Osaka in One Day: Sightseeing ①: Daimon Gate — Guide Nori

Can You Do a Private Day Trip from Osaka to Koyasan? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan for sightseeing from North America. The person handling the advance communication and arrangements did not respond when I first sent a message in mid-October to the address listed in the "guide confirmed" information. When I tried reaching out via a messaging app in early November, I finally received a reply and was able to confirm the meeting point (Hotel). As for the itinerary, since the destination was Koyasan, the basic plan was to sightsee as thoroughly as possible within the guiding hours, letting the guests enjoy the standard course (Daimon ⇒ Danjo Garan ⇒ Kongobuji ⇒ lunch ⇒ Okunoin ⇒ the mausoleum). This course normally assumes taking a bus from Koyasan Station on the cable car up to Daimon and then covering everything on foot — a literal "walking tour" — designed for guests who can walk without difficulty.

On the morning of the tour, when I met the guests, I had the impression that some of them were of average build and had no problem with their walking ability, while one member of the group appeared rather heavy and walked slowly. In fact, during our long train ride, as we introduced ourselves and discussed the itinerary, it became clear that one of the guests had just been discharged two months earlier after hospitalization and treatment, and while there were almost no lingering effects, could only walk slowly. Listening to this, I felt a little regret, thinking "this was information I should have known in advance," but in order to make the Koyasan tour a success for the whole group, I proposed that "if it takes a long time between sites, we should use a bus or taxi," and the guests agreed.

After nearly two hours on the Nankai Koya Line, we arrived at Koyasan and the "Walking Tour" finally began. The first stretch from Daimon to Danjo Garan went smoothly, but at Danjo Garan one member of the group said "I'm a bit tired, so I'll wait by the gate rather than go inside," so the walk and explanation within the grounds were done by the rest of the group and myself. The next move to Kongobuji was also done slowly and without problems, but that guest chose not to tour the Kongobuji building and to "wait outside." After a lunch and rest with plenty of time to recover energy, we decided to take the bus to Okunoin after all. The buses within Koyasan run quite frequently and were very convenient. We got off at a bus stop right near Okunoin and, while viewing the various graves and memorial towers along the path, everyone in the group was able to enjoy it.

What I felt especially strongly on this tour was, once again, the importance of understanding each guest's physical condition at the stage of considering the itinerary. In this case, I reflected that when a guest's response to advance communication is weak, it is necessary to actively ask and find out such details from our side. I would be grateful if, at the stage when [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) accepts a booking, some measures could be devised to grasp such physical conditions as much as possible.

There were a few challenges, but once again I was helped by the guests' cheerfulness and friendliness, and I was able to provide an enjoyable guiding experience.

Click here for more details: Mt. Koya Day Trip from Osaka in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Nori

Hi, everyone! I’m Norifumi Kamon, a government registered guide interpreter. Please call me “Nori”, or “Kamon-san”.
Let me introdece myself. I was born on April 17th in 1952 in Miyazaki prefecture in Kyushu island. I used to be an English teacher of Osaka Prefectural high school. When I retired from a teacher ten years ago, I decided to get a professional guide license. I wanted to play a role of the bridge between Japanese people and the people from all over the world as a second life of mine. After two years efforts, I finally got the guide license. Since then, I have guided several handreds of foreign people mainly in Kyoto and Nara for about five years except Corona Pandemic period. Almost all the tourists were deeply impressed by the beauty of nature, traditoin, culture, and art of Japan. I can surely help you enjoy and be satisfied with the sightseeing in Japan. And I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.