Kyoto in One Day: Sightseeing at Nijo Castle — Guide Nori

Can You Do a 6-Hour Private Day Trip from Osaka to Kyoto? A Licensed Guide's Rainy-Day Report

The guests on this tour came from North America and were traveling around Japan by cruise ship, enjoying sightseeing at each port of call. [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) arranged this private tour for guests visiting Japan.

I discussed the itinerary in advance with the guests. They expressed a wish to visit many of Kyoto's famous sites, but since the tour departed from Osaka and was a "6-hour course," travel took a considerable amount of time, leaving only about four hours for actual sightseeing. Because they had a strong desire to experience Kyoto's history, culture (especially Gion), and nature, we finalized the route as "Nijo Castle → Arashiyama → Gion."

The weather forecast for Kyoto that day predicted "sunny then cloudy, with occasional rain," and that is exactly what happened. We ended up sightseeing under difficult conditions, with strong sunshine, cloudy skies, and brief sudden downpours. When we departed from Osaka the sun was strong, but by the time we reached Nijo Castle it had clouded over, and by the time we finished touring Nijo Castle it had begun to rain. Since the guests had not brought any rain gear, they purchased vinyl umbrellas at a shop. Fortunately, at our next stop in Arashiyama it was mostly cloudy, so the walk through the Bamboo Grove was comfortable. However, just as we left Tenryu-ji Temple, heavy rain began again, so we took shelter in a bamboo craft shop where they browsed souvenirs. At the Togetsukyo Bridge in the light rain, they enjoyed a different, more serene side of Arashiyama than usual. At our final stop in Gion, we enjoyed a stroll in the light rain while watching the preparations for the "Yoiyoiyama" festivities along Shijo Street.

Even under such challenging weather conditions, the guests remarked, "We're a little tired, but it was so much fun." Guiding under poor conditions is quite a challenge.

Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Nori

Hi, everyone! I’m Norifumi Kamon, a government registered guide interpreter. Please call me “Nori”, or “Kamon-san”.
Let me introdece myself. I was born on April 17th in 1952 in Miyazaki prefecture in Kyushu island. I used to be an English teacher of Osaka Prefectural high school. When I retired from a teacher ten years ago, I decided to get a professional guide license. I wanted to play a role of the bridge between Japanese people and the people from all over the world as a second life of mine. After two years efforts, I finally got the guide license. Since then, I have guided several handreds of foreign people mainly in Kyoto and Nara for about five years except Corona Pandemic period. Almost all the tourists were deeply impressed by the beauty of nature, traditoin, culture, and art of Japan. I can surely help you enjoy and be satisfied with the sightseeing in Japan. And I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.