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
- 11:30 Meet at Hotel
- 11:35 Itinerary explanation and about Kyoto's history
- 12:00 Sanjusangendo Temple
- 13:20 Kinkaku-ji Temple
- 14:30 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- 15:00 Tenryu-ji Temple Garden
- 15:30 Togetsukyo Bridge
- 16:45 Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
- 17:50 Disband at Hotel
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Kyoto began at 11:30, when the guide met the guests at Hotel, and finished at 17:50. The day ran to 6 hours and 20 minutes from start to finish.
From there the group visited Itinerary explanation and about Kyoto's history at 11:35, Sanjusangendo Temple at 12:00, Kinkaku-ji Temple at 13:20, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove at 14:30, Tenryu-ji Temple Garden at 15:00, Togetsukyo Bridge at 15:30 and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine at 16:45.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shichijo to Sanjo (Kyoto Prefecture) by train (180JPY); Sanjo Keihan to Nijo by train (220JPY); Enmachi to Saga-Arashiyama by train (180JPY); Saga-Arashiyama to Inari by train (240JPY). Across 4 sections the fare came to 820JPY per person.
What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji, and Fushimi Inari
The guests came from North America and traveled from Tokyo to Kyoto. Originally they had planned to explore Kyoto today and return to Tokyo the same day, but the cruise ship departing from Tokyo for Nagasaki tomorrow suddenly canceled its Nagasaki route due to Typhoon No. 22, so they decided to stay in Kyoto until tomorrow evening and asked me to come to their hotel on short notice. Tomorrow the ship will depart Tokyo bound for Singapore and tour Southeast Asia again, which sounds enviable. Rather than detailed explanations of history, politics, religion, and folklore, the guests were the type who wanted to take in beautiful, distinctly Japanese, indescribably exotic scenery with their eyes and savor the lingering impression, so long lectures were unnecessary, and they listened with sparkling eyes to the brief explanations that helped them soak up the atmosphere. Today, by chance, a pleasantly strong breeze blew through the bamboo grove in Arashiyama, rustling the leaves, and the sun setting in the west filtered through the trees, allowing them to take very beautiful photos and videos, which made them extremely happy. The scenery from Togetsukyo Bridge was crystal clear and beautiful, and the overwhelming Thousand-Armed Kannon of Sanjusangendo, the gorgeous view of the golden pavilion floating on the pond at Kinkaku-ji, and the Senbon Torii of Fushimi Inari faintly emerging in the dim twilight as the day began to darken — they simply looked at these, captured them in photos, occasionally asked a few questions, and were moved. That was the feel of it, and during the tour they ate only a single mitarashi dango while moving entirely by train and on foot. They were impressed by my energy, but the guests' stamina was quite remarkable as well. I was very happy when they said "Great day!" as we parted.
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 | Shichijo～Sanjo (Kyoto Prefecture) | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Sanjo Keihan～Nijo | 220JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Enmachi～Saga-Arashiyama | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Saga-Arashiyama～Inari | 240JPY |
| Total | 820JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kyoto tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Hotel at 11:30, and the tour finished at Hotel at 17:50.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours and 20 minutes in total, from 11:30 to 17:50.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Itinerary explanation and about Kyoto's history, Sanjusangendo Temple, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Tenryu-ji Temple Garden, Togetsukyo Bridge and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 820JPY per person across 4 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?
Kazu 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.
Hello, this is Kazu Akiyama, your tour guide. Nice to meet you and welcome to Japan. Thank you for joining me on the tour. Now I am a retired salaried worker, living in Osaka. I have been very much interested in not only learning Japanese history, culture, religion myself, but also talking about them (sometimes going off topics) in English with tourists from all over the world as well. I am so excited being with you as your guide on coming day! I am very much looking forward to you enjoying with me visiting the must-see places and some of the hidden gems. See you soon. Thank you – Kazu Akiyama
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable.…
Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable. Spoke perfect English and made the day fun and educational. Was able to adjust the tour based on my needs.
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu…
Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu san in Kyoto. From the moment that the tour was booked, his communication with email about planning the day was exceptional.
Kazu gave detailed explanations about the areas we visited and we appreciated all that he had to offer at each of our stops.
We thoroughly enjoyed our day with him.
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu.…
Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu. By the end of the day, we felt like we had made a new friend.
Kazu helped us arrange the best day with our short time in Kyoto. He brought us to some “hidden gems” and gave us thorough explanations on history and culture.
I would highly recommend this tour.
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide…
Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide Kazu was very knowledgeable in terms of the history and explaining many of
the wonderful ancient sites around Kyoto. Definitely a must! Otherwise, I think it would be
difficult to tourists to understand on their own.