[Kyoto Highlights] Eastern and Central Kyoto
Welcome to Kyoto! This is a private tour to cover the most popular sights in eastern and central Kyoto. Please also see "Western Kyoto" page if you wish to book highlight tour in two days. Longer tour request is welcome. Please contact me and I will customize the itinerary.
**Hello! My name is Lisa **
I am a government licensed tour guide offering tours in Kyoto, Osaka and Nara.
If you are looking for a guide who can take you to must-see sights in Kyoto, this tour will be perfect for you.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Meet up at your hotel in Kyoto city
Kiyomizudera temple
( Admission fee 500yen/person )
-Buddhist temple that belongs to "Kita-Hosso sect" which is derived from one of the oldest sects in Japan.
-UNESCO site
-Beautiful landscape of architecture and nature
-400 year-old wooden hall standing on a cliff with traditional architectural method called Kake-zukuri.
-Buddha statue of Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
-Headquarters of all Inari shrines in Japan.
-Shintoism which is Japan's two biggest religions along with Buddhism.
-Famous for vermilion Torii gates lining up along the path on the mountain.
-Fox statues
Lunch
Udon noodle, Soba noodle, Yakitori chicken skewers, Yakiniku beef BBQ, Ramen, Tsuke-men ( dipping ramen ), and more!
Please let me know your request.
*If you have any special dietary request please let me know in advance and I will propose delicious lunch recommendations accordingly.
Nijo castle Ninomaru palace
( Admission fee 1,300yen/person )
-Shogun's palace from the 17th century
-UNESCO site
-Ultimate meeting rooms with traditional architectural style called Shoin-zukuri.
-Screen paintings of auspicious animals, birds, plants, and seasonal flowers drawn by legendary painters from Kano art school. ( High quality reproductions )
-A Japanese garden designated as a nation's special scenic site, designed by a legendary garden designer from 400 years ago.
Note :
-We will take off our shoes to enter.
-No photo allowed inside of the palace.
-Honmaru-palace is NOT included in the tour. Please let me know if you are interested in visiting both two palaces in Nijo castle.
Ending Point
4PM : Tour ends at your hotel in Kyoto city
Want to personalize this tour?
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This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
-Guiding Service
-Guide's local transportation fee
-Traveler's admission fees for temples and a castle : Please see the price in the itinerary. *Please have some cash available with you.
-Traveler's transportation fee : About 1,500yen-2,000yen/person each day depending on your hotel location.
-Taxi fare if used.
-Food and drinks
Tour Important Information
-Transportation
The primary mode of transportation is subways and trains, but I will recommend using taxis in some locations when it saves a lot of time or if you prefer to take a taxi over public transportations.
-Walkability
The tour includes a lot of walking. Please wear comfortable shoes. If you would like to avoid a lot of walking , slope and stairs, please contact me and I will propose a less-walking itinerary!
-Lunch
Your lunch request is welcome. If you have any special dietary request please let me know in advance and I will propose delicious lunch recommendations accordingly.
Please feel free to contact me if you have special requests on the days my profile calendars are off.
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
About Tour Guide Lisa W.
Hi everyone! My name is Lisa.
Thank you very much for checking out my profile.
I am originally from Osaka, Japan, and completed my Bachelor’s Degree from Kyoto Prefecture University in architecture. During my stay in Kyoto I volunteered as a tour guide for foreign visitors.
After graduation I moved to Tokyo and worked in the marketing and promotions field. On weekends I continued to work as a tour guide volunteer in Tokyo.
I have also studied at the University of California, Irvine and worked for a tech company in Anaheim California. It was great oppotuniay for me to see Japan from foreigner's perspective.
My happiness for meeting new people and learning my own culture through guiding foreign visitors kept increasing and that made me decide to become a professional tour guide.
I offer tailor-made tours for individuals or groups. I have met a lot of wonderful people through tour guiding and look forward to the many more friends I will make.
My strength is the stock of Japan's historical and architectural knowledge, which I believe makes your Japan experience fun and interesting especially when you are visiting Japan's old capitals.
During my tour I will share with you historical contents of places or structures you are visiting so that you can understand the reason why you meet present Japan. I have friendly and mindful nature which will make your Japan experience greater!
Please feel free to message me if you have any question about your Japan trip!
Hope to see you soon in my tour.
Best,
Lisa
Reviews
Hope P.
“A Perfect Day in Kyoto”
Lisa planned an excellent itinerary that took us to several remarkable sites throughout Kyoto. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the city’s history and traditions, answering every question with both expertise and personal insight. Lisa is also wonderfully personable and fun, often pointing out details that brought each place to life and made my visit even more engaging. I would definitely book a tour with Lisa again—she truly made Kyoto for me. Thank you, Lisa!
Gayle N.
“Best guide we have ever had!”
I can not recommend Lisa highly enough. She is an absolutely incredible tour guide. A wealth of knowledge and an absolute joy to be around for the day. She knew so much about the history of Japan, various temples, modern culture, etc. We learned a fortune, and also had so much fun spending the day with her. She was also so kind and inclusive with our 8 year old daughter, which we really appreciated. Highly highly highly recommend!!!
Steven H.
“Amazing Tour”
Lisa is absolutely amazing. Our tour was very well thought out and perfectly timed for each of the destinations we visited. Lisa has a wealth of knowledge to share about each locations history and impact on the Japanese culture. I would highly recommend her for any tour you might take. Thank you Lisa!
$458/ per group
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Welcome to Kyoto! This a private tour focusing on the popular sights in the west side of Kyoto. Please also see "Eastern and Central Kyoto" page if you wish to book highlight tour in two days. Longer tour request is welcome. Please contact me and I will customize the itinerary. **Hello! My name is Lisa. ** I am a government licensed tour guide offering tours in Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. If you are looking for a guide who can take you to must-see sights in Kyoto, this tour will be perfect for you.
[Kyoto Highlights ] Western Kyoto
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One day tour in Kyoto (Arashiyama area)
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