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.
At your hotel (lobby) (in Kyoto)
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.
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.
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.
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)'
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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 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.
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.
If you walk around in this area in the evening, and you are lucky, you can encounter 'Maiko or Geiko' who go to work.
This temple is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto and has the famous painting and beautiful garden.
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 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.
neat the station of the last destination (I will tell you how to go back to your hotel)
If you want, you can try
Kimono experience(2500~5000 Japanese yen/person depends on kimono you rent)
Tea ceremony experience(about 2000~3000 Japanese yen/person)
visiting Japanese sake breweris in Fushimi District (you can visit a museum and try some Japanese sake)
If you want to have a time with Maiko (make green tea, talk with her, take pictures with her and so on, for an hour), you may be able to join the activity held with Maiko. (activity fee is about 4000 Japanese yen/person)
I will make a one day plan including this activity.
If you are the group of more than 5 people and want to join this activity, please ask me. If your group has less than 5 people and want to join the activity, I will ask and they will tell other available days when the activity will be held. I hope that you can join the day.
Please note that
I'm sorry that I can't promise you that I will be able to get reservation for you all the time because whether the activity will be held or not, depends on the schedule of Maiko.
guide fee, hotel pick up in Kyoto
Transportation fee (you and guide), lunch (you and guide), entrance fee (you and guide)
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.
As for Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, I will manage to have the tour if you book me earlier.
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.
My family had the pleasure of spending two days with Tomoe where we toured sites in Kyoto and then took a day trip to Nara together. She has a very positive energy, which made my husband, college-age children and I thoroughly enjoy spending these days with her. Tomoe is knowledgeable, warm, kind, thoughtful, and, simply, an outstanding tour guide. When learning that my husband is a vegetarian, she suggested a wonderful Zen vegan restaurant for lunch at Shigetsu at Tenryuji Temple that we all loved. It was a great experience. She took great photos of our family and suggested slightly off- the-beaten path spots in popular sites. When we had a little extra time at the end of our first day, she quickly adapted and added a visit to the Imperial Palace garden. She was responsive and really listened to our preferences, which made these tours and spending two full days together special. Our day in Kyoto included Nijyoyo Castle, Golden Pavilion, lunch at Shigetsu at Tenryuji Temple, Bamboo Forest, and Imperial Palace National garden. Our second day included visiting Nara where we saw the Tōdai-ji Temple, Nara Park, and Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha. We enjoyed a ramen lunch in the park. Then we returned to Kyoto to see the Fushimi Inari Shrine. We highly recommend Tomoe as a tour guide! She is wonderful!
Dear Julie and family, Thank you very much for such a wonderful review. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed my tours and liked the pictures I took. Yes, we were lucky to have a little more time left to visit Imperial Palace at the end of tour, on the first day, too. We visited both of Nijyojo Castle and Imperial Palace in Kyoto! 2 days with you, such a nice family, gave me a precious memory. Thank you very much for booking me as your guide. I hope that I can see you again. TOMOE
Our group of 6 had a wonderful time with TOMOE. We started from our meeting place at Osaka Port and used taxis and Shinkansen train to get to Kyoto. From there we visited Nijo-Jo Castle, Kiyomizodera Temple and Fishimi Inari Shrine. Tomoe is so knowledgable and her attention to details impressed us immensely. She was so kind to stay with us until we got on the train back to Osaka and wrote a note for the taxi driver to get us back to the cruise ship. With Tomoe as our guide, she made it an exceptional experience.
Dear Marie, Thank you so much for your warmhearted review! Yes! It was still a hot day, but I enjoyed the day with you, such nice people. I wish we had more time to spend with. Kyoto has more places to visit, so, I hope that you will come back to Kyoto and I can see you again. Thank you for booking me as your guide. TOMOE
Our guide, Tomoe, is a wonderful person as well as a highly qualified and experienced guide. Tomoe was on time, prepared and thoughtful about even the smallest details. She knew how to take shortcuts to save our tired feet and minimize waiting times in lines. Her English is excellent, and she has wonderful insights into the perceptions, preferences and expectations of westerners having lived in the USA as an exchange student. I highly recommend booking Tomoe for Kyoto and nearby areas. She became our friend.
Dear Perry, Thank you very much for such a wonderful review! I was so happy to be able to see you, finally, after a year passed since you canceled your tour last October, due to the affair which was out of control. Thank you so much for remembering me and sending me mails of inquiry. We spent 2 days in Kyoto and 1 day in Nara, walking, eating, talking and laughing a lot. Thank you so much for sharing such precious time with me! I'm already miss you so much. Eres mi mejor amigo. Mantenerse en contacto! Is this correct??? TOMOE
We booked 2 separate tours with Tomoe. One half day and a very special one day tour. We were very lucky to have Tomoe as our tour guide. She was very knowledgeable of all sites we visited and gave us a lot of interesting and helpful information. She even helped us buy tickets and showed us where and how to take the Shinkansen to Tokyo. She was very patient with us when we were taking time to take photos but kept us on schedule and organized in a timely manner. She is an impeccable tour guide. Tomoe made our tour of Kyoto an unforgettable experience. We had lots of fun and laughter with her. I would highly recommend Tomoe as your tour guide!!
Dear Jenny, Thank you very much for your warmhearted review. Yes! I had super wonderful 2 days with you, such a nice couple! We talked a lot and laughed a lot during 2 days. I was happy to see you were taking many pictures, too. I will wait for your next visiting Kyoto (especially to see the autumn foliage). Thank you very much for booking me as your guide and such a precious meeting! TOMOE