Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Kazu

Title: What Is a Private Kyoto Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan from North America. Coincidentally, when I was younger I had taken part in a training program at a university in the same region, and since some of the guests were also from that area, we had a lively conversation about it. The tour was originally scheduled to start at 10:30, but at the guests' request we changed it to an 8:00 hotel meet-and-start. Having arrived in Japan the day before and reached Kyoto in the evening, it seemed a bit hard for them to get up early in the morning. When I arrived at the hotel, some of the guests were still having breakfast, so the start was delayed. They were a very pleasant group and asked many questions, which was great, though it did take time. Running considerably behind schedule, we were unable to reach the final destination, Kiyomizu-dera Temple. After I guided them as far as the Yasaka Pagoda, one of the guests suggested that since we had already gone over time, we should end here, so I explained how to get to Kiyomizu-dera and the tour concluded. If the combined total of the guests and myself had been four or fewer, I could have used a taxi to save time, but with a total of five it would have required two vehicles, so I did not suggest it.

There is something I sometimes think about at tourist sites: I wish guides would keep their explanations at each point to under one minute. Today, at the spot where I was explaining the photographs inside Kinkaku-ji, I could see from a slight distance that another guide was giving an explanation, so I waited a bit before moving over. However, that explanation continued and I ended up waiting quite a while. It is something I want to be mindful of myself. The photo was taken at Kinkaku-ji.

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Tour Report by KAZU

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.