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Whispers of Kyoto
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Joined 2025
I will guide you to a quiet place with a beautiful garden.
In autumn it can be a little crowded, but during other seasons it is relatively peaceful.
For this tour, I would especially like to focus on lunch.
Please let me know your preferences and budget.
If you can make your reservation early, it will be easier to secure a table.
Of course, even with a last-minute booking, I will do my best to find a good restaurant.
Let’s enjoy the quiet atmosphere with both our hearts and bodies!
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Your hotel or a nearby convenience store
Nanzenji-temple
Nanzen-ji Temple was founded in 1291 by Emperor Kameyama. It is the head temple of Rinzai Zen. The great Sanmon Gate, 22 meters high, is impressive and linked with the legend of Ishikawa Goemon. The red brick aqueduct and Zen gardens show a harmony of history, nature, and quiet beauty.
Lunch
Let’s have lunch. I will take you to a nice place I recommend.
Ginkakuji-temple
Ginkaku-ji Temple was built in 1482 by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. It belongs to the Rinzai Zen sect. The Silver Pavilion and its gardens show the spirit of wabi-sabi — simple, quiet beauty. The white sand garden “Ginshadan” and cone-shaped “Kogetsudai” are unique highlights of Zen culture.
Shimogamo shrine
Shimogamo Shrine (officially called Kamo-mioya Shrine) is one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto and is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The deities enshrined here are Kamo Taketsunumi-no-mikoto and Tamayorihime-no-mikoto, who are believed to bring blessings for love, safe childbirth, and protection from misfortune.
You can also experience a unique water fortune-telling here.
Within the grounds lies Tadasu no Mori, a vast primeval forest that preserves the ancient natural landscape.
Now, let me tell you a little about Kyoto’s history here.
Ryuanji-temple
Ryōan-ji Temple was built in 1450 by Hosokawa Katsumoto. It belongs to the Rinzai Zen sect. The rock garden is world-famous: fifteen stones are set in white gravel, but only fourteen can be seen at one time. This design makes visitors think deeply about life and perspective.
Ending Point
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
-Guiding fee
-Restaurant reservation service
-Private car transportation, Nissan Cube (5-seater)
-Fuel, toll
-Parking fees
(Nanzen-ji Temple: 1,000 yen)
(Shimogamo Shrine: 1,000 yen)
(Ginkaku-ji Temple: 1,000 yen)
-Admission / Entrance fees
(Nanzen-ji Temple: Sanmon Gate 600 yen pp)
(Garden 600 yen, Special viewing 600 yen pp)
(Ginkaku-ji Temple: 500 yen pp)
(Ryoan-ji Temple: 600 yen pp)
-Travel insurance
-All meal costs
(Guide’s meal can be excluded. In that case, the guide will make the restaurant reservation and wait outside until you finish.
What matters most is your experience!)
Tour Important Information
*We will climb a small hill, so please wear comfortable walking shoes.
*Please bring some coins for offerings.
*We will take time to enjoy the atmosphere, so there is no need to rush.
*There will be moments of silence to appreciate the space.
*If we prioritize lunch time, we may skip Shimogamo Shrine. Thank you for your understanding.
This place is best visited on a quiet day, so the tour is not available on weekends. If you prefer a Saturday or Sunday, please consult with me.
Important message from the supplier
-Last-minute bookings (1 day before) are sometimes possible — feel free to ask!
-If you want me to make reservations for shops or restaurants, please contact me at least 1 week in advance.
-A walking tour is also possible, but to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend it. Kyoto is an extremely popular tourist destination, and buses and public transportation are often very crowded. For the places I would like to show you, I believe traveling by car would be much more comfortable.
-Please note: I love wine! But if I drink during the tour… I might forget where we’re going. So I’ll stay sober—but if you like, I can show you some great wine spots in Kyoto!
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 2025
About Tour Guide Michiko N.
Hello, and thank you for visiting my page!
I’m Michiko, a local guide born and raised in Kyoto.
I love meeting people from around the world and sharing the spirit of Japanese hospitality.and I love fun things!
I went to the UK to watch musicals, and recently I spent a year living in Thailand — experiences that deepened my love for art, culture, and people.
Besides guiding, I also work in theater and performance art, creating unique shows in shop windows!
Let’s explore Kyoto together and find its heart — the beauty, people, and stories that make it special! with BIGLOVE!
Reviews
Sarah S.
“Excellent! Use Michiko!”
Michiko was wonderful and introduced us to incredible spots we never would have discovered on our own, including a very local ramen shop with no English on the menu and a truly authentic, off-the-beaten-path pottery studio run by a fourth-generation family. Her honesty and insight into Japanese culture helped us gain a much deeper understanding of the places we visited. She was also incredibly thoughtful and flexible throughout the day, arranging taxis for our large group and adjusting plans at the last minute multiple times to accommodate our different needs, all with ease and grace. While she is still perfecting her English, she was an absolute dream to spend the day with, and we would highly recommend her. We travel often and always seek guides who offer warmth, knowledge, and meaningful local experiences we couldn’t access on our own, and Michiko delivered all of that flawlessly.
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Michiko N.
Thank you so much for your very kind and thoughtful review!!! I truly enjoyed traveling with you and your beautiful friends. I learned a lot from you. When you come back,please tell me! I will study more and wait for you with even more knowledge! Michiko
Chloe V.
“An exceptional guide”
Michiko is generous with her time and knowledge and such a wonderful translator. She has our translator for a Manga workshop and went above and beyond in her guidance. Thank you Michiko
Michiko N.
Thank you so much for your warm review. As someone who truly loves manga, it was a very special and happy time for me. We could talk about manga endlessly! Please give my best regards to your partner as well. He is truly a professional when it comes to Japanese animation. Nausicaä is my favorite manga. Meeting your child who loves Nausicaä too felt incredibly lucky....!!! Thank you very much! Michiko
Leigh N.
“Custom Kyoto Day Tour”
Michiko is a perfect tour guide -- friendly and patient and accommodating! Our group was two 23-year-old young men and one 54-year-old mom, and Michiko customized our tour to meet all of our goals, from sword shopping to temple sightseeing to conversations about Japanese culture, with lots of Japanese snacks and lunch too! She was so open to answering all of our questions, even about her own life growing up in Kyoto and now raising her kids there. I will tell every friend who travels to Japan to hire Michiko for at least one full day to get a true deep dive into Kyoto!
Michiko N.
Thank you always for your warm reviews. My friend, I was so happy to meet your son and his friends. As mothers, we were able to talk about many things, and I really enjoyed our time together. Let’s meet again! Michiko
$319/ per group
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