Jul 14, 2026
T6871WWricharde
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kazz gave a great one on one 8 hour custom tour of Kyoto
Ryoich Kazuma (Kazz) was an amazing guide! He picked me up at my hotel and expertly guided me around Kyoto, showing me a custom set of sites. His background revealed interesting facts about the sites and related Japanese culture. He photographed moments for me and later shared all the pictures, allowing me to enjoy the sites rather than focusing on taking all my own pictures. He prepared an itinerary in advance and gave me useful information about how much local currency would be needed as well as estimated admission and transportation costs. Basically have 15000 yen ready and use a Suica card and everything is easy! We had a lovely lunch around midday as well. I highly recommend the tour and can’t say enough good things about Kazz! Love every moment!!

Jun 5, 2026
mateoe216
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Would book again
The tour with Kazuma-san was absolutely great. As someone who has never taken a private tour before, I was unsure what to expect. Kazuma-san met us at our hotel, was very friendly and knowledgeable. His English is also good. As me and my mother took more time than planned at the different sites we visited, Kazuma-san was able to provide us with interesting explanations and history facts throughout it all, even smells of local flora, and he took photos for us even after the alloted 4 hours were over and we were on our way back. One highlight for me was a high end porcelain shop near kiyomizudera.

I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to get a feel for Kyoto’s temples and history.

May 27, 2026
Leah_D
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Absolutely recommend!
I definitely recommend seeing some of the sights with a guide, we learned so many things we would’ve been clueless about had we done some of the temples and castles on our own. Kazz was a wonderful guide and took pictures of us with his nice camera everywhere we went, so we had a little photo album of our day at the end of it! We had so much fun and are extremely glad we did this. Thank you so much!!

May 26, 2026
sheilacL3330KS
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Very enthusiastic and knowledgable guide. Much appreciated
Kazz was an excellent guide – very enthusiastic about everything and happy to explain not only the meaning of the ‘golden pavilion’ but also the different properties of bamboo, and the meanings of anything pertinent he noticed in various shops He also took multiple photographs which he sent to us via email .

Jun 30, 2026
G2432BLtimothyc
Tripadvisor review: Hakone Full Day Tour with Guide and Vehicle
6 hour tour of Hakone
we had a great experience with our guide, Hiro. Despite the weather not cooperating (rain),
Hiro was great about making adjustments so that we could see as much as Hakone as
possible.

Jun 25, 2026
T7734IPbrandons
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
First time in hakone
Niro was perfect for us. He was flexible for our first time in Hakone and the kids enjoyed it

Jun 8, 2026
JasonB6980
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Hiro-san knows Hakone!
Our guide, Hiro-san, did a wonderful job introducing us to the area of Hakone – leading us on a great tour of several requested destinations. We were lucky to see Mt. Fuji at the top of the ropeway, had a fun ride on a pirate ship on Lake Ashi, enjoyed a fantastic lunch at a local restaurant, and picked up some great souvenirs at a puzzle-box store which have wowed our family and friends. One of the great things that Hiro did throughout the day was to educate and amuse us with numerous pictures, stories, and lessons from his backpack. It felt like Hiro-san was part of our family that day and we can’t imagine having tried to experience Hakone’s great sites without him.

Jun 7, 2026
Tourist31988989961
Tripadvisor review: Kamakura 8 hr Private Walking Tour with Licensed Guide from Tokyo
Great Day and Tour
Kamakura was amazing. Enjoyed visiting the beautiful gardens and shrines. Hiro was a great guide. Having him guide us made the day stress free and much more enjoyable. It was interesting learning about Japan and the culture. I would definitely recommend this tour and visiting Kamakura.

Aug 11, 2024
M
Miller A
Good intro to Sapporo
Tripadvisor review: Sapporo Half-Day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history and customs of Sapporo and made
sure we saw a wide variety of things. We especially liked Hokkaido Shrine and Odori Park.

May 24, 2024
Brian_K
Sapporo with guide
Viator review: Sapporo Full-Day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Views from Sapporo TV Tower and visiting and trying desserts at the Shiroi Koibito factory
were pleasant.

Jul 1, 2026
laine164
Tripadvisor review: Nikko Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
A wonderful day!
We had a wonderful time exploring Nikko.
Our friendly guide, Yumi, Was an expert. She made every attempt to ensure our personalised tour was successful. We got to see everything we wanted and more.
We also had great food at a lovely little restaurant with a beautiful view.

Apr 7, 2026
V2097LInickd
Tripadvisor review: Nikko Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great Guide Yumi Highlights Nikko on walking tour
Our 16,000 step tour of Nikko with our guide Yumi was informative, interesting and delightful. Yumi met us at the hotel on time despite a last minute change of venue. She adjusted the itinerary to accommodate the change and we visited the Emperor’s former summer residence (Tamozawa Imperial Villa) and gardens and then walked the Abyss, both good. A quick lunch at the nearby bakery turned into a history lesson about the origins of tourism in Nikko and the oldest hotel in the area. Interesting and unexpected.
We then walked to the world heritage Shrine and temple complex of Toshogu, Futarasan-Jinja and Rinno-Ji. Yumi’s pre-planning and pre-purchase of tickets saved us a 30min wait in line. And her folder of laminated fact sheets provided more details on things we were seeing. So we’ll organised.
We finished the tour with a walk down to the river to view a bridge and then a long uphill walk back to the hotel, via a Lawson Station to stock up on snacks after a busy tour.
Recommended.

Apr 4, 2026
O4367MVkarenv
Tripadvisor review: Nikko Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fantastic day in Nikko
We had a fantastic day with Yumi. She offered us deep insight into local history, cuisine, hidden spots, culture, religion, and daily life. Extremely knowledgeable, passionate and flexible. Yumi communicates well in English and made our day extremely memorable. We highly recommend Yumi!

Nov 10, 2025
Salutory
A fascinating tour with a friendly and knowledgeable guide
Tripadvisor review: Nikko Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide, Yumi Aoyama, was warm, welcoming and highly knowledgeable. She answered every question even thought I’m a bit of a history buff. Her preparation for the tour with a folder of pictures and diagrams to illustrate a point was excellent and helped us understand things like what the five levels of pagodas represent. Overall, we felt like we were in good hands and she delivered good value for money. We highly recommend her and her tour.

Jan 2, 2025
georgeweller
Excellent tour by a very knowledgeable guide
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima City 4hr Private Walking Tour with Licensed Guide
Michi-San was an excellent tour guide. She took us to Shukkei-en which is a beautiful shrine with gardens, water, turtles, koi, and much more. You will get some of the best photographs in Hiroshima. Michi-San provided a wealth of information about the shrine, tea houses, koi, and turtles. We loved it.

Next we went to Hiroshima Castle and Michu-San spent a lot of time going over the history of Japan and the castle. It was extremely informative.

Last we finished up with the Atomic Bomb memorial and museum. Michi-san’s information again was very thorough and informative. All in all we had a great time and would use Michi-San as a tour guide again.

Nov 8, 2024
Andrew M
Awesome experience! Michi was the best guide!
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Awesome experience! Michi was an amazing guide and we had a great day! Thank you so
much and I definitely recommend this when visiting Hiroshima!

Nov 8, 2024
Andrew_M
Awesome day! Michi was an amazing guide!
Viator review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Awesome day! Michi our guide was excellent and fully enjoyed our experience in Hiroshima.
I definitely recommend this experience!! Very efficient with time and get to see a lot in one
day!

Sep 16, 2024
alexandermM7944BB
Day tour with Michi
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Michi, our guide, was amazing! Very knowledgeable of both local and Japanese history. We took many pictures of the beautiful scenery along the way, and Michi shared her insider knowlege on the best photo and lunch spots. Thank you Michi for an excellent day and educational tour experience.

Jul 29, 2026
James_G
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Great guide and very…
Great guide and very knowledgeable. Spoke perfect English and made the day fun and educational. Was able to adjust the tour based on my needs.

Jul 13, 2026
peterhR6472GA
Kyoto highlights with Kazu.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
A wonderful day with Kazu san in Kyoto. From the moment that the tour was booked, his communication with email about planning the day was exceptional.
Kazu gave detailed explanations about the areas we visited and we appreciated all that he had to offer at each of our stops.
We thoroughly enjoyed our day with him.

Jul 12, 2026
cgalvez73
Fantastic tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Our guide in Kyoto was Kazu. By the end of the day, we felt like we had made a new friend.
Kazu helped us arrange the best day with our short time in Kyoto. He brought us to some “hidden gems” and gave us thorough explanations on history and culture.
I would highly recommend this tour.

Jun 23, 2026
Winni_H
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Highly recommended when in Kyoto
Our tour guide Kazu was very knowledgeable in terms of the history and explaining many of
the wonderful ancient sites around Kyoto. Definitely a must! Otherwise, I think it would be
difficult to tourists to understand on their own.

Jun 14, 2026
tiffany_w
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Phenomenal experiance
Hideki san was an amazing guide. He was incredibly knowledgable and easy to understand. While planning our time together he helped me understand the various areas things I wanted to see were in. He designed a great tour for us. We had a delicious fresh seafood lunch, and yummy Japanese treat. He even helped me interpret with shopkeepers and my fortunes from the temples. I cannot recommend him enough!

Jun 13, 2026
Joshua_A
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
The Best Guide I Had in Japan
Hideki was, without question, my favorite guide during my month-long trip in Japan.
He is an amazing, kind, and genuinely thoughtful gentleman. Before guiding, he had a successful career at a major conglomerate in Tokyo, with experience in business development and marketing, and you can immediately tell that he brings a level of professionalism, perspective, and depth that goes far beyond a standard tour.
What makes Hideki special is that he does this because he truly enjoys it. He told me, “You can use ChatGPT to get all the history, but it’s my job to explain what it can’t.” That perfectly sums up the experience. He did not just point things out or recite facts. He added context, judgment, personality, and a real human understanding of Japan that you simply would not get from a guidebook or online search.
The morning of our tour, I told him I wanted to completely change the plan. Not only did he accept it, he took it as a challenge and immediately sprung into action. A few hours later, I was completely off the beaten path in a place that would never show up in travel guides or magazines. We ate locally, and it ended up being the best lunch I had in Tokyo. We walked around, bantered, explored, and had an amazing time.
Being with Hideki felt less like being on a tour and more like spending the day with an old friend or a fun uncle who happens to know Tokyo incredibly well. His knowledge, friendliness, calm demeanor, and willingness to go above and beyond made the day unforgettable.
I could not recommend Hideki more highly. If you book with him, you are lucky to have his time. Treat him well.

May 2, 2026
Bruce G
Our guide (Hideki san) was a master. It was a rainy day and he suggested a new plan in anticipation that worked well.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Using the subway and minimizing time in the rain we saw many of the most important sites and experienced a variety of interesting and fun neighborhood cultures. We had lunch at a local gem for a fun meal of tempura and rice. Some of the sites were spectacular, all were worthwhile. Time and money well spent.

Apr 30, 2026
johnbD9596UO
Lovely Private tour of Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I had a great time being shown around the sights of Tokyo by our guide Hideki, walking and travelling on the transport network. We were able to learn about some of the history and culture of Japan. The whole day was thoroughly enjoyable and was a great experience. We can highly recommend the private tour with Hideki who was very knowledgeable and helpful and can tailor the tour to meet your interests.

May 23, 2026
Sarajean_s
Viator review: Kyoto Early Morning Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
A wonderful way to get acquainted with Kyoto
Shige was a wonderful guide. He helped us navigate the public transit system and provided
keen insight into Japanese cultural practices and the role of religion in modern day
Japan.10/10

May 21, 2026
828vickeyb
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Shige is a great tour guide for Kyoto
Shige was an excellent tour guide. He was knowledgeable, kind and patient. He kept our tour
moving, but also make sure we rested when needed and we stayed hydrated.

Apr 12, 2026
Mariana_M
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Walking Tour with Shige
Shige was an amazing tour guide and companion during our time in Osaka. He explained everything clearly and made the experience both informative and enjoyable. He was very accommodating, always attentive to our needs, and incredibly polite and respectful. His subtle and thoughtful approach made us feel comfortable throughout the entire tour. Highly recommended!

Jul 4, 2025
Marcus_C
Osaka tour 2025
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful tour around Osaka. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting information about the places we visited. He was also very friendly and approachable, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The length of the tour was just right for us—especially on such a hot day—and we still managed to find time to take some great photos.

Jul 21, 2026
G848SWmaribelm
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Tour of Tokyo sights was great!
The tour experience with Sam was awesome! He is knowledgeable and accommodating. We would recommend this tour.

Jul 16, 2026
Cezary P
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Excellent tour of Tokyo!
Sam, was outstanding! Showed us how and what to look for. Explained the IC cards, subway and way around them. Took us to all places we asked for and explained all about them. Excellent tour! Highly recommend!

Jul 9, 2026
Michael_C
Tokyo tour
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Excellent tour with a wonderful guide – Sam. Sam was professional and personable and helped us tailor the experience y including a tour of the fish market and lunch at his favorite sushi restaurant. Tour was great – good pace and Sam is extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer all our questions- overall a 5 star experience!!

Jun 18, 2026
David_W
Viator review: Tokyo Tsukiji Food & Culture 4hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Fish Market Tour
Great tour. Got to see both markets (old
and new). Great food options are available at both market locations

Oct 25, 2025
Carla_G
Our 4-hour Tokyo walking…
Viator review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our 4-hour Tokyo walking tour was fantastic! Michio was informative, delightful, and incredibly accommodating. We had our four-year-old with us, and he thoughtfully adapted the tour to suit our family’s needs. Using public transportation to get around was seamless thanks to his guidance. We highly recommend booking this tour—and definitely request Michio!

Oct 24, 2025
410trishab
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/10 — Outstanding Tour with Michio and Nobuhiko!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Full Day Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle from Yokohama
We had an amazing day exploring Tokyo with Michio as our guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable, providing great historical background on each site and using his personal tablet to visually enhance our understanding. His English was excellent, and he clearly explained the cultural differences between temples and shrines, making the experience even more meaningful.

Our driver, Nobuhiko, was equally impressive—always finding safe and convenient drop-off and pick-up points close to each attraction. Together, they made the day flow seamlessly.

Michio thoughtfully adjusted our itinerary to avoid traffic and kindly delayed our lunch at our request to miss the noon rush. Every detail was handled with care and professionalism.

Highly recommend Michio and Nobuhiko for anyone looking for a well-organized, informative, and enjoyable tour in Tokyo!

Oct 11, 2025
GoPlaces52694049181
We enjoyed our time in Tokyo with Michio our tour guide.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We enjoyed our time with Michio tour guide. He was very friendly helpful, and
knowledgeable answering all our questions. He provided insightful information about
history and culture of Japan!

Oct 10, 2025
PiscesV
Sushi for breakfast at 630am? Yes please!!
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
What a wonderful morning witnessing and learning about the Tuna Auction and learning about the history of the Tokyo fish markets. Michio was an amazing guide and very well informed. He took us to the auction and explained what was happening, taught us some fascinating history, and found us a wonderful “breakfast” at the intermediate market. Once we were satiated he guided us to the Tsukiji market via a wonderful driverless train ride. Everything you could ever imagine could be found at the markets. This was a great tour and we learned things we would never have found out on our own. Thank you Michio!