GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
GoWithGuide
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
Kyoto Private Tour - Nijo-jo Castle
Nijo-jo Castle
Kyoto Private Tour - Shinsen-en Garden
Shinsen-en Garden
Kyoto Private Tour - Main Gate of Nijo-jo Castle
Main Gate of Nijo-jo Castle
Kyoto Private Tour - Japanese Garden in Nijyo-jo
Japanese Garden in Nijyo-jo
Kyoto Private Tour - Main Gate of Nanzenji Temple
Main Gate of Nanzenji Temple
Kyoto Private Tour - Arched waterway of Lake Biwa Canal
Arched waterway of Lake Biwa Canal
Kyoto Private Tour - Waterflow of Lake Biwa Canal
Waterflow of Lake Biwa Canal
Kyoto Private Tour - Okazaki Park
Okazaki Park
Kyoto Private Tour - Main Hall of Heian-Jingu
Main Hall of Heian-Jingu
Kyoto Private Tour - Kyoto Gyoen National Garden
Kyoto Gyoen National Garden
Kyoto Private Tour - Garden in State Guest House
Garden in State Guest House
Kyoto Private Tour - Great Hall in Guest
Great Hall in Guest
Kyoto Private Tour - Lighting in Guest House
Lighting in Guest House

A Hike through the Historical Turning Points of Kyoto

Highlights
Kyoto Tour Guide - Yosshi S.

Joined 2024

Yosshi S.
5.00 / 5
(7 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks
Kyoto
English, Japanese (Native)
7 hours
Private tour (only you and Yosshi S.)
Up to 6 people

Kyoto became the capital of a nation centered on the Emperor in the 8th century. However, the Emperor was frequently forced to engage in battles for real power against the powerful temples with religious influence and SAMURAI leaders with armed forces. This tour takes you to the site of the Imperial Palace and Nijo-jo Castle, symbols of power throughout the 1,100 years. We also visit sites of revitalization projects after the capital was relocated to Tokyo in the 19th century.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

10:30 AM

Meeting Point

At your hotel or any convenient place in Kyoto City center

Kyoto Gyoen National Garden Area

#The first Imperial Palace (2 km west of here) was abandoned due to fire, and this place (100 ha/247 acres) became the Imperial Palace in the 14th century.

#In the 20th century, the place, excluding the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Sento Imperial Palace, and the State Guest House, became a city park and is open to the public. The Imperial Palace and Guest House may be open to visitors at the administrator’s rules.

Nanzenji Temple Area

#Nanzenji Temple (15 hectares/37 acres) / Originally a detached palace for the Emperor, it gained patronage from the Muromachi shogunate in the 14th century and became Kyoto's highest-ranking Zen temple. The temple grounds feature a brick arched waterway of the Lake Biwa Canal.

#Incline Railway /The Lake Biwa canal was constructed to transform Kyoto into a modern industrial city*. The Incline Railway lifted the boat from the lower water surface to the upper one of the Canal.

*Shimadzu Corp. (1875), Nintendo Co.,Ltd.(1884) etc.

Nijo-jo Castle area

#Shinsen-en Garden/Constructed in the 8th century, adjacent to the first Imperial Palace. Court aristocrats used to enjoy boating on a pond.

#Nijo-jo Castle/In the 17th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate built a castle on the former site of the first Imperial Palace to demonstrate its power and monitor the Imperial Court. In the 19th century, the last Shogun declared his return of power to the Emperor here.

Heian-Jingu Shrine area

# Okazaki Park (14 hectares/35 acres)/To commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of Kyoto becoming the capital (Heian-kyo), the National Industrial Exposition was held here in 1895. Then, a museum, an art gallery, and a zoo were built on the former site.

# Heian-Jingu Shrine/Built in 1895, this building is a replica of the Daigokuden (Main Hall) of Heian-kyo. It enshrines the first and last emperors of the capital's 1,100-year reign.

Ending Point

At your hotel or any convenient place in Kyoto City center

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

>guide fee, hotel pick up in Kyoto City center

What‘s not included

>transportation fee (you and guide/per adult)/train and bus (some 2000JPY)

>admission fee (you/per adult)/ Shinsen-en Garden(free),Njyo-jo Castle(1300JPY),Nanzenji Temple(grounds/free,Hojo Garden/600JPY), Heian-jingu Shrine (Shin-en garden/600JPY), Kyoto Gyoen National Garden (public park/free, Palace & Guest House/depending on the administrator’s rules)

>short break/lunch/dinner

Tour Important Information

>Please let me know in advance if you wish to visit the Imperial Palace or State Guest House, as I need to confirm their availability on the day of the tour.

>This tour involves travel by train, bus, and on foot, so please wear comfortable walking shoes.

>Please note that we may not be able to visit all spots if there are large numbers of vehicles or visitors.

>The above additional fees are often paid in CASH on site, so please bring some Japanese yen.

>Insurance is not included in this tour, so please purchase your own travel insurance.

Important message from the supplier

>I mainly work in the daytime (e.g. from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm)

>If you want a listed/customized tour, please message me in advance. I will confirm facility availability in the itinerary dates: opening dates/hours, need a reservation or not.

>Please note that my tours are leisurely, on foot and by public transport.

>My tour schedule may change if transport or tourist spots are crowded.


Cancellation Policy

  • Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
  • 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
  • No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Kyoto Tour Guide - Yosshi S.

Joined 2024

Yosshi S.
5.00 / 5
(7 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Yosshi S.

Thank you for visiting my page.

I guide you to the ancient capital cities of 1000 years of urban development and 100 years of filming history.

I grew up in OSAKA, studied in KYOTO, and worked in TOKYO and Osaka for 20 years as an urban planning expert for national and local governments. I surveyed community development sites throughout Japan, welcomed scholars and business managers from inside and outside Japan, and guided them in the cities.

Quitting my career, I became a freelancer as a Professional Engineer (Urban & Regional Planning) who loves movies. I have visited unique cities overseas, inspected urban development sites and filming locations, and posted photos on social media (90 cities in 30 countries). The more I see cities overseas, the more clearly, I understand the characteristics of Japan's ancient capital cities.

The Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara areas were Metropolitan areas centered on the Imperial Palace, and their locations have changed 15 times since the 7th century. The three cities have many historical spots and hidden attractions depending on times and places: temples, shrines, landscape gardens, traditional townhouses, bustling entertainment districts, and the filming locations of period dramas where stories were born (SAMURAI Dramas). In addition, the three cities are all within an hour's train ride, making it easy to travel around.

To convey to as many people as possible the charms of these ancient capital cities that I have discovered through years of practice and theory, I obtained national qualifications as a Guide-Interpreter and General Travel Service Manager. I have begun my guided activities based in the ancient capital cities.

From my extensive list of tourist destinations, I will create a tour to suit your tastes and guide you. I look forward to hearing from you.




Reviews

Kyoto visit to Imperial Palace gardens and tour of Palace State Guest House, with a special tour of the guest house. Also, Philosopher’s Walk, national Treasure Silver Palace, and Kyoto Aqueduct.

We had a very high quality time with Yosshi S for our visit in Kyoto. He was well prepared from both experience and study, and gave us rich background into each site to result in a strong connection with Kyoto’s history, its rich spiritual traditions and its very special people living and working in Kyoto. We are grateful for this day and would recommend Yosshi S. with our highest regard.

John M.

Yosshi S.

Dear John, thank you for your review. We had the experience of seeing how to treat guests at the state guesthouse and having a lunch of Kyoto pickled sushi at a shopping street where ordinary people shop. The Philosopher's Path is a course where I often walked with friends during my student years. Walking with John on the tour, I got back the feeling of being a student. Unfortunately, I could not become a philosopher, but I learned the philosophy of "going my way" and became a guide. Thank you very much. Yosshi

Mixed scenery with towns, temples, and National Museum of Nara

Yosshi S provided us with a joyful life adventure for our day with him in Nara. He was helpful in finding our ways to Nara’s treasures, gardens, temple grounds, and shrines as well as an English audio-guided tour of the National Museum of Nara, containing unique treasures on special exhibition for the period of our visit. We would recommend others for Yosshi’s informative, well-researched, and personalized tours, aimed to give us a full appreciation of a place, its people, and what is special about both.

John M.

Yosshi S.

Dear John, Thank you for your valuable review. The day of our planned tour was the opening day of the National Treasures Exhibition at the Nara National Museum, so I decided to take you to the museum and let you fully appreciate the national treasure Buddha statues. The city of Nara has a long history of more than 1,300 years since Heijo-kyo. The citizens of Nara enjoy this long history through the deer relaxing in Nara Park, crawling through the pillar hole of the Great Buddha Hall, and the Karakuri Toy Museum. Those are appealing and attract both domestic and international tourists. I am happy to have conveyed this to you through this tour. Thank you. Yosshi

Want to Personalize?

$306/ per group

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