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 Hyatt Place Kyoto
- 10:00 Nijojo Castle (1300) by subway
- 12:20 Toru Soba for lunch by walking(15min.)
- 14:00 Toshoan by taxi
- 14:40 Ginkakuji by taxi
- Philosopher's path
- 16:30 Karasumaoike Sta.
- End of the tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Hyatt Place Kyoto at 09:30, Nijojo Castle (1300) by subway at 10:00, Toru Soba for lunch by walking(15min.) at 12:20, Toshoan by taxi at 14:00, Ginkakuji by taxi at 14:40 and Karasumaoike Sta. at 16:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Marutamachi to Nijojo-mae by train (220JPY); Keage to Karasuma Oike by train (220JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 440JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private Kyoto Day Tour Like When Plans Change? A Licensed Guide's Report
The point of contact was ultimately a travel agency. I had asked in advance where the guests wanted to sightsee, but received no response, so I created a tentative itinerary and sent it, though it seemed they had not looked at it. The day before, since no finalized itinerary had been sent, I received an email saying they would cancel. I called Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) to report this and deleted the information intending to cancel, but then received another email saying that the guide had been canceled and I should guide the guests after all. The plan was Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace. Since some of the guests had food allergies, I was asked to take them to a designated soba restaurant for lunch, and afterward to a gluten-free Japanese sweets shop, which I did. When I explained that at the Imperial Palace you can only view the buildings from the outside, they said they would like to return to the area around the Philosopher's Path, which they had visited the previous day. So from Ginkakuji we walked through the Philosopher's Path, took the subway, and parted ways at Karasuma Oike. They did not do any shopping and were not particularly interested in the tourist sites; as we walked I talked about flowers and pointed out things I noticed in the Kyoto streetscape. The guests seemed to have a very enjoyable time. In the end I was not given the guests' contact information. I only learned a name from the agency mentioning that one of the guests had allergies, so I prepared a paper with the name written on it and was able to meet them at the hotel.
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 | Marutamachi～Nijojo-mae | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Keage～Karasuma Oike | 220JPY |
| Total | 440JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Hyatt Place Kyoto, Nijojo Castle (1300) by subway, Toru Soba for lunch by walking(15min.), Toshoan by taxi, Ginkakuji by taxi and Karasumaoike Sta..
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 440JPY 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