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 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.

May 31, 2026
M8743JTgaryl
Tripadvisor review: Aizu 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great value and flexibility
We had a great tour with Nobuko of Aizuwakamatsu. We learned how sake was made and tasted some great samples, ate some local specialties for lunch, and visited cultural and historical landmarks. Nobuko took our experience to the next level by suggesting options that we would have missed as we are English-only. She even recommended a dinner location for after our tour, so it felt like we had her guidance for the entire day! I’d easily recommend this tour to anyone looking for a great day in Aizu.

Apr 22, 2026
LuizFilipe_M
Great day great guide
Viator review: Ouchijuku 6hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
We had a lovely day with our guide Nobuko. She shared lots of interesting stories about the life in old Japan and explained everything to us. She also had many trivia to keep us engaged and answered all our questions.

We went to Ouchi-juku first and had lunch there (the local buckwheat noodles). Because we chose to do it all by taxi instead of public transportation we had some extra time so we visited Tsuruga Castle and the Samurai House in Aizuwakamatsu. Finally she left us at Sazaedo Temple.

Oct 29, 2025
K
KC357
Great history and culture
Viator review: Aizu 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Wonderful way to explore the history of Aizu-Wakamatsu! Our guide No uso was so helpful. She communicated with us weeks before our trout to make sure we had the itinerary best suited for us. We learned so much about the history of the area and so many fascinating stories.

Sep 7, 2024
Sergio_O
My Amazing trip
Viator review: Aizu Full-Day Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
The cemetery of samurais was the best experience to see how can people follow the honor, the samurais house was interesting, the design for castle showing how can make a secure defense and the hexagonal temple is the best design that I never saw before.
The guide is very polite and explained everything about the history for each location with perfect English language

Feb 7, 2025
Stay38335184325
A very frosty day in a very interesting little seaside town
Tripadvisor review: Otaru 6hr Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide, Kate was very informative and knew the best places to take us as we visited
during winter. It was very cold, windy and icy, but she managed to get us around safely.

Dec 27, 2024
G
G5102BEannied
Sapporo, Hokaido Winter Escapade
Tripadvisor review: Sapporo 4hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
We had an experienced tour guide who gave us a good history of sapporo and explained some of the areas we passed by. A great place with a lot of winter magic place.. snow is powdery and illumination is everywhere.. great experience! Thank you mam Kate (Katsuko Kemanai)

Oct 30, 2024
Clarice W
A Day of Joy at Otaru Canal, Half-day Walking Tour
Tripadvisor review: Otaru 4hr Private Trip with Government-Licensed Guide
Katsuko-san is patient, knowledgeable, polite and extremely helpful. Well-versed in English,
she is enjoying every moment of her profession to serve with distinction and
professionalism. Thank you, we enjoyed the walking tour👍

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!

Apr 4, 2026
Rebecca_M
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kazu Rocks!!
Kazu was a gem! From our booking well in advance of our trip until we parted ways, his communication and attentiveness to our wants and needs was amazing. We were able to say where we wanted to explore and he found some great spots for us. He helped us figure out Tokyo’s train system, gave great facts about the area, gave us travel tips, and provided us with an unforgettable day. Oh, and we walked about 23,000 steps that day and he was only about 3 weeks post op from a knee replacement! That’s dedication!

Oct 19, 2025
geoffreysE7617EB
6-hour Tokyo Tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My guide, Kazuyasu Hakata, modified some of the tour, at my request, to visit older (traditional) Temples/Shrines in the Tokyo area. The 6-hour tour included: Tsukiji Outer Market, Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple, Senso-ji (Asakusa Kannon) Temple, Zuirin-ji Temple, Temples in the Taito – Yanaka Area, Daien Ji Temple (lunch break at the neighborhood festival), Nezu Shrine, Meiji Jingu Shrine, and the Kyu Asakura House. Kazuyasu Hakata was very informative about each site and answered all my questions.

Oct 9, 2025
zglus
6 Hr walking Tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kazuyas brought us all around Tokyo and was a great guide. It is very informative to get a
personalized tour from a Japanese local. The 6 hours flew by! Definitely a recommendation
to do early on in your time in Tokyo to learn the city. Kazuyas was great!

Sep 26, 2025
JulieD4351
We saw the fish market, many shrines, the busy walkway, and much more!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
The absolute best guy. We had kazuyasu Hakata. He was absolutely wonderful. Showed us
all around Tokyo. Took us where ever we wanted to go and recommended a bunch of
places for us. Highly recommend!! We had the best day.

Jul 19, 2026
Wander35832177180
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Kyoto temple tour
Our Kyoto guided tour (Aioi Michiharu) was a great way to see some of the city’s most famous sights. The itinerary was well organized, starting with a convenient hotel pickup before visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha. Walking through the thousands of red torii gates was a memorable experience, and our guide shared interesting background about the shrine that added helpful context.

We then explored the Kiyomizu area, including Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Yasaka Pagoda, and Yasaka Koshindo Temple. The route offered a nice mix of historic landmarks, traditional streets, and scenic viewpoints. There was enough time at each stop to take photos and enjoy the surroundings without feeling rushed.

What really made this tour special was our guide’s knowledge, friendliness, and enthusiasm. He provided interesting cultural insights, recommended local foods and hidden photo spots, and made sure everyone in the group was comfortable throughout the day.

Jul 16, 2026
Abby_M
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Excellent tour. Highly recommend
Michi our guide was excellent! Great communication before the tour and laid out an entire day for us. Was very accommodating and understood when the heat got to us and needed to take a break. He was very knowledgeable and gave us great pieces of information about the beautiful city of Kyoto. Would highly recommend the tour and Michi!!

Jul 13, 2026
Javier P
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kyoto gems
Michi was incredibly courteous and informative. He had a great plan for our tour and everything went smoothly. He talked about the history of the city, industry, and culture and kept our daughters engaged. Highly recommended!

Jul 13, 2026
Beth_D
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Excellent Tour and Guide
Michi was an excellent tour guide! He was very knowledgeable about the history of all the sites we visited, was able to answer all of core questions, and knew where to find cold water when we were all thirsty! We really enjoyed our whole 4 hour tour.

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.

May 16, 2026
I3520JTcristinat
Tripadvisor review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Nara with family
Excellent tour with Junichi!!! Perfect English speaking guide and highly knowledgeable.
Highly recommend this tour!!!!

May 3, 2026
Maria_J
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Enjoyable day in Nara
We spent 6 hours in Nara with Junichi Taguchi and were impressed by how much we were able to see and learn in that time. Traveling as a group of seven adults, we visited Kasuga Taisha, enjoyed lunch at Mizuya Chaya, and explored Tōdai-ji—including the Great Buddha Hall and surrounding grounds. We also spent time at Yoshikien Garden and Irie Taikichi Memorial Museum of Photography, along with encounters with Nara’s famous bowing deer.

Junichi shared clear, informative context throughout the day, adding depth to each stop without ever feeling overwhelming. His pacing was thoughtful, and he kept our group moving smoothly while still allowing time to take things in.

A well-organized and engaging tour—highly recommend Junichi for anyone visiting Nara.

Apr 11, 2026
64sandig
Tripadvisor review: Nara 8hr Private Tour – Osaka DEP. with Licensed Guide
????? Absolutely Outstanding ? Junichi Made Our Nara Day Unforgettable!
We had the pleasure of touring Nara with Junichi today, and he was simply phenomenal from the very first moment! Warm, welcoming, and a true professional, Junichi made us feel instantly at ease. His genuine enthusiasm and excellent English made every part of the day enjoyable and easy to follow.
Junichi’s knowledge is encyclopedic, yet he explains everything in such a clear, engaging, and understandable way. At Kofuku-ji Temple, he brought the history and significance of the site to life with fascinating details. We then enjoyed a relaxing lunch together before heading to Nara Park, where we had the delightful experience of feeding the famous bowing deer ? such a fun and memorable moment!
What really stood out was how flexible and attentive Junichi was. When we felt a bit pressed for time, he smoothly adjusted the itinerary and took us to a wonderful sake tasting facility instead of the next temple. We sampled several excellent sakes and couldn’t resist taking some home with us! From there, he led us to an incredible traditional kitchen knife shop run by an artisan whose family has been crafting blades for 750 years (originally making samurai swords). The craftsmanship was breathtaking, and we ended up purchasing a beautiful knife.
Later, Junichi took us to see an original Japanese merchant’s house, which was a real eye-opener ? the minimalistic lifestyle and beautiful architecture were fascinating.
The entire day was perfectly paced, insightful, and filled with wonderful surprises. Junichi’s caring attitude, deep knowledge, and ability to adapt made this one of the best private tour experiences we’ve ever had. We are so grateful we got to spend the day with him.
If you’re visiting Nara, do yourself a favor and book with Junichi ? you won’t regret it! He’s an absolute gem.
Highly, highly recommended ? 5 stars without hesitation!

Mar 30, 2026
dpadillachavez
Tripadvisor review: Nara 8hr Private Tour – Kyoto DEP. with Licensed Guide
Great day at Nara!
Best tour on Nara, Junichi is great during the tour! He definitely knows and shows the best
parts of the city.

May 23, 2026
Cecile_V
Viator review: Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Full-Day Private Trip with Government Licensed Guide
A great and manageable hike with Kiyoko!
This is a perfect 5 mile-hike for those who only can spend one day on the Kumano Kodo. Our guide was Kiyoko, and we chose to walk from Hosshinmon Oji to Hongu Taisha. Kiyoko was friendly and knowledgeable, and provided many explanations about the history of places we walked through and of the Oji shrines and monuments we passed on the way. The forest is magnificent. She made this hiking trip truly special with her kindness and her experience. Thank you Kiyoko!

Apr 20, 2026
rosesinthorns
Tripadvisor review: Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Full-Day Private Trip with Government Licensed Guide
The best way to experience the Kumano Kudo in one day
I booked a private tour of the Kumano Kudo trail due to having a short time (1 full day), wanting to avoid coordinating local bus schedules, and wanting to learn from a local person who also speaks English. Kiyoko was absolutely invaluable! She was organized, flexible, knowledgeable, and kind. She coordinated all of the transportation and points of interest while continually lending us a locals perspective and knowledge of these beautiful, historic places. 100% worth the money and I think truly the best way to experience the Kumano Kudo trail if you have a short time.

Mar 26, 2026
22luisandr_sm
Tripadvisor review: Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle
Amazing experience in Kumano kodo
Kiyoko was amazing. We are very greatful for everything she did and prepared for us. She got in touch well in advance to make sure she could design an itinerary that was suited to our needs and desires, and boy! She did an outstanding job! We saw and experienced everything we wanted.
And about Kumano Kodo, well it is just breathtaking. We’ll come back to explore more of what it has to offer.

Apr 4, 2025
robrP6297MQ
Beautiful Tour with detailed Tour Guide!!
Tripadvisor review: Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle
We had a great tour guide who helped in so many ways in preparation before the trip,
during the trip, and afterwards! Kiyoko was great and we would 100% book her again!!