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
- I had arranged to meet the customer at Kyoto Station at 12:30 in advance, but on the day the customer arrived around 13:00, and because the actual start of the tour was delayed by nearly an hour due to luggage and shopping at a convenience store, I consulted with the customer and set the course as Arashiyama (Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji) → (Yasaka Pagoda) → Kiyomizu-dera → Gion.
What Is a Private Kyoto Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Arashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera, and Gion
To confirm the meeting arrangements for the tour day, I sent an email and an international SMS a few days beforehand, but received no reply. As a precaution, I sent a fax to the hotel where the guests were scheduled to stay and asked the staff to hand it over at check-in. On the day, when the guests had not arrived even ten minutes after the meeting time (12:30), I called the hotel and was told they had not yet checked in. I apologize for any inconvenience, but I called [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) to confirm, and they told me an email had arrived saying the guests would be late. Shortly afterward, the guests came directly to the meeting point without stopping at the hotel, but due to storing luggage and shopping at a convenience store, the actual start of the tour was delayed by about an hour. Since the guests wished to visit Arashiyama and Gion, I planned a route of Arashiyama → Kiyomizu-dera → Gion. In Arashiyama, I guided them to the bamboo grove and Nonomiya Shrine, and took photos of the group in the bamboo grove. They seemed to really like the bamboo grove. I also made time for them to eat a bento they had bought at the observation deck. After that, we took photos at Tenryu-ji and Togetsukyo Bridge, then traveled via the Randen tram, subway, and bus to Kiyomizu-dera by way of Yasaka Pagoda. Some of the guests were children, so rather than just looking, I wanted them to experience a little, so I had them ring the large orin bell in the main hall, pour water over the wet Kannon statue, and scoop and drink water at the Otowa Waterfall. I took photos of these moments as well, and the guests all seemed to enjoy it. After that, we moved to Gion, and after explaining the workings of the geisha district, the tour ended around the Hanamikoji area (just after 18:10). It was a very hot day, and both the guests and I made sure to stay hydrated. Although we got off to a late start, I was glad we managed to complete the tour. After the tour, the guests went into a restaurant near Gion-Shijo.
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 | Kyoto Station～Saga-Arashiyama Station | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Randen Arashiyama Station～Randen Tenjingawa Station | 250JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Uzumasa-Tenjingawa Station～Higashiyama Station | 260JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Higashiyama-Sanjo～Kiyomizu-michi | 230JPY |
| Total | 980JPY | ||
Nice to meet you.
My name is Hiroki Muramoto, please call me Hiro.
Hiro in Japanese means large or big. Although I’m neither large nor big, you can call me Hiro. How are you doing ?
I lived in a city nearby Kobe city. Do you know Kobe ? Kobe is famous for Kobe beef and pearl. If you have not yet had Kobe beef, you should taste the authentic Kobe beef. It is very satisfying taste. But I have recently moved to a city in Kyoto prefecture, so I can be in Kyoto city in about one hour. By the way, I am a family of four. I have a son and a daughter. My son now works in Tokyo. I sometimes go to Tokyo to see him. Tokyo is a huge city, but too crowded, so it seems not to suit me. I seem to be better suited to a small city than a big one. Where do you live in ? How many families do you have ? If you like, please tell me about them. I worked in the quality assurance department of a pharmaceutical company and visited the factories of foreign affiliated companies, so I became interested in foreign cultures and obtained a qualification as an interpreter guide in 2015.
I have been a guide for about eight years. During that time, I have guided in Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Kochi and so on, although I could do little guiding work between 2020 and 2022 due to COVID-19. However, since last year, my guiding work has been back! So, I am happy to be able to meet different people again. My hobby is travelling, but sadly, I am not in a position to travel abroad easily at the moment due to the very weak yen, and I hope to travel abroad again when the situation eases a bit more.
How many countries have you been to so far ? Which countries have you liked so far? Another hobby is watching sports – baseball and football. Do you like the baseball ? Do you know Otani, Japanese baseball player ? He has joined Dodgers in Los Angeles this year. I look forward to another successful year for Otani.
By the way, what interests you in Japan? Food, history, scenery ? As far as tourist attractions are concerned, famous places are too crowded. If you like, I also would like to show you some less crowded places. Are you interested in experiencing something ? If you want to experience something, I can suggest an experience plan for you. If so, please contact me as early as possible. As for food, what kind of food do you like? There are many kinds of delicious food. Of course, you can get good food in fine restaurants, but you can also get good food in downtown restaurants. If you like alcohol, why don’t you try Japanese sake? It can range from light and fragrant to rich in flavor, so you’re sure to find a Japanese sake you like.
My motto is “Be content with life.” However, I find myself complaining all the time. If you like, please tell me your motto. I want to treat all guests who visit Japan with the spirit of “Treasure every encounter” and guide them so that they can enjoy themselves and have good memories of Japan.
You only live once (YOLO). So, I also want to enjoy it with you.
I look forward to meeting you.
Best regard.
Nov 27, 2024
Julianne_A
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Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
This was a wonderful experience with our guide Hiro. He…
Nov 27, 2024
Julianne_A
Book it
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
This was a wonderful experience with our guide Hiro. He adapted the tour to our preferences
and helped us cover a lot of ground in one day. Would recommend!