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
- 9:00 Hotel Meet 9:50 Kinkaku-ji 11:00 Ryoan-ji 12:00 Lunch (Ramen Restaurant) 13:30 Higashiyama Area 14:35 Gion 15:15 Tour Ends
What Is a Private Day Tour of Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji and Higashiyama Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests visited Japan for the first time from North America. Their accommodation was a hotel, and in front of another hotel that they found in the Higashiyama area they took commemorative photos and also toured the interior. In the morning the wind was a little cold, but by early afternoon the sky cleared into blue, making it a perfect day for sightseeing. In the Higashiyama area, we went inside a Starbucks located in a traditional Japanese house and bought coffee. Recently, many international visitors can be seen trying to offer their seats to elderly Japanese passengers on buses and trains. Perhaps they have heard about overtourism somewhere and are being mindful of it. Since one of the guests preferred vegetarian meals, we had lunch at a restaurant serving vegetarian ramen near Ryoan-ji Temple. We used a taxi between Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji, and from the lunch spot to the Nishioji-Oike subway station. The photo was taken at Kinkaku-ji.
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 | Bus | Higashiyama Shichijo / Kyoto City Bus～Tofuku-ji / Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Tofuku-ji～Enmachi | 200JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Enmachi～Kinkaku-ji-michi / Kyoto City Bus | 230JPY |
| Section 4 | Other | Nishioji Oike～Higashiyama | 260JPY |
| Section 5 | Other | Higashiyama Shichijo～Kiyomizu-michi | 230JPY |
| Total | 1,150JPY | ||
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.