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
- 8:50 Meet at Kyoto Station 9:30 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 10:45 Ryoanji Temple 11:45 Lunch (Sushi) 12:35 Kinkakuji Temple 14:00 Nijo Castle
- 15:10 Drop off at the subway station near the hotel and end the tour
What Is a Private Kyoto Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Kinkaku-ji and Nijo Castle
The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from North America. We were able to meet at Kyoto Station earlier than the scheduled time, so the tour started very smoothly. It was a pleasure to guide them, as everyone listened carefully to the explanations throughout the tour. Although it was over 30 degrees Celsius, everyone in the group seemed used to walking, and they had even walked more than 20 minutes to Kyoto Station in the morning. Partly because we started in the afternoon, both Kinkaku-ji and Nijo Castle were relatively uncrowded and easy to sightsee. After Nijo Castle, I saw the group off at Gojo subway station, which was near their accommodation, and the tour ended. 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～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Randen Arashiyama～Ryoanji | 250JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Ryoanji～Waratenjin-mae | 230JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Kinkakuji-michi～Nishioji Oike | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Subway | Nishioji Oike～Nijojo-mae | 220JPY |
| Section 6 | Subway | Nijojo-mae～Gojo | 220JPY |
| Total | 1,390JPY | ||
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.