About

My nick name is Rick and Japanese name is Ryoichi. I was born and grew up in Kyoto.
Kyoto has so many sightseeing spots based on its 1000 year history. I will propose you the "must see" spots from local eyes not only temples & shrines but also alternative side of Kyoto. As Kyoto certified English guide, I will guide you with high hospitality for your satisfactory stay in Kyoto.

1. For the first visitors
I will prepare the tour with selection out of the spots as Nijo-castle, Imperial Palace, Nishiki-market, Gion amusement quarter, Arashiyama area and some temples and shrines of World Cultural Heritage Sites based on your request and taste.

2. For the visitors who want to see more spots than regular tours
I will prepare the tours visiting traditional handycrafts ateliers or the walking tour through philosopfer's path or Fushimi area tour for visiting Sake brewery or riding classical boat, etc.

3. For the repeaters or history & relics lovers
I can make tours visiting some hidden relics to find out the Kyoto's historical footprint from anciet captal to 150 years ago when Shinsen-gumi or Sakamoto Ryoma was walking around, etc.

Please make any inquiry for your preferrd type of Kyoto guiding without hesitation. I would be happy to propose you with the type of tour that makes your visit in Kyoto unforgettable one.

Price

The prices below are for a private tour for you and your partner, family or friends.

Duration	1 Person	Up to 4 people	For each extra person
Hourly rate	US$39.28	US$39.28	US$9.83
4 Hours	US$157.14	US$157.14	US$39.30
8 Hours	US$314.28	US$314.28	US$78.61

This is a 4 hour tour which starts at 7:30 AM (or 8:00) for avoiding the heat in the afternoon. The visiting spots are chosen among the "must see" spots in...

4 Hours US$ 177 up to 5 people

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make changes after I book?

Yes! If you need to make changes such as removing or adding someone to your booking or changing the date or time of your tour, contact us by phone or email

Starting and ending points of the tour.

After you secure your booking, the starting and ending points of your tour can be customized to your convenience (ex.: your hotel, nearby stations, etc.). Don't worry, we will take care of you! Some tours may have an extra fee for this service, make sure to check the tour page.

What happens after I book a tour?

After booking a tour, the guide will accept (or decline) your booking within 24 hours. Then you will be noticed by email from GoWithGuide.

Is the price per person or per group?

The price is charged per group. Which means that you make a one-time payment for your entire group and the price will not change if it is less or more people.

Can I add more people to my booking?

Some guides accept extra people (more than the specified number) for an extra charge. Please check for the extras on the tour or booking page, or contact your guide directly to clarify.

Will there be other tourists in my tour?

No. Your tour is private, only for you and your family or friends, there will be no other group of tourists together in your tour.

Can the guide pickup me at the airport?

Yes, but there will be additional charge for that and it is not by car. The guide will go pick you up using public transportations. For further details, please contact your guide directly.

I'm travelling alone. Can I book this tour?

Yes, you can and you may be able to get a discount if you are traveling alone. Price depends on which guide you choose.

View More Frequently Asked Questions read more

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel in the first 14 day(s) before the meeting time, there is a 100% charge.
If you cancel between 15 and 29 day(s) in advance of the meeting time, there is a 50% charge.
If you cancel at least 30 day(s) in advance of the meeting time, there is a 100% refund.

Reviews ( 46 )

Amely ( Family ) United States

Amely United States ( Family )

Excellent

11 months ago

“ Rick is a wonderful Kyoto guide...fun, efficient, knowledgeable, and informative ”

Rick was an amazing guide to Kyoto for my son and I for 2 days. He was very efficient and thoughtful in planning our itinerary and what we would do. He took us to many sites and had we not went with him we would never have seen half of what we did. His knowledge of the shrines and markets was so thorough. It was such a pleasure to have a guide not only to understand the history of the sites we were touring but also to give us insight into the culture and history of the city. Rick KNOWS Kyoto. He was very friendly and personable. His food choices were excellent. He was very easy to spend time with. Of our entire month travels in Asia, Kyoto and our time with Rick specifically was such a significant highlight. Without hesitation, I can recommend Rick as a guide for you. We could not ha... read more

Rick:

Dear Amley, Thank you very much for so nice review! I am very glad that you were happy and satisfied the tour. Yes, we enjoyed some gardens, market streets, temples, a castle and so on. Since you love garden, architecture and art, Kyoto was the ideal city for you to enjoy, I believe. Your son was so nice boy and I enjoyed very much talking with him and knowing his interests. Please come back to Kyoto in near future and I hope I can guide you again! Best regards, Rick

Angela ( Family ) United States

Angela United States ( Family )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ Kyoto calling! We want to go back, there is so much to do and 2.5 days was just not enough. ”

RIck was wonderful, patient, kind, soft-spoken, yet definitive in his plans for our days spent together. I must say that he handled a mom and her men child(s) extremely well, especially my special angel man child who kept up with us but made it a little tricky at times. Rick did not judge, he jumped in and assisted when needed, he took his time with us and made sure we were all happy, enjoying the areas, and best of all educating us! We learned a great deal about Kyoto and other Japanese areas and their traditions. Rick, we would find you again for the parts of Kyoto we did not see, but for 2.5 days...you did pretty darn well san. Thank you for the pictures of the tea ceremony, treasures thy are.

Rick:

Dear Angela, Thank you very much for the nice review! I am so glad that you enjoyed Kyoto for 2.5 days with me and want to come back. I also had a nice time with your and your nice sons going to tea ceremony, cooking class and some sites and so on. I hope I can guide you again when you come back and I am sure to take you to the sites you did not see! Best regards, Rick

Meredith ( Family with kids ) Canada

Meredith Canada ( Family with kids )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ Insightful Day! ”

We really enjoyed our time with Rick. He was very friendly, knowledgeable and easy to talk to. We not only appreciated learning about the sites but we also loved just learning about his life in Japan. We spent a full 8 hours with Rick and even our 14 and 12 year olds were engaged the whole time. He planned a great day and made sure me maximized by planning efficiently. I would definitely recommend Rick!

Rick:

Dear Meredith, Thank you very much for the nice review! I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour and had a nice time. All of your families are so nice and I enjoyed talking various things with all the members. Also I am glad you had a lot of interests in Japan and its cultures, so it was my pleasure explaining about it. Please enjoy some more days in Japan and have a safe trip back home. I hope you will come back to Kyoto some day in future. Best regards, Rick

Kate ( Family ) Australia

Kate Australia ( Family )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ Kyoto with kids ”

We enjoyed our day sightseeing around Kyoto with Rick

Rick:

Dear Kate and families, Thank you very much for your nice review! I am glad that you enjoyed the tour. Your families are so nice and I enjoyed talking with all of you especially in the monkey mountain park. Please enjoy more in Japan and I hope you will come back Kyoto someday in future. Best regards, Rick

Jenner ( Family ) United States

Jenner United States ( Family )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ The things you can learn in a day....! ”

Rick did a perfect job selecting some highlights while working in our requests and making the most efficient use of our time together. He was very knowledgeable about the historical sights we visited. We're so happy to have chosen a licensed guide so that we could have comfort knowing the level of communication we would be able to have in addition to Rick having his own pass for entry into most of the places we visited.

Rick:

Dear Jenner, Thank you very much for the nice review! It was my pleasure guiding through the sights in Kyoto and we had a nice time as in viewing the autumn leaves in Kyoto Imperial palace with lunch or visiting Sake brewery museum and so on. I also enjoyed a lot talking with all of your families who are so nice! I hope you keep good memories in Kyoto and come back someday in future. Best regards, Rick

See all reviews ( 46 )

Blog

Getting in touch with local life in Kyoto

by Rick

As a private tour guide in Kyoto, I am sometimes asked by my customer that they want to get in touch with local life in the city. In this ca...

Excellent		85%
Very Good		13%
Good		2%
Poor		0%
Horrible		0%