I am not typically a tour guide person, but I was thinking it could be good to have a local guide for at least half a day while we are in Kyoto. It would be for myself, my wife, and my adult son. I have seen some people here mentioning they had a tour while in Kyoto and would be interested in what they did and how they found their guide.
Posted by
Chicago, IL, USA
745 posts
In May this year our group of 4 had a great day with Mr. Hiroshi. He is a driver and licensed guide. We used him to see a few of the sites in NW Kyoto that are more difficult to connect with public transportation. He was referred to us by someone else on this forum. https://hiroshiyano.com/
Posted by
Vancouver, Washington
335 posts
A young American woman from your neck of the woods, Alabama, living in Kyoto, married to a Japanese man runs tours and photo sessions through her company PiQtour.com. Full disclosure - I have NOT used her tour guide services as she was fully booked when I was there in November but I have watched almost all her YouTube Videos on travel in Japan. I would highly recommend checking out her YouTube channel, PiQtour Japan before your trip.
Posted by
United States
131 posts
we have booked a half-day (+) tour with Takakazu Mochi for our trip in November, through http://privatetour-kyoto.com/e-guide.htm.
my correspondence with Mr. Taka was very easy and straightforward, and I think it will be a good fit for us. we're planning to go to Byodoin Temple in Uji, followed by another stop on the way back to Kyoto, which will be determined by our stamina level and weather. this is our 2nd visit to Kyoto and we've decided to splurge a bit with a taxi-guide combination, rather than taking the train. when are you traveling??? wondering if you'll have time to read our thoughts and assessment after we return.
if you like being active, and eBike tour through Noru might be fun. we did the Hidden Kyoto tour last year and have arranged for an Arashiyama tour this year. the guide we had was very knowledgable and interesting, and we biked through some lovely areas away from the crowds.
when we travel, I often search through Get Your Guide and Tours by Locals and if the descriptions pique my interest, I will check to see if the guides have their own website and contact them directly. and, of course, I read the TA and Fodors forums in addition to this one, to find recommendations and ideas for our own itinerary.
finally, if you are staying in a hotel (as opposed to renting an apartment on your own) you might reach out to the manager or concierge to see if they can recommend a highly regarded local guide.
Happy Planning!
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
1673 posts
One of my friends is a Japan expert, travelling 2-3 times a year in Japan. When we put together our first trip to Japan, my friend strongly recommended that we use a driver-guide at MK Taxi to see the sights in Kyoto. He said MK Taxi can put together a custom and comprehensive tour of Kyoto. In the end we opted to do it our own. FWIW, here is an article about MK Taxi:
https://mktaxi-japan.com/kyoto/articles/why-mk-taxi-is-the-best-choice-for-kyoto-sightseeing/
Posted by
new york
1855 posts
Also look into the free volunteer guides associated with this group; the guide will tailor your day according to your wishes and you pay only for lunch: