiastic, in-depth topics. In addition to weeping cherry blossoms in full bloom, camellias, late-blooming plum blossoms, and Japanese cornel dogwood, the maple trees were just beginning to bud, and some even had small red flowers, which inspired us to coin a new phrase among us: "Maple Blossoms." For lunch, at the guests' request, we went to Shigetsu within the grounds of Tenryu-ji Temple, though in the end it turned out to be not quite as delicious as expected. Since they also wished to ride a train, we finished the day by taking the JR line to Fushimi Inari. The fortune slip results were not particularly good, so we tied them up there. A torii-gate-shaped votive plaque was purchased as a Christmas ornament. With so many varied topics to enjoy, I was able to conduct a very pleasant tour.
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 | Saga-Arashiyama～Inari | 240JPY |
| Total | 240JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Gion Elite Terrace, Kinkakuji (500) by taxi, Ryoanji (600) by taxi, Bamboo Path by taxi, Tenryuji (500) by walking, Fushimiinari by JR Saga line and JR Nara line and Kyoto Sta..
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 240JPY per person across 1 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!
Jul 14, 2026
T6871WWricharde
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kazz gave a great one on one 8 hour custom tour…
Jul 14, 2026
T6871WWricharde
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kazz gave a great one on one 8 hour custom tour of Kyoto
Ryoich Kazuma (Kazz) was an amazing guide! He picked me up at my hotel and expertly guided me around Kyoto, showing me a custom set of sites. His background revealed interesting facts about the sites and related Japanese culture. He photographed moments for me and later shared all the pictures, allowing me to enjoy the sites rather than focusing on taking all my own pictures. He prepared an itinerary in advance and gave me useful information about how much local currency would be needed as well as estimated admission and transportation costs. Basically have 15000 yen ready and use a Suica card and everything is easy! We had a lovely lunch around midday as well. I highly recommend the tour and can’t say enough good things about Kazz! Love every moment!!
Jun 5, 2026
mateoe216
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Would book again
The tour with Kazuma-san was absolutely great. As someone…
Jun 5, 2026
mateoe216
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Would book again
The tour with Kazuma-san was absolutely great. As someone who has never taken a private tour before, I was unsure what to expect. Kazuma-san met us at our hotel, was very friendly and knowledgeable. His English is also good. As me and my mother took more time than planned at the different sites we visited, Kazuma-san was able to provide us with interesting explanations and history facts throughout it all, even smells of local flora, and he took photos for us even after the alloted 4 hours were over and we were on our way back. One highlight for me was a high end porcelain shop near kiyomizudera.
I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to get a feel for Kyoto’s temples and history.
May 27, 2026
Leah_D
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Absolutely recommend!
I definitely recommend seeing some of the sights with a…
May 27, 2026
Leah_D
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Absolutely recommend!
I definitely recommend seeing some of the sights with a guide, we learned so many things we would’ve been clueless about had we done some of the temples and castles on our own. Kazz was a wonderful guide and took pictures of us with his nice camera everywhere we went, so we had a little photo album of our day at the end of it! We had so much fun and are extremely glad we did this. Thank you so much!!
May 26, 2026
sheilacL3330KS
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Very enthusiastic and knowledgable guide. Much appreciated
Kazz was an excellent guide…
May 26, 2026
sheilacL3330KS
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Very enthusiastic and knowledgable guide. Much appreciated
Kazz was an excellent guide – very enthusiastic about everything and happy to explain not only the meaning of the ‘golden pavilion’ but also the different properties of bamboo, and the meanings of anything pertinent he noticed in various shops He also took multiple photographs which he sent to us via email .