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
- 10:10 Meet at Kyoto Station Shinkansen ticket gate 10:30 Fushimi Inari 11:45 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 12:40 Short break (lunch) 14:00 Kinkaku-ji 15:30 Gion area
- 16:05 Taxi to Kyoto Station 16:20 Arrive at Kyoto Station Tour ends

What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like from Kyoto Station? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from Europe. They arrived in Kyoto by bullet train from the port of Kobe. Meeting them at Kyoto Station took a little time, but I was glad we were able to meet. It rained from the morning, which was a concern. The first stop, Fushimi Inari, had to be visited under umbrellas, but fortunately it did not rain during the rest of the day at Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji, and Gion. The guests were steady on their feet and walked well. Perhaps because of the rain, Arashiyama felt less crowded. Kinkaku-ji and Gion were as busy as usual. The city bus heading to Kinkaku-ji was not crowded, but there seemed to be many group visitors who had come by tour bus. At Fushimi Inari, gagaku music and dance were being performed for prayers. This had been prohibited to photograph before, but over the past year or so it seemed they had given up on restricting it and photography had been allowed. Today, however, it was prohibited again. I wish they would not keep changing the policy back and forth. The photo was taken at the bamboo grove in Arashiyama.
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~Inari | 150JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Inari~Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Saga-Arashiyama~Enmachi | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Enmachi~Kinkakuji-michi | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Bus | Kinkakuji-michi~Nishioji-Oike | 230JPY |
| Section 6 | Subway | Nishioji-Oike~Higashiyama | 260JPY |
| Section 7 | Bus | Higashiyama-Sanjo~Gion | 230JPY |
| Total | 1,520JPY | ||
I was born and grew up in Kyoto and now live near Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. I used to be a schoolteacher of English and welcome a lot of students from foreign countries. I really enjoyed showing them around Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Himeji, and Hiroshima. I have been a professional tour guide for about 8 years. I always try to let my guests learn Japanese traditional and modern culture. Since I was born in Kyoto, I know a lot about its culture and people. I myself enjoyed several sports, such as soccer, judo, and marathon when I was young. I’m much interested in baseball and sumo. My motto as a tour guide is to let my guests learn about our tradition and culture precisely and really enjoy themselves. I strongly hope you will enjoy the tour in Japan with me.
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep…
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep knowledge about the history and culture of Japan. He is flexible and accommodates changes if you so desire. He is also very empathetic. I had a sprained back and he ensured we took elevators everywhere. You will be lucky if he is assigned as your guide .
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience…
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience on the tour. We travelled all around Kyoto with our guide Kazuo Sumi. He is a sweet older gentleman who had a great depth of knowledge about each place we went to. We told him places we wanted to go and he made the itinerary for us. There is no one better to have as your guide!!
Jul 16, 2026
margaretsM7923ON
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Great way to see Kyoto
Wonderful tour and exceptional guide.
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided…
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided some excellent recommendations. There’s a lot of walking so make sure you are prepared.
