Kyoto in One Day: Guide through Tenryu-ji Temple — Guide Toshi

April, 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. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

Tour Itinerary

  • 10:30: Meet at the hotel
  • 11:00: Guide through Tenryu-ji Temple
  • 12:00: Guide through the bamboo grove and Kameyama Park
  • 13:00: Lunch @ Arashiyama udon "Ozuru"
  • 14:00: Guide through Ninna-ji Temple
  • 15:00: Guide through Kinkaku-ji Temple
  • 16:30: Disband @ Nishiki Market

What's a Private Kyoto Sightseeing Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Tenryu-ji, Ninna-ji, and Kinkaku-ji

The guests were a group from Oceania, and they were a relaxed and easygoing group. One of the guests had a deep interest in Japanese culture and had been studying Japanese even before visiting Japan. Another of the guests already had a solid basic knowledge of Japanese culture, and I was surprised when this guest shared original opinions about Oceania's economy and trade situation over lunch. At Tenryu-ji Temple, in front of the beautiful pond-strolling garden, I taught the guests how to sit in zazen meditation so they could experience the atmosphere of Zen. After strolling through the lovely botanical garden of Tenryu-ji, we walked through the bamboo grove, passed through Kameyama Park, and proceeded to the area behind Tenryu-ji, where we had lunch. After lunch, one of the guests expressed a wish to see cherry blossoms and asked to be taken somewhere, so we took the Randen tram to Ninna-ji Temple, where the guests admired the Omuro cherry blossoms and were very pleased. From Ninna-ji, we moved to Kinkaku-ji Temple by Randen tram and taxi. After the guests fully enjoyed the beautiful Kinkaku-ji, a request was made to do some shopping, so we took a taxi to the Teramachi area and parted ways at Nishiki Market. Throughout today's guiding, I focused on flexible responses and made every effort to accommodate the guests' wishes.

Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1TrainJR Kyoto Station～JR Saga-Arashiyama Station240JPY
Section 2TrainRanden Arashiyama Station～Randen Ninna-ji Station250JPY
Section 3TrainRanden Ninna-ji Station～Randen Kitano-Hakubaicho Station250JPY
Total740JPY

Tour Report by Toshi

After a rather long teaching experience at Japanese college, I converted my career about 6 years ago into working as a tour guide for the tourists visiting Japan.
As my career overseas, I’ve been in the UN and the Japanese Embassy, all in the USA, totaling more than 6 years.
And then I had made a big change in my career from a diplomat to an academic researcher. For that career to achieve, I studied abroad and won a doctorate degree in linguistics from Indiana University and landed a teaching position at college in Japan.
With all these interesting and exciting experiences I’ve made myself ready to enrich your tour and make it both enjoyable and worthwhile.

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Apr 26, 2026
39ferdinandr
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Exceptional and entertaining
Great tour better the tour guide Toshi.

Apr 9, 2026
X1429XKclaudiam
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sehr zu empfehlen
Wir haben als Familie diese 6-stundige Tour durch Kyoto…

Jun 28, 2025
WilliamAlfonso_R
Toshi is a very eloquent, knowledgeable, and diligent tour guide.
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Toshi was…

May 30, 2025
Z
ZevP5
Best Tour Guide!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yoshi was the best guide!! He was so…