- Tours›
- Highlights
Very Special 1day Kyoto Tour just for You
Joined 2018
Kyoto had been the capital of Japan for 1000 years and has many wonderful places to visit. Please choose a few places among the following sightseeing spots, as you like. If you have any other preferable spots, please let me know. I'll guide you as many places as possible. Please note that some places are located in a little far away from the center of the city and it may need some time to go and come back.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel (lobby) (in Kyoto)
Nijyojyo Castle
The Ninomaru Palace in this castle has 33 rooms and 800 tatami mats. You can also see wonderful wall paintings, and its garden.
In spring, you can enjoy walking around in the garden with stunning cherry blossoms.
Kinkakuji Temple: famous as 'Golden Pavilion'
You may have seen the picture of this pavilion in the book about Japan or Kyoto before. The real gold leaves are used for this pavilion.
Ryoanji Temple
This temple is so popular for its rock garden. There are 15 rocks in the garden, however, the last 15th rock is said to be seen only when you attain spiritual enlightenment.
Kiyomizudera Temple
This temple is famous for its large veranda built on 13 meter cliff without any nails. You can also enjoy shopping and eating on its approach way. In the precinct, there is Jisyujinjya Shrine which is famous as the love shrine. Also, you can visit waterfall which is famous because the water gives you, 'longevity, love, or study (wisdom)'
Yasaka Koshindo
You will find many colorful hanging monkey effigies. You can write your wish and donate. Many young women and girls like to take pictures in kimono here.
Yasui Konpiragu Shrine
Many people come here to wish for cutting bad relationship and making good one.
However, please be noted that couples are said to be NG to come here.
Sanjyusangendo
In this temple, you can see 1001 statues of Buddha in a hall. It's a 'forest of Buddha'. You will be amazed at the scenery.
Please be noted that you cannot take any pictures in this hall.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
This place is the No. 1 popular place for the visitors from abroad. Please enjoy walking under the vermillion torii gates tunnel.
It's difficult to take good pictures because there are always so many people visiting here, however, I can take good pictures of you here! Leave it to me!
Tofukuji Temple
This temple is famous for its colored maple leaves in autumn, however, it has some beautiful zen gardens. It may be interesting for you to see the toilet of long time ago.
Arashiyama (Monkey Park, Bamboo Forest, Tenryuji temple, Nonomiya Jinjya Shrine, Kimono Forest, Okochi Sanso, Tegetsukyo Bridge, and so on)
In Arashiyama, there are many places to visit. You can spend a full day only in Arashiyama area, too. You can enjoy shopping and eating in this area.
In autumn, Jyojyakkoji Temple and Nisoninn are so beautiful with their colored maple leaves.
Ginkakuji Temple and Path of Philosophy
Ginkakuji Temple is famous as 'Silver Pavilion' even though no silver is used for this temple. You can enjoy its Zen rock garden.
Path of Philosophy is so popular during the season of cherry blossoms. So many cherry blossom trees are lined along a small river and you can enjoy walking.
Nishiki Market
This market has been the 'kitchen' for the local people, however, now, it's so popular among people from abroad. You can enjoy walking and eating local food.
Gion District
If you walk around in this area in the evening, and you are lucky, you can encounter 'Maiko or Geiko' who go to work.
Kenninji temple
This temple is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto and has the famous painting and beautiful garden.
Byodo-in
You can see this temple on our 10-yen coin. You can also find many shops where you can buy good quality of green tea or maccha around this temple because this area produce green tea. How about trying ice cream of maccha?
Kodaiji Temple and Entokuin
Kodaiji Temple was built about 400 years ago. A famous woman, Nene (wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi) lived here to mourn Hideyoshi's soul. Entokuin is a tacchu, sub temple of Kodaiji Temple. In these temples, you can see beautiful gardens. Kodaiji Temple is especially famous for its big cherry blossom tree in spring and colored maple leaves in autumn.
Ending Point
neat the station of the last destination (I will tell you how to go back to your hotel)
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 pick up in Kyoto
Transportation fee (you and guide), lunch (you and guide), entrance fee (you and guide)
Tour Important Information
Please note that Kyoto is crowded with people all the time, and maybe a few places are available to visit in 8 hours.
We will use public transportation.
You will need at least half an hour or an hour to see around one place, and it takes half an hour or an hour to move from one place to other places, so please choose, at most, five places. Depends on places, you need to walk a lot from the nearest bus stop or the station.
This tour is available only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this year.
As for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, please send me a mail and ask.
As for Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I will manage to have the tour if you book me earlier.
Important message from the supplier
If you book me early, I can exchange mails with you many times to know what you want to do in details, collect information and prepare a lot for your plan. Please don't hesitate to ask me anything in advance.
I can guide you in the morning almost every day.(from 8:30 or 9:00 AM till 13:00 or 13:30PM)
This year, in case of the full day tour, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, are available.
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 2018
About Tour Guide Tomoe S.
Hello! My name is Tomoe. I'm a national licensed guide interpreter(English). I made my page here, TripleLights in October 2018. Thank you for finding me.
I was born and grew up in Otsu,Shiga, which is the next city of Kyoto.
I graduated from the university in Kyoto and lived there for four years due to my husband's job.
I like history and like to visit temples in Nara.
My hobby is to plan trips and have visited many cities and towns in Japan and abroad. One of my favorite places is the AIRPORT!!
I have enjoyed meeting and guiding people from abroad, to sightseeing spots in my country.
I really want many people from abroad to enjoy visiting many places and have wonderful experiences in my country. I'll be really happy if I can have such experiences with you!!
Please tell and ask me if there are any places which you want to visit and anything which you want to do in my country. I'll plan the trip only for you.
I am cheerful and always positive. I like to talk with people. I would like to talk with many people from many countries. Please tell me about your country, too!!
I'm looking forward to seeing you!!
* If you want, I will take you back to your hotel (within the time or with the extra hourly rate)
Or, I will show you how to go back to your hotel when we finish the tour.
* If you want, I will give you some advice about what to and where to eat your lunch/dinner.
Reviews
Karen N.
Very Special 1 day Kyoto tour just for you (7H)
Customized
“Beautiful Kyoto gardens”
I had a wonderful time visiting temples and gardens in Kyoto with Tomoe. She told me lots of interesting information and knew the best places to visit for autumn colours! She took many excellent photos and shared them with me. Tomoe is very kind and patient and really made my visit memorable. I would highly recommend her and hope to have her as my guide again when I next visit Japan.
Tomoe S.
(120 reviews)Dear Karen, Thank you very much for your warmhearted review. I spent wonderful 2 days with you in Kyoto. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed autumn foliage visiting places which are located in both of 2 sides, east side and west side of Kyoto, even though the autumn foliage season has been coming a little later this year. I hope that I can see you again! Thank you very much for booking me as your guide. TOMOE
Robert L.
Very Special 1 day Kyoto tour just for you (4H)
Customized
“We experienced so much...”
A very big thank you to TOMOE for what proved to be an amazing two days in Kyoto. After the two days of lots of walking and taking taxis and public transport had finished, when we could go through the raft of photos that we had taken, did we more fully appreciate the amazing variety of experiences, incredible food, and delightful locations that our very kind guide Tomoe had made possible. From accompanying my wife to a beautiful onsen, finding excellent places to eat in back streets, exploring the very beautiful and scenic places around Kyoto often without the crushing crowds, and so much more. We even managed glimpses of a Geisha from a distance. After some initial issues with not always being understood, by the end of our two days Tomoe was a special friend with whom we had shared so many experiences (some unexpected such as a ceremony where people's prayers/wishes are burnt and sent to the 'heavens'). Of all the places we went to in Japan, Kyoto was where we had packed the most into thanks to Tomoe's excellent efforts. She is highly recommended as a guide. Thank you Tomoe for your wonderful help and kindness.
Tomoe S.
(120 reviews)Dear Robert, Wow! Thank you very much for your wonderful review! Onsen with your cheerful wife, lunch at local (genuine!) sushi restaurant, visiting places such as Kiyomizudera Temple, Tenryuji Temple, Bamboo Forest, Fushimi Inari Shrine, walking around in Gion, gave me such precious time with you. So many pictures taken with you will remind me of you...Thank you very much for booking me as your guide in Kyoto. I miss you so much! TOMOE
“Amazing day trip with a great guide!!! Highly recommend!!!”
We spent the day with Tomoe. She took us around Kyoto and Nara and made sure we knew all the tips about visiting the places we went. We saw the deer on the way up to the Todai-ji Temple and saw the Kasuga Taisha shrine, as well as the Fushimi Inari gates. She went out of her way to take photos for our family as well! Very kind, educational and informative throughout the entire day! Highly recommend having her as a guide!!
Tomoe S.
(120 reviews)Dear Brenda, Thank you very much for your wonderful review! It was such an ''Amazing day trip with a great family'' for me, too. We walked a lot, talked a lot, and laughed a lot, right? It was really fun for me to take many pictures of your family. Those pictures will remind me of you, such a nice family from now on. Thank you very much for booking me as your guide and letting me share such precious time with you. TOMOE
$213/ per group
Reserve
