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Academic English

“Tour of Kyoto, Japan – Script”

Listening Exercise

Listen to the recording on Japan tour adventures and read along with the conversation. Review the key vocabulary and the sample sentences.

Well, good morning everyone. My name’s Craig Stone, and I’ll be your guide for today’s tour of Kyoto. First, I want to go over the itinerary for the tour, so everyone can enjoy the trip without being worried about being left behind along the way. And no one has gotten lost so far.

First of all, we’ll be leaving at 9:15 outside the main train station exit. That’s in thirty minutes. Be sure to board the bus by 9:00 sharp.

We’ll be visiting some of the most famous historical spots in Kyoto. Our first stop will be at the Golden Pavilion, a temple constructed in 1397. We’ll be leaving there at 10:30. You’ll have about forty-five minutes to stroll around the temple and its gardens.

Our next destination will be Ryoanji Temple. That’s always a difficult one to pronounce. This temple is famous for its beautiful rock garden. We’ll depart from the temple at 11:45.

Next, we’ll have lunch from 12:00 to 12:45.

In the afternoon, we’ll be making a brief stop at Heian Jingu Shrine, which was constructed in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of the city of Kyoto.

After that, we’ll head downtown and stop in Gion. Many people asked me about different traditional shopping areas, and this is a place we don’t want to miss. You’ll have about an hour to look around, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the atmosphere of the entire area. The shops, the homes, and the restaurants. A very traditional flavor of Kyoto. We’ll be leaving Gion at 2:30.

Finally, we’ll visit Nijojo Castle, which was the residence of the first Tokugawa Shogun. You’ll have about an hour to tour the castle, and we’ll meet at the bus at 4:00.

Any questions?

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

  • itinerary (noun): plan or schedule
    – Please review the itinerary for the trip at least a week before you leave.
  • board (verb): to get on or enter
    – You need to board at least 15 minutes before departure.
  • construct (verb): to build
    – The tower was constructed over 500 years ago.
  • stroll (verb): to walk
    – I went for a stroll around the park early this morning.
  • destination (noun): final place of arrival 
    – What is your final destination?
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