Kyoto in One Day: walk to Kyoto & Kinkakuji — Guide Nabet
November, 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
- 9:30AM meeting in the lobby of Hotel Kyoto
- 9:30-9:45 walk to Kyoto Station
- 9:45-9:50 JR train from Kyoto to Inari
- 9:50-10:40 Fushimi Inari Shrine
- 11:15-11:20 JR train from Inari to Kyoto
- 11:42-11:59 JR train from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama
- 11:59-12:10 walk
- 12:10-1:00PM Lunch at Ramen Arashiyama-Chikurintei
- 1:00-1:45 stroll in Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji
- 1:45-2:00 Walk
- 2:02-2:09 JR train from Saga-Arashiyama to Enmachi
- 2:15-2:30 Bus
- 2:40-3:30 Kinkakuji Temple
- 3:30 End of the Tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 09:30 at lobby of Hotel Kyoto and ended at 3:30.
Over the course of the day the route took in walk to Kyoto Station at 9:30, JR train from Kyoto to Inari at 9:45, Fushimi Inari Shrine at 9:50, JR train from Inari to Kyoto at 11:15, JR train from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama at 11:42, walk at 11:59, PM Lunch at Ramen Arashiyama-Chikurintei at 12:10, stroll in Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji at 1:00, Walk at 1:45, JR train from Saga-Arashiyama to Enmachi at 2:02, Bus at 2:15 and Kinkakuji Temple at 2:40.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Kyoto to Inari by train (150JPY); Inari to Saga-Arashiyama by train (240JPY); Saga-Arashiyama to Enmachi by train (180JPY); Nishinokyo-Enmachi (JR Enmachi Station)／Kyoto City Bus to Kinkakuji-michi／Kyoto City Bus by bus (230JPY). Across 4 sections the fare came to 800JPY per person.
What Should You See on a First-Time Private Kyoto Day Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from Oceania. Since it was their first time in Japan and in Kyoto, they wanted to see the must-visit spots, so I set an itinerary covering Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, and Kinkaku-ji.
Because some of the guests had dietary needs, I chose a favorite ramen restaurant in Arashiyama that offers a vegan menu for lunch. One of the guests wanted to have a Kobe beef set, and everyone ordered different dishes, so even though we all had "ramen," each person enjoyed a completely different meal. This reminded me once again how important it is to be able to accommodate such a variety of ingredients and preferences when serving international visitors. After the delicious ramen, we took a walk through the nearby bamboo grove and the grounds of Tenryu-ji as a bit of post-meal exercise. They were deeply impressed by the bamboo grove.
As it was the middle day of a three-day weekend, there were many Japanese tourists as well, and Fushimi Inari, the bamboo grove, and Kinkaku-ji were all crowded with visitors. In particular, the bus heading from Enmachi to Kinkaku-ji was completely packed, but all of us managed to squeeze in and board. We were blessed with good weather throughout, and Kinkaku-ji glittered in the evening sun, with everyone holding their breath as they took photos.
I heard they wrote a review right away (though "Kyoto" ended up as "Tokyo"…), and I was glad they seemed to return home with good memories (they moved to Narita the next morning and departed in the evening).
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 | Train | Inari～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Saga-Arashiyama～Enmachi | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Nishinokyo-Enmachi (JR Enmachi Station)／Kyoto City Bus～Kinkakuji-michi／Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Total | 800JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Kyoto tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at lobby of Hotel Kyoto at 09:30, and the tour finished at of the Tour at 3:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited walk to Kyoto Station, JR train from Kyoto to Inari, Fushimi Inari Shrine, JR train from Inari to Kyoto, JR train from Kyoto to Saga-Arashiyama, walk, PM Lunch at Ramen Arashiyama-Chikurintei, stroll in Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji, Walk, JR train from Saga-Arashiyama to Enmachi, Bus and Kinkakuji Temple.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 800JPY 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?
Nabet 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.
“He was easy to talk to, friendly, and knowledgeable and even made sure we successfully navigated the public transit back to our hotel. If we are ever back in Kyoto, we’d love to book a tour with him again! ”
“At every side we got an indepth explanation to any minor detail and every question we asked was answered and explained really well. It felt like a relaxing and wholesome walk through Kyoto even while it was pouring rain. We can absolutely recommend choosing Nabet!”
“Nabet’s English is just perfect, he knows the way around sights, little streets and hidden secrets, he is very authentic…just a perfect tour!”
Here are just a few of the many kind reviews I’ve received from the more than 100 groups I’ve guided through Kyoto and other cities.
I’m deeply thankful for the chance to connect with my guests and contribute to a memorable tour experience!
+Current Occupation+
• Associate Professor specially appointed for Entrepreneurship Education and University-Based Startup Support
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• Government-Licensed Interpreter Guide
+Hobbies+
Travel, music, sake, ice hockey, squash, watching soccer
May 29, 2026
Tamara M
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kyoto bei Nacht – faszinierende Einblicke in Kultur und Spiritualität
Ich…
May 29, 2026
Tamara M
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kyoto bei Nacht – faszinierende Einblicke in Kultur und Spiritualität
Ich habe eine wundervolle private Tour mit Nabet am Abend gehabt. Wir waren unter anderem im Viertel der Geiko und Maiko sowie am Fushimi-Inari Schrein. Ich habe viel über die Stadt Kyoto erfahren sowie die Religionen des Shinotismus und des Buddhismus. Nabet hatte viel Wissen und hat es mit Freude geteilt. Eine wirklich tolle Tour und ein schönes Erlebnis!
「夜の京都 — 文化と精神性への魅力的な洞察」
夕方にNabetと素晴らしいプライベートツアーを楽しみました。私たちは主に、芸妓や舞妓のいる地区や、伏見稲荷神社にも行きました。京都という街について、そして神道や仏教といった宗教について多くを学ぶことができました。ナベトは豊富な知識を持っていて、それを喜んで共有してくれました。本当に素晴らしいツアーで、良い体験でした。
Oct 21, 2025
Jana_C
4-hour private tour with Nabet was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Viator review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had an amazing experience…
Oct 21, 2025
Jana_C
4-hour private tour with Nabet was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Viator review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had an amazing experience with Nabet as our tour guide! He was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to answer all of our questions thoughtfully. From the beginning, he was on time, organized, and made sure to ask which locations we wanted to visit so he could tailor the tour to our interests since we were only in Kyoto for a day.
Nabet was also very friendly, engaging, and easy to talk to, which made the experience even more enjoyable. We learned so much throughout the tour thanks to his clear explanations and insights. Everything ran smoothly and right on schedule.
He gave us the best recommendation for dinner after the tour as well.
We highly recommend Nabet as he’s a fantastic guide who made our day truly memorable!
Oct 16, 2025
987kayeh
Knowledgeable guide who was will to respond to our multiple questions
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Thankyou…
Oct 16, 2025
987kayeh
Knowledgeable guide who was will to respond to our multiple questions
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Thankyou Nabet for a very interesting tour. Your historical knowledge of Japan and its culture added extra benefits to our tour. We appreciated visiting a temple with less people to appreciate the significance of significance of the environment to enable us to ask many questions.
Thank you for sharing our day in Kyoto.
Kaye and Doug
Oct 16, 2025
janiec555
Significant sites in Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Nabet is an excellent guide. He explained Japanese…
Oct 16, 2025
janiec555
Significant sites in Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Nabet is an excellent guide. He explained Japanese history and customs clearly and comprehensively, including pointing out behaviour considered disrespectfu.
He was energetic and enthusiastic despite the humidity, long walks up hills and steps and crowded conditions, and was very patient dealing with the public transport ticketing systems. I recommend him wholeheartedly.