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
- 09:20 Hotel Keihan Tenmabashi Station Front
- 10:30 – 11:10 Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
- 12:00 – 12:45 Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- 13:00 – 13:15 Yasaka Pagoda
- 14:00 – 14:40 Kyoto Imperial Palace
- 15:30 – 16:10 Kinkaku-ji Temple
- 17:10 – 17:40 Sagano Bamboo Grove
- 18:45 Hotel Keihan Tenmabashi Station Front
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Over the course of the day the route took in Hotel Keihan Tenmabashi Station Front at 09:20, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine at 10:30, Kiyomizu-dera Temple at 12:00, Yasaka Pagoda at 13:00, Kyoto Imperial Palace at 14:00, Kinkaku-ji Temple at 15:30, Sagano Bamboo Grove at 17:10 and Hotel Keihan Tenmabashi Station Front at 18:45.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Tenmabashi to Fushimi Inari by train (420JPY); Fushimi Inari to Tofukuji by train (170JPY); Tofukuji to Gojozaka by bus (230JPY); Kiyomizuzaka to Higashiyama Sanjo by bus (230JPY); Higashiyama to Imadegawa by subway (260JPY); Karasuma Imadegawa to Kinkakuji-michi by bus (230JPY); Kinkakuji-michi to Nishinokyo Enmachi by bus (230JPY); Enmachi to Saga-Arashiyama by train (190JPY); Saga-Arashiyama to Nijo by train (200JPY); Nijo to Keihan Sanjo by subway (220JPY); Keihan Sanjo to Tenmabashi by train (430JPY). Across 11 sections the fare came to 2,810JPY per person.
What Is a Private Kyoto Summer Tour Like from Osaka? A Licensed Guide's Report
The meeting point for this tour was listed as "Hotel." There was a similarly named "Hotel" very close by, which had been slightly on my mind. Even so, since the address of the "Hotel" was clearly stated, I went to that hotel about 30 minutes before the meeting time. However, the guests were actually staying at the other "Hotel." That was the reason the meeting time was 9:20. I pointed this out to the guests, but they insisted, "That was written by the travel agency. It's not my fault." In the end, we left the hotel around 9:40. As for the tour itself, the outdoor temperature in Kyoto was an extremely hot 37 degrees, so the guests took frequent breaks and we went significantly over time. I am glad we were able to finish the tour safely under the blazing sun.
Click here for more details: Kyoto in 1 Day from Osaka: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Tenmabashi～Fushimi Inari | 420JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Fushimi Inari～Tofukuji | 170JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Tofukuji～Gojozaka | 230JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Kiyomizuzaka～Higashiyama Sanjo | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Subway | Higashiyama～Imadegawa | 260JPY |
| Section 6 | Bus | Karasuma Imadegawa～Kinkakuji-michi | 230JPY |
| Section 7 | Bus | Kinkakuji-michi～Nishinokyo Enmachi | 230JPY |
| Section 8 | Train | Enmachi～Saga-Arashiyama | 190JPY |
| Section 9 | Train | Saga-Arashiyama～Nijo | 200JPY |
| Section 10 | Subway | Nijo～Keihan Sanjo | 220JPY |
| Section 11 | Train | Keihan Sanjo～Tenmabashi | 430JPY |
| Total | 2,810JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Hotel Keihan Tenmabashi Station Front, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Yasaka Pagoda, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Sagano Bamboo Grove and Hotel Keihan Tenmabashi Station Front.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 2,810JPY per person across 11 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?
Haru 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 Osaka itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Personal data
Born in : May 1st, 1957
Hobby : Visiting scenic places,
historic spots, Japanese
gardens and old townscape
Former career : Worked for electric
company and engaged in
international sales for
about 40 years.
Travel history in the former career :
Visited about 20 countries about 200 times
Career as guide interpreter
Acquisition of guide license : 2016
Career of guide : 8 years
Genre of my specialty :
Japanese historic structures such as
temple, shrine, castle and garden.
Area of guide : Kyoto, Nara, Osaka &
Himeji
Let’s enjoy Japan with me !!
Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained…
Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained the history of the sites on our tour. He even prepared a book that helped explain the historical significance of each site we visited. He was really fantastic, funny and engaging and connected with every member (young and old) in our group. We all learned a lot! Thank u Haru!
Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was…
Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was very knowledgeable about the various cites and came prepared with a binder and useful images. He was organized and even found a delicious ramen place for our family of 6 (not an easy task in the middle of busy Nara). He really cared about the cites and the history of the temples and spoke great English. Highly recommend!
Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with…
Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide
We were able to customize our trip to the top places we wanted to see. We were able to get to all of them. Our guide Haru was great and the places we visited were amazing and interesting. Our guide gave us a lot of history around the different sites. Our favorites were Kiyomizudera temple, Sanjyu Sangendo Temple and Kinkakuji Temple. We also visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine which was pretty great. We did a lot of walking and public transportation to get around. All in all it wasn’t bad and our guide got us to all the sites with ease. Haru was great as he took most of our family pictures. He did a great job.
Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He…
Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He added a lot to our trip and
allowed us to experience a lot in the limited time we had available.