May 13, 2026
Alice_o
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
A Perfect Day in Kyoto.
We had a perfect day in Kyoto. Taka, our guide, was knowledgeable and full of information to share about the city and the various sites we visited. He had spent some time working with a Japanese corporation in Houston, Texas, so he could meet us in a Texas A&M T-shirt. It was a sweet gesture and greatly appreciated. We particularly enjoyed his help on the public transportation in the city, and although we have had drivers in other cities, the buses and trains added to the Kyoto experience. I cannot think of a thing that I would have changed. We even enjoyed a short rain storm, which on any other trip would have seemed an inconvenience. Here, the rain seemed to be an added benefit to a wonderful day.

May 1, 2026
Don_W
Viator review: Kobe 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Awesome to explore new countries
We toured the gardens, temples and the sake brewery when ending up being a great stop
enjoyed the sake.

Apr 12, 2026
Abha_N
Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Amazing guide
We had an exceptional experience with our private guided tour in Japan, thanks to Taka. He was incredibly considerate and patient throughout the day, and never made us feel rushed?in fact, he generously spent more time with us than originally scheduled to ensure we had the best possible experience.
Taka went above and beyond by helping us navigate logistics seamlessly and even made sure we got to our next destination without any stress. One of the highlights was the authentic Japanese restaurant he took us to for lunch ?something we would never have discovered on our own.
Communication was excellent from the very beginning. We had several emails back and forth to organize the day; Taka was able to provide recommendations and was very accommodating of my request for sites off the beaten path.
We couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Highly recommend!

Mar 30, 2026
reneferraris2001
Tripadvisor review: Private Nara Tour with Government Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Osaka Departure)
Nara experience
We had a great experience on our Osaka to Nara tour. Taka was patient, knowledgeable, and explained everything clearly, making the trip very enjoyable. He was also friendly, respectful, and created a comfortable atmosphere throughout. Highly recommended for families or groups of friends?an excellent guide!

Apr 24, 2026
Marcin19872014
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa 4hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
A walking tour of Kanazawa
Ms. Toshiko, Toshiko-san is a high level guide in Kanazawa area. She gave me a very well organized three hour tour of the samurai district in Kanazawa as well as the geisha district. She offered detailed description of the visited sites including their historical background. I was also very impressed and grateful for her readiness to answer my additional specific questions in our subsequent email exchanges. Her background seems to be very broad and deep. While I am a bit embarrassed to even mention this her English is superb. I recommend her highly.

Apr 14, 2026
KiwiJenT
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa 4hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Highly recommend
Jasmine was very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot. She arranged to meet us at our hotel
and booked a tea ceremony for us. Well worth having a guide to make the most of your
time in Kanazawa. Highly recommend.

Apr 12, 2026
359natasjaf
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa 4hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Fantastische gids in Kanazawa
Jasmine maakte onze kennismaking met Kanazawa onvergetelijk. Vriendelijk, met uitstekend Engels en diepgaande kennis van de stad. Elke locatie, van Kenrokuen tot de de Samurai en Geisha, werd boeiend en gedetailleerd uitgelegd. Attent, flexibel en vol passie ? deze gids past zich perfect aan je interesses aan. Een absolute aanrader voor een authentieke ervaring!

金沢での素晴らしいガイド
ジャスミンは、私たちの金沢での初めての体験を忘れられないものにしてくれました。親切で英語も非常に流暢で、金沢についての深い知識を持っています。兼六園から武家屋敷、芸妓のエリアまで、訪れたすべての場所について興味深く、詳しく説明してくれました。気配りができ、柔軟で情熱的であり、このガイドはあなたの興味に完璧に合わせて対応してくれます。本物の体験を求める方には絶対におすすめです。

Mar 29, 2026
karineb931
Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa 4hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Visiting the Geisha and Samouraï district and seeing the fabulous garden was fabulous!
Amazing tour with Jasmine! She give us a lot of great information about the sites that we
visit. We did learn a lot ! Thanks

Sep 11, 2026
Louise_O
Perfect day
Viator review: Miyajima Half-Day Customized Tour with Licensed Local Guide
What a perfect way to spend a half day visiting Miyajima with our guide Lisa. Personalised tour at our pace, Lisa was attentive, interesting and informative on everything we needed to know. I would not hesitate in recommending Lisa and this tour to everyone.

Jun 22, 2026
Rachel M
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Powerful day of one of the worst tragedies of our world. Important to visit and reminds us that peace is so important.
Lisa was an excellent tour guide, patient and kind, very informative, we traveled some mass transit and she really helped us navigate as visitors.
I appreciate her understanding of culture and temple etiquette. She was personable and made the day exceptional.

Jun 5, 2026
777mannyr
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Hiroshima private tour
Lisa Y. Did an amazing job. We had good communication prior to trip and she customized the tour to fit our interests. The day of she provided a detailed and thorough tour! The food recommendations were great as well. Lunch was amazing and we even stopped for drinks and some amazing maple leaf pancakes.
We would highly recommend this tour and Lisa!!

May 25, 2026
maryroses96
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima / Miyajima Full-day Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Bloomers in Hiroshima
We had a fantastic day with our local guide Lisa. The tour was well thought out and all transfers and destinations were smooth and enjoyable. Lisa gave us an amazing experience and we would highly recommend this tour to have a full overview of Hiroshima. We enjoyed beautiful fresh oysters and Okonomiyaki in a local setting. So much fun, Thankyou Lisa.

Aug 9, 2026
Angelika_H
Viator review: Kyoto in 1 Day from Kobe: Private Car Tour, Licensed Guide
Tour
Super Tour who was Shaped for us – also during the tour! Great Guide and Service – Highlight recommened

Jul 9, 2026
727tessv
We had the best time in Kobe
Tripadvisor review: Kobe Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Our guide Chiyuki was the best part of the trip. Super earnest, so generous with her knowledge of the history and culture. The tour had a lot to cover, from the sake making area to the Kobe Herb Garden Ropeway on the opposite side of the city, all in one afternoon. Miles to cover but never once did we feel rushed. We had lovely conversations along the way and tons of pictures to take home. Last but not least, when we requested for her recommendations of Kobe beef places, she pointed us to a top notch Kobe Beef Teppanyaki option – while prudently ensuring it was a value for money experience. You are the best Chiyuki – grateful for your hospitality and gracious hosting.

Jun 21, 2026
M9524SIphilippel
Tripadvisor review: Exploring Nada Sake Breweries Kobe Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sake tour in Kobe
Chiyuki is one of the best guides I ever experienced!

Jun 16, 2026
Pinoy V
Tripadvisor review: Kobe 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Very interesting and informative.
Chiyuki kept us informed on our itinerary and provided valuable insights on the places we visited. Never a dull moment with her as our guide. Very helpful too on our queries….

Aug 18, 2026
414elijahz
Amazing Tour of Koyasan
Tripadvisor review: Mt. Koya Day Trip from Osaka in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Naka was an amazing tour guide! He was incredibly flexible and was very knowledgeable. He also ensured we had ample time to stop to rest, hydrate, find bathrooms, and get food (for which he recommended multiple options). He also went out of his way to help my father figure out an issue he was having with his Suica card, which significantly improved our entire overall trip!

Aug 7, 2026
97ReneeM
Tripadvisor review: Mt. Koya Sacred Sites Half-Day Tour with Licensed Guide
The best guide…
It was important to us to get to experience Koyasan and we were really fortunate to have such an outstanding guide, We had the best experience seeing Naka. Through his knowledge we learned how truly special and sacred Koyasan is. We would highly recommend him!

Jun 3, 2026
388aneliap
Tripadvisor review: Mt. Koya Sacred 6hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Opening your heart to the wonders of Japan.
Naka, was an amazing tour guide. He truly made me feel like I understood the heart of Japan sacredness. His attention to us was truly unmatched. Mt Koya and its history was stunning. It gave me the peace of mind that I was looking for in Japan. Attending the fire ceremony was a one of a kind experience. Thank you Naka, for your wonderful guidance through the beautiful history and religion of Japan.

Oct 16, 2025
Javier_V
Que es un recorrido…
Viator review: Mt. Koya Sacred 4hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
Que es un recorrido agradable e imperdible, gracias al guia Naka por su profesionalidad,
que nos hizo ameno el tour
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
ナカさんのガイドのおかげで、とても快適で思い出に残る素晴らしいツアーになりました。ありがとうございました！

Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained the history of the sites on our tour. He even prepared a book that helped explain the historical significance of each site we visited. He was really fantastic, funny and engaging and connected with every member (young and old) in our group. We all learned a lot! Thank u Haru!

Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was very knowledgeable about the various cites and came prepared with a binder and useful images. He was organized and even found a delicious ramen place for our family of 6 (not an easy task in the middle of busy Nara). He really cared about the cites and the history of the temples and spoke great English. Highly recommend!

Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide
We were able to customize our trip to the top places we wanted to see. We were able to get to all of them. Our guide Haru was great and the places we visited were amazing and interesting. Our guide gave us a lot of history around the different sites. Our favorites were Kiyomizudera temple, Sanjyu Sangendo Temple and Kinkakuji Temple. We also visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine which was pretty great. We did a lot of walking and public transportation to get around. All in all it wasn’t bad and our guide got us to all the sites with ease. Haru was great as he took most of our family pictures. He did a great job.

Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He added a lot to our trip and
allowed us to experience a lot in the limited time we had available.

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.

Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo. He had such insightful knowledge of each area we wanted to visit and had all the best spots to take photos and was very patient with us.

Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi was excellent. We had a wonderful time, learned a lot of new things about Japanese culture and history, practiced navigating transport, enjoyed a perfect lunch. Kazuo-San even facilitated a purchase of a UV blocking umbrella, which was much needed on that sunny day.

Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour with Kazuo, our guide. Days before arrival he communicated directly with me to set up the tour according to sites we wanted to see and he made good suggestions. Besides listening to his Kyoto detailed knowledge, we enjoyed the local walking of streets, taking buses and trains between sites. Kazuo has excellent English and has travelled himself so being with him for the day was a pleasure. I highly recommend using him as your guide

Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had a wonderful experience during our Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide. Our guide, Kazuo, was truly outstanding from start to finish. He shared an impressive amount of knowledge about Kyoto’s history, culture, temples, and daily life. You can feel how passionate he is about his city, and he explains everything with the calm, precision and kindness so typical of Japanese guides. His English was clear and easy to follow, which made the whole day even more enjoyable. Kazuo was also extremely friendly, attentive and careful. He always made sure we were comfortable, took the time to answer all our questions, adapted the pace of the tour, and anticipated our needs without us even asking. Travelling by car made the experience smooth and relaxing, allowing us to see more places without rushing. We felt very well taken care of throughout the day, and we learned so much thanks to him. We highly recommend Kazuo to anyone looking for a personalized, insightful and stress‑free discovery of Kyoto.

Sep 25, 2026
philiprA2432ZA
Hiroshima & Miyajima
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
Our guide Hiroshi picked us up at our hotel. We went first to Miyajima on the ferry. Hiroshi was very knowledgeable about the area. We had a fabulous time there and a delicious lunch in a local restaurant. After that we went to Hiroshima museum. This was so sad. Again Hiroshi was very knowledgeable about the bombing as his family remembers it. We went to the Peace park. Hiroshi taught us how to make an origami crane! A great day with a lovely guide.
Margaret & Philip

Sep 23, 2026
Sygeplejersken78
The best guide – Thank you 🙏🇯🇵🇩🇰
Tripadvisor review: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide
We had an unforgettable day in Hiroshima and Miyajima with our wonderful guide, Hiroshi. He was kind, patient, knowledgeable, and explained everything so clearly. We felt comfortable asking him anything, and his stories made the experience even more meaningful.

Visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was deeply moving and emotional. Hiroshi shared the history with great sensitivity, giving us a deeper understanding of the events and the importance of peace and remembrance.

Thank you, Hiroshi, for your kindness and for making our day so special. We highly recommend him as a guide! ❤️

From Tina, Lars, Dorthe and Henrik from Denmark

Sep 21, 2026
Pioneer19650761736
You Won’t Regret Booking with Hiroshi
Tripadvisor review: Miyajima Half-Day Customized Tour with Licensed Local Guide
We had the most amazing tour to Miyajima Island, all thanks to Hiroshi! He is such a lovely, kind, and genuinely thoughtful guide. From start to finish, he made us feel so welcome and went out of his way to ensure we enjoyed every moment of our trip. His warmth made the experience unforgettable. If you are planning a visit, definitely book a tour with Hiroshi—he is the best!

Sep 11, 2026
stephanie782022
Fantastic tour experience
Tripadvisor review: Miyajima Half-Day Customized Tour with Licensed Local Guide
We had such a fantastic day with Hiroshi, who was very friendly, knowledgeable and helped us have a remarkable experience. Our highlight was our local lunch, where we created meaningful origami cranes and enjoyed local specialties. Tour and guide were beyond our expectations and we are very grateful for our experience.

Sep 27, 2026
jonaJ5014ZK
Walking tour of Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Seizo was a tremendously fabulous and friendly tour guide. He made us feel welcome and took great care to explain the tour and what we would be seeing during the day. It was a great way to see the city’s sights and a great help navigating the transit system. Loads of trains rides to get us to each new location.

Sep 11, 2026
M7402TTsharonp
Higly recommend
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Had an amazing tour with Seizi Kaminto. He was very knowledgeable, easy going, great sense of humour and taught us a lot about Japanese culture and history. We all thoroughly enjoyed the tour and our guide Seizo. Would highly recommend.

Sep 8, 2026
OnAir57127583503
Amazing Experience with Kamakura Day Tour
Tripadvisor review: Japan Guide Agency
We had an excellent time with Seizo Kamiuto as our guide for Kamakura. He was an excellent guide for the whole day and it really made a difference with an experienced person who knew the area. He was very friendly and accommodating with our plans for Kamakura, including me picking out which temples and shrines to visit. He met us at our hotel in Asakusa and dropped us back off at the hotel even if it is an hour from Kamakura. He also recommended a great sushi restaurant that I would not have even known existed, even if I was looking straight at it. I would highly recommend bringing a guide like Seizo if you want to maximize your time in Kamakura to explore the area.

Our tour went to 3 places in the morning and 2 places in the afternoon. The morning places were a bit out of the way and less crowded, but were beautiful on their own. The morning places where Engakuji Temple, Meigetsu-in Temple (slightly out of season for September but some hydrangeas were still blooming and the temple itself was very beautiful with nature all around), and Kencho-ji Temple. The afternoon was in the busier places of Kamakura, but the crowds weren’t too bad. They were Hasedera Temple and the Giant Buddha of Kamakura Temple. Each place was different and pretty in their own ways.

Sep 4, 2026
B2319ZKjoseo
Pleasant stroll through HISTORY
Tripadvisor review: Kawagoe Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
We had a great time learning about little Edo. Our guide, Mr. Seizo, was very knowledgeable, accommodating, and patient with the number of questions we had.