This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 1. 11:00 Meet at Hotel
- 2. 12:15 Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kotoku-in)
- 3. 13:00 Hasedera Temple
- 4. 14:15 Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
- 5. 16:15 Disband at Hotel
What Is a Private Kamakura Day Tour from Yokohama Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. They had stayed in Kyoto for a few days before departing early that morning and arriving at their hotel in Yokohama. After the day's sightseeing in Kamakura, they were scheduled to board a Japan cruise for about ten days starting the following day.
Originally, the plan was to have lunch first, since the early departure from Kyoto might leave them hungry, but they had already eaten at the hotel before we met, so we headed to Kamakura without lunch. Kamakura was quite crowded everywhere that day with school excursion students, but the guests had seen many in Kyoto as well and did not seem particularly bothered. I guided them to the Great Buddha of Kamakura, Hasedera Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and at each place they were impressed by the history and enjoyed the traditional atmosphere. However, one of the guests seemed a little tired, and at the final stop, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, said they did not wish to climb the stairs to the main hall, so they rested at the bottom of the stairs while the rest went up.
Since lunch had been skipped and there was extra time, I considered adding another place to visit, but at Hasedera along the way, they said it would be fine to return to the hotel early as long as we could visit the originally planned places. Having traveled from Kyoto early in the morning, the guests seemed to prefer not to have too long a day. For this reason, after visiting the planned three locations, we returned to the hotel a bit early and finished the tour at 16:15. The guests were also able to buy kimonos and hats as souvenirs, and they seemed very satisfied.
Click here for more details: Yokohama & Kamakura in 1 Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Yokohama～Kamakura | 356JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Kamakura～Hase | 200JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Hase～Kamakura | 200JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Kamakura～Yokohama | 356JPY |
| Total | 1,112JPY | ||
Hello, I’m Haruhiko Yokota, a certified tour guide based in Tokyo and a top-ranked guide registered with JGA Inc. Please feel free to call me Haru.
I’ve been living in Tokyo for about 30 years and conducted close to 200 tours between 2023 and 2025. I’m very familiar with most major sightseeing spots in and around Tokyo, ranging from traditional temples and shrines to modern attractions. I also enjoy traveling throughout Japan, which has given me extensive knowledge of popular destinations across the country.
I’m happy to customize your tour to match your interests and preferences. If you have any requests or questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll do my best to make your tour both enjoyable and memorable!
Jul 13, 2026
529gregj
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Haru is an excellent guide in Tokyo
Haru (Haruhiko…
Jul 13, 2026
529gregj
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Haru is an excellent guide in Tokyo
Haru (Haruhiko Yokota) was a consummate professional from the first comment he made contact with us. He asked for our visit priorities and designed an interesting and engaging tour over the several hours we spent together. Very polite, he escorted and taught us through Japanese culture and sights, which was exactly what we wanted to see and learn about. We highly recommend Haru as a guide in future.
Jul 12, 2026
Felice R
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Touring gardens in Tokyo with the perfect guide , Haru…
Jul 12, 2026
Felice R
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Touring gardens in Tokyo with the perfect guide , Haru
Haru was an amazing tour guide. His communication skills from the first email to his tour presentation was superb! He was able to fine tune our tour with incredible precision. Haru was extremely professional and friendly! He was able to conduct our tour in a very organized, interesting and fun way. We would highly recommend Haru to give you the perfect tour of Tokyo.
Jul 9, 2026
mariee530
An incredible walking tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This tour was beyond expectations!…
Jul 9, 2026
mariee530
An incredible walking tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This tour was beyond expectations! Haru, my tour guide, was knowledgeable, kind and friendly. I feel like I learned so much from him throughout the day! I loved that I was able to choose from so many different sightseeing options. I simply gave Haru my list of preferred places and he did the rest! His patience with me as I took 4638 pictures was abundant! I would highly recommend this tour and I will certainly hope you have Haru as your guide!
Jun 30, 2026
simonegN55VE
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fabulous walking tour with Haru
Haru was fabulous! We booked the tour…
Jun 30, 2026
simonegN55VE
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fabulous walking tour with Haru
Haru was fabulous! We booked the tour for our first full day in Tokyo, and Haru provided us
with a perfect overview of the city. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely
accommodating to our needs. I would highly recommend him to others.