Kyoto 1 Day Private Tour

Since the end of 8th century, Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1000 years.  During this long period of time, rich culture had contiuously emerged, and is still maturing even today.  Many arts, crafts, culinary arts, and forms of entertainment were produced, and religious rituals have been practiced.  These have been passed down from generations and generations, and are deeply rooted in the life of the people in Kyoto.  With the assistance of our guides, catch a glimpse of some of the traditional art & culture, and experience them yourself to feel the rich history of Japan.

Sample Itinerary (8 hour tour)

Visit Arashiyama, the western district of Kyoto with pleasant nature of mountains, a river, and bamboo grooves.   Tenryuji Temple, situated in the center part of Arashiyama, is a leading Zen temple famous for its landscape garden.    Behing Tenryuji temple is a picturesque walking path along the bamboo groves.  Various kinds of crafts made out of bamboo can be found in specialty shops in Kyoto.

Visit Kinkakuji Temple, which is called The Golden Pavilion, because it is covered with golden leaves.  The temple, registered as the UNESCO world heritage, is one of the "must sees" of Kyoto.   Nijo Castle is another popular world heritage site.  The castle was built by samurai Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of the powerful Edo Shogunate.  The architecture, decorative carvings, and ornamentation display the artistic essense of this period.

Visit a machiya (traditional wooden townhouse).  Typically, machiyas were owned by a merchants or craftsmen.  The buiding has a narrow entrance, and streches deep into the block, with a small garden.  Explore inside the machiya to see its unique architectural forms.    End your tour in Gion, the entertainment district of Kyoto with ryoteis (high-class Japanese restaurants), bars, kimono related shops, traditional craft shops, and souvenir shops.

*As for lunch, the guide will recommend a nice restaurant which serves Kyoto’s specialties such

 as Tofu, Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine, Shojin cuisine (monk’s vegetarian dishes), etc.  Lunch

fee is not included in the tour price. 

Also please see Kyoto Gourmet Tour.

Price for this sample itinerary

                                                                                                        (price per group)

	2 persons	3 persons	4 persons
8 hours	76,000 yen	82,000 yen	89,000 yen

                                                                                     (5% consumption tax included)

Including: English speaking tour guide, entrance fees, public transportation

Not Including: Lunch fee

Note:

1) The price is for the above sample itinerary.  Day trips to Kyoto from other cities can be arranged upon request.  (ex.  From Osaka, additional 10,000 yen per group will be charged as it takes 2 hours for round trip, which makes 10 hour tour.  For other cities, please contact us.)

2) We will customize your own tour depending on your interests and time.  Include any site you wish.  The duration of your tour can be arranged from 4 hours.

3) Private car can be arranged for extra fee

4) Please contact for more than 5 persons

Activities we can arrange in your tour

Traditional & Modern Culture World Heritage Temples and Shrines Walk through picturesque paths with traditional buildings  Tea Ceremony Kimono Wearing Ikebana Flower Arrangement Geisha Dinner Wagashi (Japanese sweets) making Sake Brewery

Shopping Antiques Traditional crafts Unique Kyoto food   Gourmet Luxury or local restaurants Shojin (Buddhist vegetarian) lunch Cooking Class

 *Extra fees may be added to your tour price for certain activities.

Request for a Private Tour

To request for a private tour, contact us by E-mail (commentsmtj@michitravel.com) or call us (03-5213-5040). Please tell us the following information:

1) Your name 

2) Number of persons in the group 

3) Date of the tour 

4) Starting time and length of tour 

5) Meeting place 

6) Places you would like to visit (or write "recommended travel" if you would like us to plan your day) 

7) Interests 

8) Lunch requests

9) Allergies or food you cannot eat

Private Tours in other destinations

We can also arrange privately-guided tours in other destinations throughout Japan.  Also, your tours can be tailored to your specific interests such as culture, food, and nature.

Recommended Accommodations

Hiiragiya (Kyoto)	Gion Hatanaka (Kyoto)	Yoshida-sanso(Kyoto)
Yuzuya Ryokan (Kyoto)	Yoshikawa (Kyoto)