Feb 16, 2026
B9190RXcolleenm
The Nagoya walking tour was great!
Tripadvisor review: Nagoya Half-day Private Custom Tour with National Licensed Guide
Todd was the perfect tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and tailored the tour for us to
make the most of our time in Nagoya. We easily made our way to the key sites of the city
and Todd helped us plan the next day with excellent recommendations.

Oct 2, 2025
Jeffrey_B
Nagoya with Todd Miura
Viator review: Nagoya / Aichi Half-day Private Custom Tour with National Licensed Guide
A great 4 hour tour around the city. We visited the Castle, a Japanese Garden and the city centre.
Todd was very knowledgeable and ensured a great experience for us

Sep 17, 2025
sjhppy
Todd Was A Fabulous Guide
Tripadvisor review: Nagoya Full-day Private Custom Tour with National Licensed Guide
I highly recommend Todd! He was extremely knowledgeable and a great English speaker! In addition, he was so helpful even before the tour started. He kept us apprised of the weather, the amount of cash we would need for select spots, etc. He was great and this tour was really wonderful!

Jul 22, 2025
guelphturfgrassinstu
Tripadvisor review: Nagoya Half-day Private Custom Tour with National Licensed Guide
We enjoyed this tour with a knowledgeable guide. Todd shared insights into Japanese
culture, language, and great suggestions for future visits.

Mar 24, 2025
Jennie_N
Ask for Mimmy
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
A must if visiting the first time. Will save you time from trying to navigate through this big
city. Ask for Mimmy, she got us through all the important attractions. She was patient and
accommodating.

Mar 15, 2025
Eric B
Wonderful Osaka castle and tour
Tripadvisor review: Osaka 6hr Private Walking Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Mimmy was a wonderful guide. She took us to the plum forest and it was in full bloom. We also were able to cut the line at Osaka castle and she took us directly to the elevator which saved our legs for later! Mimmy was very knowledgeable about Osaka and took us to all the best places. I told her we were interested in wood block and she took us to a wonderful gallery which also included a free kimono wearing experience. Loved her personality and consideration

Mar 12, 2025
williampP2709MA
Amazing time in Osaka with Mimmy
Tripadvisor review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Mimmy was an amazing tour guide! Very informative and well paced throughout the tour.
She was also very flexible with our last minute time change due to an emergency. She was
accommodating with our requests for specific places we wanted to see.

Oct 30, 2024
Niaz_M
Great choice if you have limited time in Kyoto
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had a great experience with our guide Mummy. She worked with us to come up with an
itinerary to meet our limited time. Mummy also booked lunch for us at a nice local
restaurant and took care of our dietary restriction. All in all a good day.

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.

Jun 6, 2026
Michelle0309
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Off the tourist track in Tokyo
We had such a lovely time with our guide, Yumi. We wanted to visit places that showed us
life for Tokyo residents plus some architecture heroes. The four hours disappeared so
quickly and Yumi had planned our tour so efficiently, no wasted time. Yumi is a star!

May 25, 2026
lynnv748
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Hakone was a highlight of our vacation
We loved our day with Yumi. She was so warm and friendly and very knowledgeable. She
took us to the major attractions in Hakone efficiently and helped us avoid long lines. We
took cable cars, a lovely boat ride and the bus.

May 20, 2026
Suzana F
Tripadvisor review: Tsukiji Food and Toyosu Market with Government-Licensed Guide
We learned and enjoyed every minut
Yumi was a fanty guide. She make us feel welcomed and tried to capture and pass to us
the history and current vibe of the markets. Also she give us insides into food and Japanese
culture.

May 14, 2026
Robert_L
Excellent tour with our outstanding guide, Yumi
Viator review: Tokyo 6 hr Private Guided Tour & Tea Ceremony Experience
Yumi is an outstanding guide. She greatly assisted in guiding us in our choices of areas Tokyo to tour based on our likes. Yumi gave us a wealth of information on Japanese history and culture specific to the areas we toured. She met us in the lobby of our Tokyo hotel and guided us with travel using the Tokyo train and subway. We choose to see the Rikugien garden, the Asakusa area of Tokyo and the Sensoji Temple. The Japanese Tea ceremony was beautiful, calming and informative. Yumi helped us arrange to add wearing Kimonos for this experience. She graciously took our photos throughout this tour. She is such a lovely lady. We highly recommend this tour and have high praises for Yumi.

Mar 30, 2026
MrJames_L
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Great tour with Kaji
We had an excellent tour today in Kyoto at a number of different stops. We went to monkey park, bamboo Grove, tenryuji temple, Arashayama park and the Golden Temple. It was a packed schedule but our guide made sure we got everywhere and transited smoothly. He was also very helpful with our young kids and a food allergy. This was our third tour with JGA and we highly recommend them for Kyoto.

Jul 3, 2025
Radit T
Worthwhile private tour on our first full day in Kyoto!
Tripadvisor review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
We had a wonderful day with Kaji and our driver seeing many sights during our first time in Kyoto!

To start, Japan Guide Agency (operator) went above and beyond to help us even have the tour on our requested day. Despite all of their regular rental vehicles being unavailable, they were able to secure a driver and minivan for the 5 of us and Kaji, our guide. Excellent communication and responsiveness by email as we worked through to resolve the challenge and confirmed the planned itinerary.

Kaji arrived at our hotel ahead of schedule to be ready for our pickup. From there, he led us with interesting facts and helpful tips to Tenryu-ji Temple, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Park, Nijo Castle, and a delicious casual udon lunch as requested at Tokutoku Fushimi Takeda. Lastly, we visited Fushimi Inari Taisha and for a bonus, quickly saw To-ji Temple before getting dropped back off at our hotel.

Overall, time and money well spent. We covered so much ground on this tour and it was a worthwhile experience with help from Kaji and our driver. Definitely recommend!

Jun 7, 2025
Lisa_H
Great tour guide and driver
Viator review: Private Kyoto Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 15 persons)
Overall a great experience. The team is extremely professional and knowledgeable of the Kyoto area. Having a driver was great in the heat and on getting around to the various stopping points efficiently. Our guide was also very helpful and knowledgeable of each place we visited and knew of appropriate spots for pictures, info etc.

Great experience overall.

Jul 26, 2026
Kevin_B
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Tokyo Tour
Highly recommend this tour for first time visit to Tokyo. Our guide Atsushi took great care to acclimate us with navigating through busy train stations efficiently with a group of eight family members. Along the way and at each site he explained various cultural practices and associated histories that made the tour very immersive and enjoyable. We will highly recommend Atsushi and Viator to our family and friends for future tours.

Jun 22, 2026
Ashish_L
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Best Tour for a Short Visit
Atsushi-san was an incredibly well-researched and friendly tour guide. His knowledge allowed us to explore and get to the historical significance of the various locations we visited. His explanations were simple but comprehensive. The six hours flew by and included some off-the-beaten opportunities including coffee at a very austere but memorable location near the fish market. I would highly recommend him as well as this tour for anyone with limited time in Tokyo wanting see as much as possible

May 27, 2026
jackie m
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Walking tour of Tokyo
Our guide was really interesting and had an amazing knowledge of culture and attractions!
We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon walk! We also navigated through the Shinjuku station
which was no walk in the park! Thank you to Atsushi!

Apr 9, 2026
Lindsey_W
Viator review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide, Atsushi, was…
Our guide, Atsushi, was great! He met us at our hotel in Hakone and took us clockwise to tour all the sites. He was informative and taught us a lot. Our group was two adults and a 14 year old. We saw Mt Fuji from the rope way, but unfortunately the pirate ship was canceled because of high wind. We would absolutely use Atsushi again for this tour, or any other tour he provides.

Jul 14, 2026
Mobile53144254562
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Bra introduktion till Tokyo
Vi hade en intressant och varierad dag i Tokyo. Itsuki guidade professionellt och personligt. Han var mycket omtänksam och hjälpsam.

Jun 5, 2026
Flyer544764
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Extraordinary submersion into Japanese history and culture~
What an extraordinary 6 hr ( plus and additional hour) tour of Tokyo with our amazing guide, Mac!
Mac contacted us when we booked our day trip and worked closely with us to develop a custom itinerary that would fulfill all our “must see” destinations.
We started our day at the Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, where we meandered through the narrow alleyways and took in the sights and sounds of the vibrant atmosphere. Of course stopping to taste the delicious seafood and diverse cuisine offerings.
From there we went to the iconic Sensō-ji is Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, where we passed under the massive iconic red lantern at the Thunder Gate and then meandered along the centuries-old Nakamise shopping street leading to the main hall. 
Lunch stop at a lovely Tempura restaurant ending our excursion at the truly magnificent Meiji Jingu Shinto shrine, nestled in the midst of 70 ha. forest located in the middle of the megacity, Tokyo.
Once you step into this precinct, you will forget that you are in the hustle bustle of the city, and will find Japanese traditional scenery amidst the greenery of nature.
A truly unique and beautiful place where you are transported into a state of calm the moment you cross through the three enormous Tori gates.
A day outing that will not to be soon forgotten!

Apr 27, 2026
Eric_K
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Mac was a very good tour…
Mac was a very good tour guide. I highly recommend him because he spoke English very well, was conscientious, positive, respectful, and highly knowledgeable. He was willing to take us to all the places we requested and made recommendations for changes based on our questions and his experience. We enjoyed spending the day with him and highly recommend him as a guide for Tokyo.

Apr 23, 2026
O4598GUpatriciat
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Exceptional Private Guide – Discovering the Hidden Side of Tokyo
We had the absolute pleasure of exploring Tokyo with MAC as our private guide, and it was truly one of the highlights of our trip.

From the very beginning, everything was seamless – communication was easy, responses were quick, and meeting up in such a busy city was completely stress-free. MAC is incredibly organized, attentive, and clearly very experienced navigating Tokyo.

What made this tour stand out was his ability to show us a completely different side of the city. Instead of crowded tourist hotspots, he took us to genuine hidden gems – places we would never have found on our own. One unforgettable highlight was a beautifully preserved, over 100-year-old hidden house with a stunning Zen garden. Despite it being a sunny Sunday, we had the place almost entirely to ourselves.

Another memorable stop was the Institute of Nature & Science, located in what felt like the green heart of Tokyo. Again, it was peaceful and uncrowded – a rare experience in such a vibrant metropolis.

MAC’s recommendations throughout the tour were outstanding. His insights, local knowledge, and thoughtful suggestions made a huge difference. We enjoyed the experience so much that we ended up booking him again at the end of our trip – which says everything.

Beyond his expertise, MAC is a genuinely kind, respectful, and warm person. His calm and friendly Japanese manner made the entire experience feel very personal and relaxed.

If you are looking to discover Tokyo beyond the usual tourist paths and want a guide who truly elevates your experience, we can highly recommend MAC without hesitation.

Apr 2, 2026
V742WEsusans
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Highly recommended tour
Excellent friendly guidance from Mac. He greeted us at our hotel in Asakusabashi and helped us navigate the eastern part of the city of Tokyo. An informative tour through the Tsukiji Outer Fish Market (where he found us some sashimi to sample), the Imperial East Gardens, Meiji Jingu Shrine and Shibuya Crossing, an excellent mix of history and culture. Midday we ate a lunch of tempura, again with much needed help from Mac. At the day’s close, Mac even provided us with a preprinted personalized guide for taking the train back to our hotel. Outstanding!

May 22, 2026
Leanne S
Tripadvisor review: Hakodate 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Cruise port must
Akira was our tour guide and was great. We went to all the stops and he was flexible with us if wanted to take a taxi or stop and eat. I would recommend this tour, especially if you are stopping at a cruise port. He had lots of knowledge and you saw a lot in a small amount of time.

May 7, 2026
Narayanan_V
Viator review: Otaru 6hr Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
Akira san is a wonderful…
Akira san is a wonderful guide. Very informative. He accomodated our requests to see a
shinto temple, Sake factory etc. Akira san shared information about the Meiji revolution
which was interesting. Thank you Akira san

May 1, 2026
Maria R
Tripadvisor review: Hakodate 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Best of Hakodate
Akira was a very knowledgeable guide who showed us the best and most interesting sights
of Hakodate. We learned a lot about Hakodate and Japanese history from him.

Feb 18, 2026
Danielle_S
An insider’s tour of Otaru
Viator review: Otaru 6hr Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
My guide Akira was knowledgeable, kind, patient, and understanding. He didn’t talk too much; rather, he let me ask questions so that he only spoke on topics of interest to me. He also allowed me to set the pace, and we covered a lot of ground in six hours, from the fish market to Mt. Tengu to a coffeehouse to even the Don Quijote discount store (at my request). Being a first-time visitor to Japan and Otaru, I could have never figured out how to manage the logistics and cover so much ground so efficiently. He coordinated bus travel and translated for me at shops. He was very conversant in Enlish on a number of subjects ranging from history to movies. A memorable day with a truly expert guide!

Mar 30, 2026
851murraya
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Good time in Hakone
Akey did a great job setting the itinerary and providing all the logistical details. He was also
very knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited. His English was easy to
understand.

Oct 11, 2025
S
Stephen_M
Incredible day in Hakone
Viator review: Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Mr Akey showed me an amazing time in Hakone. He planned out a very detailed itinerary based completely on my interests. The hot spring onsen was just what I needed to relax after long travel and a day of walking around the day before. I was hesitant to do the ropeway due to my fear of heights, but am so glad I went. The views were absolutely breathtaking, and I was lucky enough to have a clear enough day to get some incredible views of Mt Fuji. Highly recommend.

May 4, 2025
AliS7090
Great experience
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
Akito, our private tour leader, was a fabulous person who was kind and had a deep knowledge of ancient and modern Japanese history. He took us on a fun adventure around the bustling Tokoyo, showing us both the posh and modern and local treasures. You should be prepared to walk a lot 🙂

Mar 30, 2025
Mark_B
You can tailor make this…
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
You can tailor make this to anything you want and the guide delivered exactly what we asked for, along with some extras and very good commentary to explain it all. Only thing is be prepared to travel on subway which can take some time, so make sure what you want to see is geographically close to maximise your sight-seeing.