Kyoto in One Day: Fushimi Inari & Shijo Kawaramachi — Guide Kuni
September, 2025
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
- 09:00 Meet at the base of Kyoto Tower
- 10:00 Fushimi Inari
- 11:45 Kiyomizu-dera
- 13:00 Gion
- 13:40 Lunch in Gion
- 14:40 Shijo Kawaramachi
- 15:00 End at the Nintendo Store in Takashimaya
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Kyoto began at 09:00, when the guide met the guests at base of Kyoto Tower, and finished at 15:00. The day ran to 6 hours from start to finish. It included lunch in Gion at 13:40.
From there the group visited Fushimi Inari at 10:00, Kiyomizu-dera at 11:45, Gion at 13:00 and Shijo Kawaramachi at 14:40.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Kyoto to Inari by train (150JPY); Fushimi Inari to Kiyomizu-Gojo (220JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 370JPY per person.
Title: What's a Full-Day Private Walking Tour of Kyoto Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting Japan from Oceania. Since I had informed them in advance that we would walk nearly 10 km, we covered almost the entire sightseeing route on foot. A [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) guide led this full-day private walking tour of Kyoto. I recommended taking a taxi from Fushimi Inari to Kiyomizu-dera, but the guests preferred the Keihan train, so we traveled to Kiyomizu-Gojo and then walked from Kiyomizu-dera to Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka, and on to Gion. In Gion, the guests enjoyed okonomiyaki. As some of the guests were fond of anime, we finished the tour with a visit to the Nintendo shop on the 7th floor of Takashimaya. With no heat or humidity, the guests were able to enjoy comfortable sightseeing throughout the day.
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 | Other | Fushimi Inari～Kiyomizu-Gojo | 220JPY |
| Total | 370JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kyoto tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at base of Kyoto Tower at 09:00, and the tour finished at Nintendo Store in Takashimaya at 15:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours in total, from 09:00 to 15:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion and Shijo Kawaramachi.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 370JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Kuni is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Kyoto itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hi I am Kunihiro ARAKAWA, National government licensed tour guide.
Please call me first name Kuni.
My original city is Nagoya, but I lived in Tokyo for 20 years,
and also lived in London and Paris for work.
Now I live in Kyoto city. I moved here because I love Kyoto.
I like taking photos and also sell my own photos on website.
I’d love to take memorable photos for you at great photo spots.
I also like history and gourmet food.
I’d love to introduce some local recommendations.
I’ll ask your request and create your special tour.
Please feel free to let us know your thoughts.
Looking forward to meeting you !
Kuni
Jul 18, 2026
M2443VKandrewl
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Excellent guide and support
Kuni-san was an excellent guide and…
Jul 18, 2026
M2443VKandrewl
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Excellent guide and support
Kuni-san was an excellent guide and very friendly and knowledgable. Kuni-san greatly assisted with meeting one of our family member medical needs on the day and was very helpful in supporting us and changing the itinerary and assisting our family member.
I would HIGHLY recommend Kuni-san as a guide and this tour defintely met our needs as a group of 4.
Jun 9, 2026
Gail M
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Jun 9, 2026
Gail M
Tripadvisor review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Kyoto Sights; Private Guide & Driver
The communication was very good. It began prior to the trip with emails from our guide,
Kuni. We worked on the best itinerary for our day tour to Kyoto, both Kuni and our driver were
very efficient, organized and personable. My family had a great experience.
Jun 5, 2026
Rick_S
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
An afternoon in Kyoto
We had a great time exploring Kyoto. Our…
Jun 5, 2026
Rick_S
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
An afternoon in Kyoto
We had a great time exploring Kyoto. Our guide did a fantastic job helping us navigate the
city and exploring the history of Kyoto
May 16, 2026
sydneybA4751LA
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
10/10 private tour of Kyoto!
Kuni was amazing as our private tour…
May 16, 2026
sydneybA4751LA
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
10/10 private tour of Kyoto!
Kuni was amazing as our private tour guide! Before the tour, he reached out to ask about the specific itinerary we wanted to do. He took into consideration all of our thoughts. The tour was amazing. He was very informative and it was very special to see all of the sites. Would recommend highly!