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
- 1. 9:30 Meet up @Mimaru Nijo Castle
- 2. 10:15 @Arashiyama (Bamboo Grove & Tenryu-ji Temple)
- 3. 13:00 @Kinkaku-ji Temple
- 4. 14:00 @Nishiki Market
- 5. 15:00 Disband @Nishiki Market
Title: What's a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour from Arashiyama to Kinkaku-ji Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests had just arrived in Kyoto from Tokyo the day before and seemed a little tired. Since a request came the previous night to start at 9:30, the tour began with an agreement to finish at 15:00. We headed to Arashiyama by the shortest route from the Hotel, and just as the guests were enjoying taking photos in Arashiyama for a while, they became completely exhausted. Normally the bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji can be covered in about an hour, but that was not possible today. When I suggested taking a taxi for the move from Arashiyama to Kinkaku-ji, the guests said they would like that, so from then on we used taxis for everything. At Kinkaku-ji, some of the guests no longer had the energy to pose for photos, so the others enjoyed taking pictures, and we left Kinkaku-ji quickly and went to Nishiki Market. At Nishiki Market some of the guests enjoyed shopping, and others enjoyed sushi. Since the guests said they wanted to enjoy shopping at Nishiki Market, I explained how to get back to the Hotel and how to get to the Kyoto International Manga Museum, and we parted ways. I was glad that even the guest who is usually shy and does not normally shake hands with others was able to say goodbye with a proper handshake.
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 | Omiya～Arashiyama | 240JPY |
| Total | 240JPY | ||
Hi! My name is YUKA. I’ve got the government license in 2018 and joined a half year traning to do the guide. But a half year later I started my carreer, Covid came. I should have given up guiding. During the Covid, I’ve read many books and made my own materials to explain Japanese culture, history, etc. I love guiding because the guests expand my horizon all the time and let me know their own country and culture, etc. It is really important for us all to know each other and respect each other to make this world peace. Thank you for coming to Japan! Let’s enjoy Japan together!
Jul 25, 2026
Ann W
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Early Morning Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
One of the highlights of my trip, perfect for solo…
Jul 25, 2026
Ann W
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Early Morning Customized Tour with Licensed Guide
One of the highlights of my trip, perfect for solo travelers!
My solo tour of Arashiyama with Yuka-san was easily one of the absolute highlights of my trip!
Her clever planning allowed us to beat the crowds completely.
Visiting Otagi Nenbutsu-ji and the moss gardens of Gio-ji was deeply moving, and the quiet atmosphere truly forced a moment of silence. Hearing the nightingales and frogs made it extra magical.
Yuka provided incredible guidance and care throughout the day.
I am returning home with a suitcase full of unforgettable stories!
Jul 14, 2026
Elizabeth W
Tripadvisor review: Osaka Hidden Gems Off the Beaten Path Tour, Licensed Guide
Great tour
We had a great tour with…
Jul 14, 2026
Elizabeth W
Tripadvisor review: Osaka Hidden Gems Off the Beaten Path Tour, Licensed Guide
Great tour
We had a great tour with Yuka. She customized the trip based on our interests and made everything easy
Jul 11, 2026
Dianna-fam
Tripadvisor review: Osaka Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Wonderful Tour, Wonderful Guide!
My teenage boys and I…
Jul 11, 2026
Dianna-fam
Tripadvisor review: Osaka Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Wonderful Tour, Wonderful Guide!
My teenage boys and I had a wonderful private walking tour of Osaka with our guide Yuka! After I booked the Japan Guide Agency tour through TripAdvisor, Yuka reached out to me directly about our itinerary. She was very accommodating and responsive during the planning stage, and was extremely flexible right up until the day of our tour with last minute changes. She was a wonderful tour guide and incorporated all the sights that we wanted to visit, with a lot of interesting history/facts provided along the way. She spoke very good English and was easy to understand. Would highly recommend this tour (and Yuka!) as a very efficient/immersive way to experience and explore Osaka.
Jul 1, 2026
Christian_L
Viator review: Kyoto Early Morning Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kyoto visite with Yuka : Wow !
Wow ! Yuka was…
Jul 1, 2026
Christian_L
Viator review: Kyoto Early Morning Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kyoto visite with Yuka : Wow !
Wow ! Yuka was an amazing guide and the visite was better than our expectations ! We gave learned a lot and the kids loved it !