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
- AM 10:00 Tour starts from Osaka Port
- Travel to Kinkaku-ji
- AM 11:30 – PM 12:15 Kinkaku-ji tour
- Travel to Kiyomizu-dera
- PM 12:45-13:45 From Kiyomizu-dera to Yasaka Pagoda
- Travel to Kobe beef restaurant in Gion
- PM 14:00 – 15:30 Guests have lunch at a teppanyaki restaurant in Gion
- Travel through Gion area: Shinbashi, Shirakawa, Hanamikoji, guided from the vehicle PM 15:30-16:00
- Travel to Osaka, from Osaka Castle via Dotonbori to Osaka Port PM 17:30 Arrival Tour ends
What Is a Private Kyoto and Osaka Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting Japan for the first time from North America. The day before the tour, they requested that a restaurant reservation they had made for 2:00 PM in Gion (a Kobe beef teppanyaki restaurant) be included in the tour, so we adjusted the plans on short notice, canceling the visit to Arashiyama and the bamboo grove to accommodate it. Since walking for long distances was difficult for some of the guests, we did not follow the usual route at Kinkaku-ji Temple and turned back partway. At Kiyomizu-dera Temple as well, we took photos from the front and then enjoyed shopping along Sannenzaka toward Yasaka Pagoda. It was a little unfortunate that we had not received advance information about the difficulty with walking, but at the end we enjoyed the area around Gion from the car, as well as the drive toward Osaka Port passing near Osaka Castle, Midosuji, and Dotonbori.
Click here for more details: Kyoto in 1 Day from Osaka: Private Car Tour, Licensed Guide
Hello , My name is Hideharu Yoshino . Just call me” Yoshi” .
I have been involved with many foreign Business partners through my business life for 38 years ,
Based on my work experience , I would like to try my best to make you comfortale and Happy fruitful times during your stay in Japan .
Not only giving you basic tourist information about famous sightseeing spot , also I would enjoy to give you the back ground inofrmation in my word.
” Once in a lifetime encounter ” Let’s enjoy with me Miracle time to be picked up from 6 billion in somewhere Japan!
Jul 25, 2026
Ann W
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Incredible tour, one of the highlights of my…
Jul 25, 2026
Ann W
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Incredible tour, one of the highlights of my trip!
Booking a private tour with Hideharu (Yoshi) Yoshino was easily one of the absolute highlights of my trip.
Yoshi-san customized the day perfectly to my interests, accommodating a last-minute hotel change and timing our morning perfectly so we could see the spectacular Gion Matsuri parade without the heavy crowds.
We explored Ginkaku-ji, Nanzen-ji, and the traditional streets of Gion at a wonderful, relaxed pace.
The tour was fascinating and packed with interesting details that allowed me to truly understand Kyoto’s rich history.
Highly recommended!
Jul 18, 2026
Geert73
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A Well-Organized and Informative Tour of Kanazawa
We, a…
Jul 18, 2026
Geert73
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A Well-Organized and Informative Tour of Kanazawa
We, a family of 5, had a very enjoyable 6-hour private tour of Kanazawa with Hideharu Yoshino from Japan Guide Agency.
Communication before the tour was excellent and made it very easy to plan the day. Yoshi’s English was excellent, which made communication throughout the tour very smooth. He provided very clear and interesting explanations, giving us a better understanding of the history and culture of the places we visited.
During the tour we explored Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen Garden, and the Geisha and Samurai districts.
It was a well-organized and informative tour. Highly recommended.
Jul 15, 2026
G5010ZVmelodys
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Local Food & Tea Culture Tour with Licensed Guide
Number one guide for personalised touring of Kanazawa
Our…
Jul 15, 2026
G5010ZVmelodys
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Local Food & Tea Culture Tour with Licensed Guide
Number one guide for personalised touring of Kanazawa
Our tea and culture day in Kanazawa with our guide Hideharu Yoshino was amazing! Yoshi is very fluent in English and a great companion to walk around with as he knows so much about the history and culture of Kanazawa and Japan. He also knew the best place to grab lunch and helped us pick what was good local fish, curry or tea to try. Plus he made sure we felt comfortable and never out of place wherever we went. I would recommend him for anyone who likes to know more about what they are seeing or what they can do in the area. Yoshi is great!
Jul 11, 2026
rikkes490
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Rigtig god guidet tur
Rigtig god oplevelse og gode forklaringer
とても良いガイドツアーでした。
とても良い体験でした。説明も分かりやすく、とても良かったです。