Niigata in One Day: ―9:10　　 Travel — Guide Kayoko

What Is a Private Cruise Excursion Tour in Niigata Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group of visitors who arrived in Niigata on a cruise excursion. Since they requested chartering two private taxis, I personally searched for a taxi company in Niigata City and made the reservation under my name, and it happened to be a taxi company partnered with [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/). As I had also taken on a job with a vehicle arranged through [Japan Guide Agency](https://www.j-g-a.org/) just two weeks earlier, in April, communication with the taxi company went smoothly, which was very helpful.

The day before, one of the guests had sprained an ankle, so in the end we departed with the guests, myself, and two drivers.

It rained on and off from the morning, but the morning itinerary proceeded as planned. Around lunchtime, the guests mentioned that they wanted to shop for locally made "very sharp knives," so on the driver's suggestion we decided to visit a local products hall where all kinds of Niigata goods are available. As the wind and rain grew stronger in the afternoon, changing our destination to the products hall turned out to be a good decision.

The representative guest paid the taxi company in cash for both taxis, and the tour came to an end.

The representative guest runs a travel company in North America and occasionally gathers acquaintances to travel as a group, partly for research purposes. They look for guides in each place they visit and arrange private tours. This time, they mentioned it was a shame that they had been unable to find private guides in Kitakyushu, Sasebo, and Sakaiminato. As I also wrote in my previous tour report, I keenly felt that regional cities in Japan still lack guides. It is truly unfortunate to have to turn down such demand when it exists. As cruise ship port calls are expected to increase further and the demand for guides in regional cities grows, I would appreciate it if consideration could be given to a travel expense subsidy, so that guides from major cities such as Tokyo could be dispatched to regional areas and share the appeal of Japan in those regions as well.

Click here for more details: Niigata Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by KAYOKO

Hello. I’m Kayoko. I’m registered as a National Licensed Guide Interpreter by Tokyo Metropolitan City Government.
I had been living in Yamagata City, 400 kilometers north up to Tokyo for 1 and 3 months, and now just have come back to Tokyo. I really enjoyed living in Yamagata.
My hobby is horse riding and playing some musical instruments such as piano, clarinet, euphonium and tuba.
Thanks to my riding experience, I had a special opportunity to do volunteer works at 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in the equestrian venue in Tokyo.
I am also a certified kimono instructor and can help you dress in the traditional Japanese kimono.
I’m really looking forward to meeting you.