Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Kazu

タイトル: What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like for a Family Visiting Japan? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group from North America. They had first traveled to their homeland and, on the way back, stopped only in Kyoto, Japan. The elder members of the group had emigrated more than 40 years ago, while the younger members had moved abroad at a very young age. They no longer remember their homeland and cannot speak the language. They planned to fly home from Kansai Airport soon after. Nothing was said directly, but considering the situation, this may well have been a final visit to their homeland, and perhaps they felt it would be a shame to see only one city, so they added a few days in Japan.

One member of the group had a cheerful and energetic personality, while another was calm and unassuming. Since the questions came naturally from one of them, the tour began with me largely speaking to that person. At their request for sushi with plenty of wasabi, we returned to the Sanjo area and everyone enjoyed sushi together. One of the guests really liked the restaurant, which made me glad.

In the afternoon, I had many conversations with the group about a wide range of topics — the history of geisha and maiko, the Japanese economy, the North American economy, and the relationship between population and economic strength. Some of the group asked very sharp, well-considered questions and gave thoughtful responses, so they likely hold important positions in their respective workplaces. One good question was: what is the main reason Japan's economic strength has declined over the past few decades? Meanwhile, other members of the group simply enjoyed the conversation and the exotic atmosphere of Japan.

Throughout the day, we moved at a relaxed pace to match the walking speed of the group, and they enjoyed a leisurely day in Kyoto. It was an honor for me to accompany them on such an important family trip. I always intend to give my full effort, but today I attended to them with even greater dedication. At the time of parting, they shook my hand many times, which made me very happy.

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Tour Report by Kazu

Hello, this is Kazu Akiyama, your tour guide. Nice to meet you and welcome to Japan. Thank you for joining me on the tour. Now I am a retired salaried worker, living in Osaka. I have been very much interested in not only learning Japanese history, culture, religion myself, but also talking about them (sometimes going off topics) in English with tourists from all over the world as well. I am so excited being with you as your guide on coming day! I am very much looking forward to you enjoying with me visiting the must-see places and some of the hidden gems. See you soon. Thank you – Kazu Akiyama