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Kyoto Essentials: Full-Day Private Tour
Joined 2016
Discover Kyoto's most popular & memorable sites! This is a semi-tailored tour so you can choose a few spots from my recommendations in addition to two must-see sites. You'll also learn how to use public transportation system in Kyoto and tips for other points of interest that you're looking at for the rest of your days in Japan. This tour is good for first timers in Kyoto on the first day!
*PLEASE MESSAGE ME BEFORE BOOKING
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At JR Kyoto Station or at your hotel in Kyoto
Arashiyama (bamboo forest & Tenryuji Temple zen garden @500 yen)
Choose one from: Kinkakuji Temple @500yen / Kitano Tenmangu Shirine & Kamishichiken / Nijo Castle @1300yen
Choose one from: Nishiki Market / Gion
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Option: Dinner at a local restaurant or izakaya for sake
Ending Point
TBD
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
Guide fee, hotel meet-up in Kyoto station or Shijo area
Transportation fee (for you and guide, about 1,000-1,500 yen/person), lunch/dinner(for you and guide), entrance fee (licensed guide gets free admission at most temples & tourist spots)
Tour Important Information
PLEASE MESSAGE ME BEFORE BOOKING
1. You will be walking a lot during the tour(ave. 15,000-20,000 steps). Please wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes and bring an umbrella or poncho in case of rain.
2. Transportation fee for the day will be 1,000-1,500 yen per person depending on your itinerary and hotel location. Lunch/dinner for you and guide is not included in the guiding fee. Credit cards cannot be used at ticket machines and many small restaurants, so please bring enough cash for the day.
3. Any other sites not mentioned in the list cannot be added to the tour. Please book a customized tour with me if you'd like to visit anywhere not listed.
4. Please let me know in advance if you'd like to extend the tour for a local dinner. I will take you to a local diner or izakaya unless you have a special request. Please also choose 9:30 or 10:00 for the start time and add "dinner extension".
5. When booking, please choose one spot from A and B. If not specified, I will choose based on your group's attribute and/or seasonality.
A: Kinkakuji (Golden Temple @500 yen), Kitano Tenmangu Shirine & Kamishichiken (Geisha district), or Nijo Castle (Ninomaru Palace and garden @1,300yen)
B: Nishiki Market (food and souvenir street) or Gion (Geisha district & Kenninji temple)
Important message from the supplier
Please note below before booking and contact me first for availability:
1. My schedule on GoWithGuide site is open for the next 3-month only.
2. All my listed tours include hotel pick-up fee and guide fee. Please ask for quote for custom tours.
3. For tours in the peak season, I am currently prioritizing mult-day tour requests (at least two "full-day" tours per group) and accept one-day request between the booked tours etc.
***Excursions ***
I can guide you in Okayama (including Naoshima and Kurashiki), Hiroshima (Onomichi, Shimanami islands cycling, Miyajima, etc.) and Shikoku (Iya valley etc.) if you pay for my transportation.
The above areas can be visited from Osaka/Kyoto in one or two days.
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
Joined 2016
About Tour Guide Seiko T.
Hello! I am Seiko, National Licensed Guide since 2007.
I was born and raised in Kurashiki (Okayama pref.), spent my college days in Kyoto, lived in Osaka for more than 15 years and recently moved to a city near Nagano (guiding in Kyoto, Osaka, Nara etc during peak season).
I studied in Wisconsin, USA and worked as a translator/interpreter, market researcher, and executive assistant for global companies for many years where I enjoyed spending a precious time with people from different backgrounds and cultures and broaden my world and horizons.
I myself am a traveler for life, been to more than 30 countries and all the prefectures in Japan, and always excited to help my clients with their planning. I am also a hiker, kayaker, scuba diver, and snowboarder enjoying myself mostly outdoors in every season.
Besides city tours in Osaka and Kyoto, my tours can stretch to introducing local food and drinks, sake/beer brewery visit, visiting less-touristy areas, excursions to enjoy the nature such as walking/hiking tours, baseball games, tours for kids, onsen day-out, and more!
Let's have a fun time and unique experience with me!
Important Notes before booking:
1. Please check availability with me, even for open dates, before booking!
2. Transportation fee, entrance fee, and lunch/dinner for you and guide during the tour are NOT INCLUDED in the guide fee and to be paid at each site. Please bring enough cash to separately pay them during the tour. (Licensed guides get free admission at temples/shrines/castles and most tourist attractions, except for some facilities like aquarium, zoo, amusement parks, etc.)
3. Please let me know IN ADVANCE if anyone in your group has any physical challenge and/or food allergies.
Thank you!
Reviews
“Mount Myoko at its best ”
This was our first time in the Myoko kongen area and Seiko has been the perfect host for us. Friendly, kind and well organised, she took care of all logistics including bringing us to a nice local place serving specialties of the region for lunch. Seiko knows herself best around the area and knows the best views and spots to visit . We absolutely loved it and would recommend it anytime :)
“Half day tour around Kyoto”
Seiko was an excellent tour guide for Kyoto with broad and deep knowledge about everything from the specialized shrines to history of sake distilleries. She met us at our hotel and even adjusted our schedule on the fly to try and avoid the expected rain that day. We toured the Fushimi Inari Shrine, explored the Fushimi district and ate at a local yakitori restaurant, went to Kimozu Dera, and explored the streets and alleys in Ninenenzaka/Sannenzaka. It was a very full 6 hours covering a lot of areas and we thoroughly enjoyed it all.
Seiko T.
(90 reviews)Thank you Tuan for your kind words. With your flexibility, no hesitation to walk further to see more, and trusting my recommendations, we could see both major attractions and true local scenes. Lucky us, we didn't get much rain during the tour despite the almost hopeless forecast:) Hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in Kyoto and your family trip in Japan! Best reagards to all of your sweet family members. Seiko
“Amazing, highly recommended!”
Seiko, my family and I can't thank you enough for such an amazing, information Kyoto cultural experience. Our tour was above and beyond our expectations, with bonus hidden attractions on the day that we would never of seen without you. I wouldn't hesitate booking with you again and highly recommend you to anyone looking for a friendly knowledgeable guide. Thank you again.
Seiko T.
(90 reviews)Thank you Alison for your kind words! It was the busiest week in Kyoto I've ever seen but thanks to your flexibility and willingness to walk extra miles to see hidden attractions, the tour went smoothly and most importantly, I am very happy that your whole family enjoyed the day in Kyoto! Hope you also had a great time in the other destinations of Japan. Seiko
$280/ per group
Reserve
