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
- 8:58 Meet at Osaka Port Terminal
- 10:25 Fushimi Inari
- 12:00 Lunch
- 12:50 Kinkaku-ji
- 14:00 Nijo Castle
- 15.15 Higashiyama Area
- 15:40 Gion
- 16:03 Board Keihan train heading to Osaka Port
- 17:25 Arrive at Osaka Port and end tour
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Fushimi Inari at 10:25, Kinkaku-ji at 12:50, Nijo Castle at 14:00, Gion at 15:40, Board Keihan train heading to Osaka Port at 16:03 and Osaka Port and end tour at 17:25.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Osaka Port to Yodoyabashi (290JPY); Yodoyabashi to Fushimi Inari (480JPY); Inari to Enmachi (200JPY); Enmachi to Kinkakuji-michi (230JPY); Kinkakuji-michi to Nishioji Oike (230JPY); Nishioji Oike to Nijojo-mae by subway (220JPY); Nijojo-mae to Higashiyama (220JPY); Higashiyama Sanjo to Kiyomizu-michi (230JPY); Gion-Shijo to Yodoyabashi (490JPY); Yodoyabashi to Osaka Port (290JPY). Across 10 sections the fare came to 2,880JPY per person.
Title: What Can You See on a Private Kyoto Tour from Osaka's Tempozan? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. This was the first visit to Japan for some of the guests. We were blessed with good weather, which made for a comfortable tour. The guests walked energetically throughout the day. Thanks to that, although it became a rather brisk-paced tour and we ran slightly over the scheduled time, we were able to visit all of the planned destinations. Getting from Tempozan to the destinations in central Kyoto inevitably takes about an hour and twenty minutes. Because of this, I was reminded that it is better not to be too ambitious and try to cover too many places. The photo was taken at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant where we had lunch.
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 | Other | Osaka Port～Yodoyabashi | 290JPY |
| Section 2 | Other | Yodoyabashi～Fushimi Inari | 480JPY |
| Section 3 | Other | Inari～Enmachi | 200JPY |
| Section 4 | Other | Enmachi～Kinkakuji-michi | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Other | Kinkakuji-michi～Nishioji Oike | 230JPY |
| Section 6 | Subway | Nishioji Oike～Nijojo-mae | 220JPY |
| Section 7 | Other | Nijojo-mae～Higashiyama | 220JPY |
| Section 8 | Other | Higashiyama Sanjo～Kiyomizu-michi | 230JPY |
| Section 9 | Other | Gion-Shijo～Yodoyabashi | 490JPY |
| Section 10 | Other | Yodoyabashi～Osaka Port | 290JPY |
| Total | 2,880JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle, Gion, Board Keihan train heading to Osaka Port and Osaka Port and end tour.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 2,880JPY per person across 10 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?
Kazu 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.
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.
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo.…
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo. He had such insightful knowledge of each area we wanted to visit and had all the best spots to take photos and was very patient with us.
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi…
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi was excellent. We had a wonderful time, learned a lot of new things about Japanese culture and history, practiced navigating transport, enjoyed a perfect lunch. Kazuo-San even facilitated a purchase of a UV blocking umbrella, which was much needed on that sunny day.
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour…
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour with Kazuo, our guide. Days before arrival he communicated directly with me to set up the tour according to sites we wanted to see and he made good suggestions. Besides listening to his Kyoto detailed knowledge, we enjoyed the local walking of streets, taking buses and trains between sites. Kazuo has excellent English and has travelled himself so being with him for the day was a pleasure. I highly recommend using him as your guide
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had…
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had a wonderful experience during our Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide. Our guide, Kazuo, was truly outstanding from start to finish. He shared an impressive amount of knowledge about Kyoto’s history, culture, temples, and daily life. You can feel how passionate he is about his city, and he explains everything with the calm, precision and kindness so typical of Japanese guides. His English was clear and easy to follow, which made the whole day even more enjoyable. Kazuo was also extremely friendly, attentive and careful. He always made sure we were comfortable, took the time to answer all our questions, adapted the pace of the tour, and anticipated our needs without us even asking. Travelling by car made the experience smooth and relaxing, allowing us to see more places without rushing. We felt very well taken care of throughout the day, and we learned so much thanks to him. We highly recommend Kazuo to anyone looking for a personalized, insightful and stress‑free discovery of Kyoto.