Kaleidoscopic Kyoto w/Photographer+Private Taxi

Highlights

Ai A.

4.83 / 5
(30 reviews)
Kyoto
Japanese (Native), English, French
6 hours
Private tour (only you and your group)
Up to 8 people

Ancient Artistic Kyoto Highlights Tour!

An award-winning/a magazine-cover photographer & an MBA graduate who majored in tourism & hospitality management at Kyoto U will guide you to iconic places+the off-the-beaten tracks to take fantastic pictures. Knowing the city as a local student, an English teacher, and an in-house interpreter at SHIMADZU Corp Group for than fifteen years in total, made me a bonna-fide professional guide in one of the most popular travel destinations around the globe.

Meeting Point

At your hotel or Kyoto Station

10:30 AM

Kinkakuji Ji Temple(Golden Pavilion)

One of the UNESCO World Heritage sites

12:00 PM

Japanese lunch

Sushi, Tempura etc.

02:00 PM

Arashiyama

Bamboo groove+scenic Togetsu(moon over) Bridge and riverside walk

03:30 PM

FUSHIMI Inari Shrine

The most popular destination of thousands vermillion Torii gates

05:00 PM

Kiyomizu Temple+Gion District

Enjoy sunset from one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and traditional Kyotoite streets on east hills side

Ending Point

At your Hotel or Kyoto Station

What to Expect

KYOTO is like a kinetic art.

The ancient capital has rich flavours of four seasons:

- cherry blossoms welcome new students and travelers to a town of universities in spring,

-riverside restaurants & traditional Gion Festival in July make you energize under the scorching heat, and tourch fires on five mountains on Aug 16 herald the end of summer and send the souls of our ancestors back to heaven,

- autumn foliage perfectly synchronizes vermillion Torii gates in famous shrines, and viewing colorful maple trees from the rivers on boats attracts tourists around the world the most in fall,

- we celebrate new year holiday seasons with white Miso soup. In addition to the local gastronomy, sometimes snow flakes orchestrate the historic temples "frozen music," as Ernest Fenollosa illustrated its silent beauty.

Nature colours iconic Kyotoite places with stunning gradations.

In addition to the scenic treasures, all the streets in the city are well-organized like a chess-board. By strolling around these avenues, you can feel the full of historic, traditional, cultural, and academic atmosphere.

In our tour, we will visit UNESCO World Heritage sights, such as:

・KinkakuJi Temple(Golden Pavilion)

・Kiyomizu Temple

("No nail temple" on Higashiyama East Hills side)

・Nijyo Castle

(where the Shogun Tokugawa abdicated his throne and the Emperor proclaimed his power in 1867)

Other possible suggestions are:

・Fushimi Inari Shrine

(The most popular destination of thousands vermillion Torii gates)

・Kimono wearing+photo shooting by an award-winning photographer

・traditional Japanese show in Gion

(-Maiko dance performance

-tea ceremony demonstration

-imperial Gagaku music

-Kyogen sitcom

-Jyoruri puppet show)

・Kyoto Aquarium

(Able to see Kyotoite big salamanders, a dolphin show, cute penguins, and touch large turtles)

・Arashiyama Monkey Park

(feed & take pics w/monkeys)

・Toei Uzumasa Movie Studio

(meet Samurai & wear Kimono)

for a family with children:)

*Please select two to four places/activities per day. If you could book me several days, we could cover them all.

★Lunch…local Japanese food, such as Sushi, Tempura, Tofu, and/or vegetarian/vegan menu.

――――――――――――――――――

Since this is my signature tour, I set the highest price in town on purpose.

However, reviews from the distinguished guests and pictures on my profile & tour pages guarantee you once-in-a-lifetime memories in one of the most attractive cities in the world with the professional & local trilingual guide photographer.

Why don't you explore my hometown together for honeymoon and/or vacation with your family & friends?

__________________________________

★Itinerary can be quite flexible upon your requests.

★You can use my portable wifi during our tour

★A private taxi, that accomodate up to eight guests, is INCLUDED in the tour price. Therefore, all you need for an extra stipend on the tour day would be lunch and souvenirs(if you buy ones) only.

Want to personalize this tour?

  • Our tours can be customized according to your needs and preferences
  • Click below to tell us what you are looking for:

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

★Hotel pick-up & drop off

★entire tour with a private taxi

★all entrance fees and transportations during the tour(from the meeting point to the ending point)

★My guiding, photography, meals and transportations

(free & unlimited photo taking & sharing by an award-winnng photographer with NO overtime charge)

What‘s not included

★Your Lunch(from 1,000~20,000 JPY/per, familiar with dietary restrictions, such as vegan, vegetarian, and celiac guests)

(Small purchases, such as snacks, drinks, souvenirs, if any.)

Important Information

【Familiar towns】

My main areas are Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, and Himeji.

Since I used to live in Tokyo and travel around Metropolitan area very often, if you could cover my transportations(+ accomodation if necessary), I can travel(+stay) with you.

【Anyone is welcome!】

If you or your family members/friends are:

Vegetarians/vegans,

LGBTQ,

physically challenged people,

senior citizens and/or babies,

don't hesitate to ask me special requests.

I'm willing to help these guests:)

【Insurance】

Please take out your travel insurance. My insurance will NOT cover your sickness, injury, and/or accident during the tour.

1. Some potential guests have asked me that they don't need a photographer, therefore, they wanted to get some discount. However, since I am a professional guide and a photographer(only me and a Japanese-speaking private taxi driver will escort you), that cannot be a reason for bargening price.

2. I cannot accept bookings from the guests who stay at 【Ace Hotel Kyoto】 because their reception has ignored and left me for more than twenty minutes after I asked their receptionist to call my guests twenty minutes before the meeting time.

Besides, when I complained that they should have let me know that the guests had not replied their phone call, Mr. Makino called the police in Japanese, saying that I was a weirdo and just an unknown, ridiculous guide who screamed and behaved violently, which is a false claim as you can see in my reviews from my past guests.

In addition, while I was calling a taxi company on behalf of them, Mr. Makino talked to my guests in English to cancel my tours.

For those acts, I would never, ever accept guests who stay that hotel.

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

Reviews

Z

Zain G.

5 / 5
May 19, 2023

100% Would Recommend and Use Again

The highlight of our trip. We had an amazing time working with Ai to create a custom trip for our group for 3 days. The photos she took were such high quality which was a great perk of booking with her. She showed us places and gave us the history, as well as helped us book private taxis to make it easier to keep the whole group together. We 100% recommend working with her!

Z

Zain G.

5 / 5
May 19, 2023

Amazing Tour Guide and Excellent Photos!

The highlight of our trip. We had an amazing time working with Ai to create a custom trip for our group for 3 days. The photos she took were such high quality which was a great perk of booking with her. She showed us places and gave us the history, as well as helped us book private taxis to make it easier to keep the whole group together. We 100% recommend working with her!

Ai A.

Dear Zain,  Thanks for having me three days! I really enjoyed the trip very much. This is because all the guests are professionals in their fields(former lawyer, flight attendant, consultant, accountant etc.), everybody came from the cities where I've been to(three of them are my neighborhood in Manhattan lol), and we are around the same generation; that made us share the same values and beliefs in life. The highlights of Kyoto was not only visited iconic spots, such as Golden Pavilion and vermillion Torii Gates Fushimi Inari Shrine; but also we enjoyed tea ceremony experience, Gekkeikan Sake Brewery and Museum, and high-end Tempura Endo Restaurant in Gion in just a day. Yes, we'll definitely work together in the future. If you enjoy your hobby, that could be your job, and, if you work hard, that could be your vocation. Ai

Z

Zain G.

5 / 5
May 19, 2023

AMAZING TOUR GUIDE

The highlight of our trip. We had an amazing time working with Ai to create a custom trip for our group for 3 days. The photos she took were such high quality which was a great perk of booking with her. She showed us places and gave us the history, as well as helped us book private taxis to make it easier to keep the whole group together. We 100% recommend working with her!

A

Andy T.

5 / 5
Apr 24, 2023

Osaka downtown tour

Ai is definitely a professional tour guide as she explain and bring you to those highlights in a chill and relax vibe. She can agree to certain request such as bringing you to local hidden gems or local marketplace than regular sight-seeing. Ai can take pictures for you while explaining the history and places around at the same time. Thank you Ai !

Ai A.

Thanks for having me. Since we both love taking pictures and have MBA, I enjoyed talking while traveling with Andy very much. Please let me know if you ever have a chance to come back to Japan as your business trip, honeymoon, or just a vacation with your family and friends. I appreciate this serendipity. your guide, photographer, and new friend, Ai 

$1,438/ per group

More tours by Ai A.

Kaleidoscopic Kyoto w/Photographer+Private Taxi

Kyoto
6 hours

Ancient Artistic Kyoto Highlights Tour! An award-winning/a magazine-cover photographer & an MBA graduate who majored in tourism & hospitality management at Kyoto U will guide you to iconic places+the off-the-beaten tracks to take fantastic pictures. Knowing the city as a local student, an English teacher, and an in-house interpreter at SHIMADZU Corp Group for than fifteen years in total, made me a bonna-fide professional guide in one of the most popular travel destinations around the globe.

FROM$1,438/ per group

Outstanding Osaka w/Award-winning Photographer

Osaka
6 hours

One-day Osaka highlights tour! Guests will be able to visit major landmarks and enjoy local foods with an award-winning photographer! Since I have lived & worked in Osaka for more than ten years, I know my hometown very well, so I can take fantastic photos for you!! (My picture won the Gold Award of CONRAD Osaka Art Photo Contest among 367 entries, & Second Prize of Festival City Photo Contest, both works are used on their billboard, official websites, and SNSs.)

FROM$1,438/ per group

Himeji Castle w/Award-winning Photographer+taxi

Himeji
6 hours

We will go to Himeji Castle, KOUKOEN Garden(next to the castle), and Enjyoji Temple. Himeji Castle is also called White Heron/Eagret Castle. As its name signifies, the palace's white plaster walls beautifully mixed with four seasons-Cherry Blossoms in spring,-summer greens, -autumn foliage,-fresh snow in winter.

FROM$1,438/ per group

Healing Hiroshima fr Kyoto/Osaka w/Photographer+taxi

Kyoto
9 hours

A daytrip from KANSAI(Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara) to HIROSHIMA!First, we will eat HIROSHIMA-YAKI, a local pancake for lunch. After the lunch, I will show you around Peace Memorial Park, where former US Present Obama gave a great address. Last but not least, we will visit HIROSHIMA Castle to enjoy the beautiful sunset. 【Tour Highlights】 1. Behind-the-scene stories of diplomatic issues between Japan & US 2. Fantastic shots by award-winnig photographer!

FROM$2,156/ per group