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.
Tour Itinerary
- 08:30 Meet Osaka Port
- 10:15 to 11:15 Arashiyama Monkey Park
- 11:30 to 12:30 Arashiyama Togetsukyo Bridge, Sagano Bamboo Grove
- 13:30 to 14:15 Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- 14:30 to 14:45 Yasaka Pagoda
- 15:00 to 16:00 Gion
- 17:30 Disband Osaka Port
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Osaka began at 08:30, when the guide met the guests at Osaka Port, and finished at 17:30. The day ran to 9 hours from start to finish.
From there the group visited Arashiyama Monkey Park at 10:15, Arashiyama Togetsukyo Bridge, Sagano Bamboo Grove at 11:30, Kiyomizu-dera Temple at 13:30, Yasaka Pagoda at 14:30 and Gion at 15:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Osaka Metro Osakako Station to Osaka Metro Umeda Station by subway (290JPY); Hankyu Railway Umeda Station to Hankyu Railway Arashiyama Station by train (410JPY); JR Saga-Arashiyama Station to JR Kyoto Station by train (240JPY); Kyoto City Bus Kyoto to Kyoto City Bus Gojozaka by bus (230JPY); Kyoto City Bus Kiyomizuzaka to Kyoto City Bus Gion by bus (230JPY); Keihan Railway Gion-Shijo to Keihan Railway Yodoyabashi by train (430JPY); Osaka Metro Yodoyabashi to Osaka Metro Osakako by subway (290JPY). Across 7 sections the fare came to 2,120JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Summer Private Kyoto Tour Like in Extreme Heat? A Licensed Guide's Report
Body: Kyoto had been experiencing daily temperatures above 35 degrees, and on this day the heat peaked at a scorching 37 degrees. The guests had requested to visit the monkey park, so I took them there. During the climb up the roughly 120-meter-high mountain, one of the guests seemed likely to feel unwell, but by taking frequent rests on the benches, we managed to complete it safely. I felt relieved when the tour ended. The guests also seemed to be quite relieved when the tour finished and we arrived back at the port. The guests came from North America, a region known for high heat and humidity, but they said the Japanese summer was even more intense than what they were used to.
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 | Subway | Osaka Metro Osakako Station～Osaka Metro Umeda Station | 290JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Hankyu Railway Umeda Station～Hankyu Railway Arashiyama Station | 410JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | JR Saga-Arashiyama Station～JR Kyoto Station | 240JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Kyoto City Bus Kyoto～Kyoto City Bus Gojozaka | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Bus | Kyoto City Bus Kiyomizuzaka～Kyoto City Bus Gion | 230JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | Keihan Railway Gion-Shijo～Keihan Railway Yodoyabashi | 430JPY |
| Section 7 | Subway | Osaka Metro Yodoyabashi～Osaka Metro Osakako | 290JPY |
| Total | 2,120JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Osaka tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Osaka Port at 08:30, and the tour finished at Osaka Port at 17:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 9 hours in total, from 08:30 to 17:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Arashiyama Monkey Park, Arashiyama Togetsukyo Bridge, Sagano Bamboo Grove, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Yasaka Pagoda and Gion.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 2,120JPY per person across 7 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.