Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Kazu
January, 2026
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
- 10:30 Meet at Kyoto Station 11:00 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 12:30 Kinkaku-ji Temple 13:50 Yasaka Pagoda 14:10 Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Shopping 15:30 Gion 16:30 Drop off at Kyoto Station, tour ends
What Is a Private Day Tour of Kyoto Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests visited Japan from Europe. One of the guests was visiting Japan for a return trip, while the other was visiting for the first time. Both were quite tall, which made meeting them at Kyoto Station easy. Although it was a cold day, the guests were accustomed to cold weather and did not mind it much. They enjoyed taking photographs but did not seem particularly fond of being photographed themselves; however, they kindly agreed when I took pictures for them. All of the sightseeing spots were less crowded than usual. Partway through, some sleet began to fall, but it soon stopped and the sky cleared. The guests remarked that it was curious to see so many foreign tourists taking photos in kimono, and expressed that visitors should learn more thoroughly about the culture, traditions, and history. We used a taxi to Hachijo Exit of Kyoto Station. The photo was taken at the bamboo grove in Arashiyama.
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～Saga-Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Saga-Arashiyama～Enmachi | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Enmachi～Kinkakuji-michi／Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 4 | Other | Kinkakuji-michi～Nishioji-Oike | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Subway | Nishioji-Oike～Higashiyama (Kyoto Prefecture) | 260JPY |
| Section 6 | Other | Higashiyama-Sanjo～Kiyomizu-michi | 230JPY |
| Total | 1,370JPY | ||
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.
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep…
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep knowledge about the history and culture of Japan. He is flexible and accommodates changes if you so desire. He is also very empathetic. I had a sprained back and he ensured we took elevators everywhere. You will be lucky if he is assigned as your guide .
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience…
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience on the tour. We travelled all around Kyoto with our guide Kazuo Sumi. He is a sweet older gentleman who had a great depth of knowledge about each place we went to. We told him places we wanted to go and he made the itinerary for us. There is no one better to have as your guide!!
Jul 16, 2026
margaretsM7923ON
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Great way to see Kyoto
Wonderful tour and exceptional guide.
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided…
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided some excellent recommendations. There’s a lot of walking so make sure you are prepared.