Category: Uncategorized

  • Tokyo in Half a Day: Tsukijishijo Station & Shibuya Station

    Tokyo in Half a Day: Tsukijishijo Station & Shibuya Station

    Tour Itinerary

    • 9:40 Guide (Kogure) arrives at Hotel
    • 9:50 Meet the guests in the Hotel lobby
    • 10:00 Hotel, walk to Tochomae Station on the Oedo Line
    • 10:15 Depart Tochomae Station, take the Oedo Line to Tsukijishijo Station
    • 10:40 Arrive at Tsukijishijo Station
    • 10:40 – 11:40 Guide through Tsukiji Market, Tsukiji Hongwanji, and Namiyoke Shrine
    • 11:45 – 12:15 Sushi lunch at Sushidokoro Tsukijiya, reserved in advance; after lunch, walk to Ginza
    • 12:30 – 12:50 Guide through Kyukyodo in Ginza 4-chome
    • 12:55 Depart Ginza, take the subway Ginza Line to Shibuya Station
    • 13:10 Arrive at Shibuya Station
    • 13:10 – 13:50 Guide through Shibuya Hachiko, the Scramble Crossing, and MAGNET building
    • 13:50 Depart Shibuya Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station
    • 14:00 Say goodbye to the guests at Harajuku Takeshita Street

    Title: What's a Private One-Day Tokyo Family Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Tsukiji, Shibuya, and Harajuku The guests were a group visiting from Oceania, and they thoroughly enjoyed today's tour of Tokyo. Through email exchanges beforehand, I learned that this trip was intended as a gift, and that some of the guests loved sushi and anime. Accordingly, I reserved a table in advance at a sushi restaurant in the Tsukiji Market area, where the group enjoyed delicious sushi and were very pleased. At Tsukiji, I guided the group to Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple and Namiyoke Shrine, explaining the difference between a temple and a shrine and demonstrating the proper way to worship at each. At a store in Shibuya, some of the guests were delighted to receive character goods, including a Hello Kitty plush toy and goods along with One Piece merchandise. The group was very satisfied. After guiding them through Harajuku, I explained how to get back to their hotel and said goodbye. They took many photos and were very happy. Right after the tour began, I explained how to purchase a good-value one-day pass at Tochomae Station on the Oedo Line, which allowed the tour to proceed smoothly. [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) is one of Japan's largest networks of government-licensed, English-speaking private tour guides, serving all 47 prefectures. Winner of Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

    Transportation cost per person

    No.TransportationRouteFare
    Section 1SubwayTochomae~Tsukijishijo280JPY
    Section 2SubwayGinza~Shibuya210JPY
    Section 3TrainShibuya~Harajuku150JPY
    Total640JPY

    Hello and how do you do?
    My name is Nobuo Kokure, and please call me Nobby for short, if you want.
    Let me introduce myself. I was born in Hayama, a beach resort area, Kanagawa prefecture, south of Tokyo. And I’m now living in Saginuma, Kawasaki city.
    When I was a university student, I had the opportunities of doing a home stay with a family In U.S.A., Australia, and England, as a youth exchange student.
    After graduation from the university, I started working at American Life Insurance Company, Japan (Alico, Japan), which is a group member company of AIG, now MetLife Insurance Company. I could have a chance to visit the head office and the field offices of U.S.A., Wilmington in Delaware, New York, Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale in Florida, Los Angeles, while I was working for Alico, Japan (Now, MetLife Insurance company).
    I had been working for MetLife Insurance Company for about 38 years, in total.
    After retiring from the life insurance company, I started working as a tour guide, because I wanted to become a tour guide to introduce culture, history, and manners and customs of Japan in English. It’s so different between my previous job and the guide business, but I like guide business a lot.
    I can meet so many people from all over the world and the guide business has been thriving after the pandemic.
    I have implemented the tour over 240 times, introduced Japan to more than 4900 tourists from 54 countries.

    Not only Tokyo, but I have experienced touring around Nikko, Kamakura, Mt. Fuji & Hakone area, Takayama, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Hiroshima, etc. which are all very famous as a tourist spot in Japan.
    If you go on a tour in Tokyo, you must see and visit Asakusa Sensoji Temple which is the oldest Buddhist Temple in Tokyo with histories and Nakamise Shopping Street where you can buy the souvenirs and try to taste Japanese sweets, such as doll cake which is the sponge cake in various shapes filled with red bean paste and Japanese powdered tea ice cream. Another my recommendation in Tokyo to visit is Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, and Shibuya. Meiji Shrine is one of the biggest shrines in Japan with quiet and peaceful atmosphere and magnificent site.
    Harajuku and Shibuya are both fun to visit for shopping and experience the Shibuya Crossing.
    I usually propose my tentative itinerary and ask if my plan is all right with the customer or not. My hobby is traveling around Japan and foreign countries and going to the gym for exercise.
    I would like to work as a guide as long as possible if I’m in good health and my legs are strong, because I love this job.
    I put my importance on the mind of OMOTENASHI which means sincere hospitality, though safety during the tour takes precedence, number one priority, before anything else.

    I’m very looking forward to seeing you and touring with you in Japan soon.
    Thank you!

    Best regards,

    Nobuo Kokure (Nobby)

    Sep 29, 2026
    jeffbM3390PI
    Nuobo was awesome as our Tokyo tour guide.
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    Jeff…

    Sep 25, 2026
    skipcooney
    Customized private tour of Tokyo
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    Nobby was very flexible…

    Sep 22, 2026
    duncans746
    Great guide!
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    Nobuo was fantastic, very knowledgeable and shaped…

    Sep 13, 2026
    Culture25230012656
    Very knowledgeable
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    I enjoy every step of the tour.…

  • Kanazawa Customized Half-Day Tour

    Kanazawa Customized Half-Day Tour

    Tour Itinerary

    • AM 10:00 Hotel Tour Start
    • Move On foot To Oyama Shrine
    • AM 10:15-10:45 Oyama Shrine
    • AM 10:45-11:40 Kanazawa Castle Park Hishi Yagura, Gojukken Nagaya, Hashizumemon Tsuzuki Yagura Tour
    • AM 11:40-PM12:30 Kenrokuen Garden Tour
    • Move Bus Hashiba-cho
    • PM 13:00-14:00 Kazuemachi, Higashi Chaya District  Utasu Shrine Gold Leaf Sakuda
    • Tour End

    What Is a Private Walking Tour of Kanazawa Like? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from Europe. Since they had already visited the Nagamachi samurai district earlier, we decided during the morning meeting to explore other locations instead. It seems that people from Europe are often thought to have a relatively closer sense of familiarity with Japan compared to other regions, and the guests said they enjoyed comparing the differences with Japan as they walked around the town. They were surprised at how many restaurants there are in a Japanese town compared to the number of restaurants in towns back in their home region. They enjoyed the tour itself very much. At the end, they asked me to recommend a good dinner restaurant, so I made a reservation for them and the tour concluded.

    Transportation cost per person

    No.TransportationRouteFare
    Section 1BusKenrokuen-shita・Kanazawa Castle/Hokuriku Railroad Bus~Hashiba-cho/Hokuriku Railroad Bus210JPY
    Total210JPY

    Hello , My name is Hideharu Yoshino . Just call me” Yoshi” .
    I have been involved with many foreign Business partners through my business life for 38 years ,
    Based on my work experience , I would like to try my best to make you comfortale and Happy fruitful times during your stay in Japan .
    Not only giving you basic tourist information about famous sightseeing spot , also I would enjoy to give you the back ground inofrmation in my word.
    ” Once in a lifetime encounter ” Let’s enjoy with me Miracle time to be picked up from 6 billion in somewhere Japan!

    Sep 29, 2026
    matthewsY2654UC
    Highly recommended!
    Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
    Yoshi is an exceptional guide where he took us…

    Sep 28, 2026
    751juergend
    Perfect day in Kanazawa
    Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
    Yoshi was the perfect guide, very…

    Sep 27, 2026
    karen_f
    YOSHI san was incredible!
    Viator review: Kanazawa Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    YOSHI met us at our…

    Sep 19, 2026
    Plumb72
    A morning in Kanazawa
    Tripadvisor review: Kanazawa Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
    We had a fab tour with Yoshi…

  • Tokyo in One Day: Asakusa & Harajuku Takeshita Street

    Tokyo in One Day: Asakusa & Harajuku Takeshita Street

    Tour Itinerary

    • 9:30 Meet at Hotel Grand Bach Tokyo Ginza
    • 10:00 Asakusa (Skytree photo)
    • 11:55 Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (wait about 20 minutes to reach the observation deck)
    • 12:50 Meal @ Azabu Nagasaka Sarashina Metropolitan Government Assembly Building Branch
    • 14:10 Meiji Jingu Shrine (enter from the north gate)
    • 15:20 Harajuku Takeshita Street
    • 16:10 Disband in front of Hotel Grand Bach Tokyo Ginza

    What Is a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report The weather was fairly good, with no rain and not too hot, making it a nice day for sightseeing. Some of the guests were older, but they walked well and the tour proceeded without any problems. In Asakusa, the group was interested in the Nakamise shopping street. At the Metropolitan Government Building, one of the two observation decks was closed, so we waited about 20 minutes before entering the observation deck. The guests were pleased to catch a faint glimpse of Mount Fuji. For the meal, we went to a tonkatsu restaurant that I had seen on a website, but it turned out to be a place that did not serve alcohol at lunchtime, so we reluctantly moved to a soba restaurant across the street. Some of the guests found it difficult to eat soba with chopsticks or a spoon, which I felt sorry about. The tour ended in front of the Hotel, and I received a tip.

    Transportation cost per person

    No.TransportationRouteFare
    Section 1Free PassGinza~Asakusa900JPY
    Section 2Free PassAsakusa~Tochomae0JPY
    Section 3Free PassTochomae~Yoyogi0JPY
    Section 4Free PassMeiji-jingumae~Ginza0JPY
    Total900JPY

    My name is Eiji Kobayashi (Mr.), and I will be your guide during your stay in Tokyo.
    Please call me Koba.
    Allow me to introduce myself. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter of Japan and an expert in Japanese history and culture, and also in nursing and health. I usually work as a Public Health Nurse (PHN) at a Public Health Center in Tokyo, and I hold a Registered Nurse (RN) license. Additionally, I have a Ph.D. in medical science.
    Born in 1957 and raised in Tokyo, I have worked for 33 years mainly in the research and development area for some pharmaceutical companies. Then, I changed my career to nursing and entered a university to obtain a PHN and RN license. I took the Licensed Guide for preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and volunteered in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.

    Jul 21, 2026
    scottsD8777AR
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
    Great Touring Tokyo
    Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly…

    Jul 9, 2026
    Quest36994121691
    First visit to Tokyo
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    This was our first visit…

    Jul 8, 2026
    Χρονης Π
    A beautiful tour
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    It was a perfect experience…

    Jul 5, 2026
    I3699SBjonathanw
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    6hr Tokyo guide great experience
    Koba was so nice to my family…

  • Hokkaido in One Day: Sapporo Clock Tower & Shiroi Koibito Park

    Hokkaido in One Day: Sapporo Clock Tower & Shiroi Koibito Park

    Tour Itinerary

    • 8:50 Meet up @ Hotel
    • 9:05 Former Hokkaido Government Office Building (Red Brick)
    • 9:25 Sapporo Clock Tower
    • 10:15 Odori Park
    • 11:25 Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium
    • 12:50 Lunch @ Maruyama Class
    • 14:00 Shiroi Koibito Park
    • 15:45 Dismissal @ Odori Park (Autumn Fest venue)

    What's a Private Walking Tour of Sapporo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were visitors from Oceania. They preferred to use the stairs rather than escalators when moving through the subway, even though I guided them toward escalators when available. They enjoyed walking and were very fit and strong walkers. Since I learned that they had visited Hakodate the previous day, including its morning market, I adjusted the itinerary by skipping the originally planned Nijo Market and instead spending more time at the Sapporo Clock Tower. At the end, since a very popular event called the Autumn Fest was being held at Odori Park, I showed them around there and concluded the tour.

    Transportation cost per person

    No.TransportationRouteFare
    Section 1SubwayOdori~Maruyama Koen210JPY
    Section 2SubwayMaruyama Koen~Miyanosawa250JPY
    Section 3SubwayMiyanosawa~Nishi 11-chome290JPY
    Total750JPY

    I was born and raised in Hokkaido and have been a resident of Sapporo for over 30 years. I have been actively involved in guiding tourists around the scenic spots of Hokkaido, primarily focusing on Sapporo. Even before becoming a licensed interpreter guide, I engaged in volunteer activities to assist and guide foreigners, providing me with valuable opportunities to delve into the rich culture and history of Hokkaido.
    Hokkaido is renowned for its exceptional culinary scene, and I am well-versed in gourmet information. I believe I can offer an excellent experience by guiding individuals through the highly acclaimed food experiences that Hokkaido has to offer.

    Aug 15, 2026
    I654RPsandib
    Great experience
    Tripadvisor review: Sapporo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
    We thoroughly enjoyed our 6 hours touring Sapporo with…

    Apr 22, 2026
    Agent PT A
    Tripadvisor review: Sapporo 6hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
    Super Sapporo in April with Tom.
    Tom was kind…

    Feb 10, 2026
    Alan_C
    Very enjoyable and well…
    Viator review: Sapporo 6hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
    Very enjoyable and well worth it. Our…

    Sep 24, 2025
    saratW9816BN
    Tour up to the Moiwa mountain and lots more
    Tripadvisor review: Sapporo 6hr Private Tour with Government Licensed Guide
    We’ve had…

  • Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day

    Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day

    Tour Itinerary

    • 9:30 Hotel-10:30 Kappabashi Kitchenware Street-11:30 Asakusa Sensoji Temple‐13:00 Meiji Shrine-14:30 Shibuya Crossing 15:40 Disband at Tokyo Station

    Title: What's a Full-Day Private Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, Meiji Shrine, and Shibuya [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) guide led a private tour in Tokyo for guests visiting Japan for the first time from Oceania. The guests were staying in Japan before continuing to visit family living in Asia. As the guests had just arrived at their hotel, they left their luggage there and started the tour. Passing through Kappabashi Kitchen Town on the way to Senso-ji Temple, they entered several shops and remarked that next time they would like to bring along a family member who enjoys cooking. Within the grounds of Senso-ji Temple, the guests were deeply impressed by the magnificence of the main hall and the five-story pagoda. Experiencing the tranquility of Meiji Shrine and the bustle of the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, they were able to enjoy many different sides of Japan.

    Transportation cost per person

    No.TransportationRouteFare
    Section 1TrainShiomi~Tawaramachi (Tokyo)350JPY
    Section 2SubwayAsakusa~Yoyogi360JPY
    Section 3TrainHarajuku~Shibuya150JPY
    Section 4TrainShibuya~Tokyo210JPY
    Total1,070JPY

    Welcome to Japan. My name is Michio, your tour guide in Tokyo and Japan. I was born and grown up in Tokyo, and still living in western suburb of Tokyo with my wife, except for 10 years outside of Japan travelling and living in 60 countries. So I might have visited your country and still remember a few words.
    Japan has unique history, nature and culture, and there are plenty of secrets and wonders behind them such as food culture, Zen and Ninja.
    So please explore and discover the hidden and most beautiful part of Japan together. Let’s experience!

    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…

    Oct 24, 2025
    410trishab
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/10 — Outstanding Tour with Michio and Nobuhiko!
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Full Day Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle from…

    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…

    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…

  • Kyoto: Fushimi Inari & Kinkaku-ji

    Kyoto: Fushimi Inari & Kinkaku-ji

    Tour Itinerary

    • 09:30 Meeting point: Kyoto Station (Shinkansen Central Gate)
    • 09:35 Travel: To Fushimi Inari
    • 09:50 Sightseeing ①: Fushimi Inari
    • 10:55 Travel: To Sanjusangendo
    • 11:10 Sightseeing ②: Sanjusangendo
    • 12:00 Travel: To Kiyomizu-dera
    • 12:15 Sightseeing ③: Kiyomizu-dera
    • 13:00 Travel: To Kinkaku-ji
    • 13:45 Sightseeing ④: Kinkaku-ji
    • 13:45 Travel: To Kyoto Station
    • 15:30 Tour ends・Dismissal: Kyoto Station

    Title: What Can You See in a 6-Hour Private Kyoto Tour with a Car? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests on this tour were a group visiting Japan from North America. One of the guests had recently graduated, and the trip was partly a celebration of that milestone. All pre-tour arrangements regarding the itinerary were made with one member of the group. Thanks to advice from a friend who had visited Japan before, the guests had clear wishes from the outset, requesting four destinations: Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, and Sanjusangendo. Considering a place for lunch as well, this effectively amounted to five stops. Since Kinkaku-ji is quite far from the other destinations and requires considerable travel time, covering these four sites (plus a meal) within a 6-hour course was challenging, even with a private car. I therefore proposed that "lunch be taken as a light meal in the car during transit," and the guests agreed. The main issue on this tour was deciding "where exactly at Kyoto Station the initial meeting point should be." The guests had only said "meet at Kyoto Station," without specifying where they would be coming from or which train they would take to reach Kyoto Station (a local line or the Shinkansen?), so the meeting point remained undecided until close to the tour date. Ultimately, on the morning of the day before the tour, the guests contacted me to say, "We have decided to come from Hiroshima to Kyoto by Shinkansen and just booked the tickets. The Shinkansen arrives in Kyoto at 9:15, and since there is quite a lot of time before the planned 10:00 meeting, can we start earlier?" In response, I decided that, "although it was last minute, the meeting time would be moved up by 30 minutes and the meeting point would be the Shinkansen Central Gate," and I sent a final notification to [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) and the taxi company (via the itinerary sharing form). With this, we were finally able to confirm the meeting point and time. Regarding this matter, we were unable to observe the rule that "for private car tours, itinerary changes must be finalized by two days in advance," and I apologize for the inconvenience caused. On the day, we were able to meet at Kyoto Station (Shinkansen Central Gate) a little before 9:30 a.m., boarded the private car right away, and proceeded with the tour almost exactly as planned. One member of the group had visited Japan and done sightseeing before, but for the other it was their first time sightseeing in Japan, so they were able to enjoy every destination with a fresh sense of wonder.

    Hi, everyone! I’m Norifumi Kamon, a government registered guide interpreter. Please call me “Nori”, or “Kamon-san”.
    Let me introdece myself. I was born on April 17th in 1952 in Miyazaki prefecture in Kyushu island. I used to be an English teacher of Osaka Prefectural high school. When I retired from a teacher ten years ago, I decided to get a professional guide license. I wanted to play a role of the bridge between Japanese people and the people from all over the world as a second life of mine. After two years efforts, I finally got the guide license. Since then, I have guided several handreds of foreign people mainly in Kyoto and Nara for about five years except Corona Pandemic period. Almost all the tourists were deeply impressed by the beauty of nature, traditoin, culture, and art of Japan. I can surely help you enjoy and be satisfied with the sightseeing in Japan. And I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.

    Aug 10, 2026
    Paul_H
    Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    Kind and knowledgeable guide – highly recommended
    Nori communicated…

    Apr 9, 2026
    Ron_W
    Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    We saw so much in the…
    We saw so much in the…

    Mar 24, 2026
    zackn719
    Tripadvisor review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    Knowledgeable guide and a great tour
    We did our private tour with…

    Oct 20, 2025
    66speech
    Highlights of Kyoto.
    Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    Great experience with Nori. Nori exceeded our expectations with…

  • Osaka in One Day: Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine & Shitennoji Temple

    Osaka in One Day: Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine & Shitennoji Temple

    Tour Itinerary

    • 9:00 Meet at Hotel
    • 9:00-9:50 Move to Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine
    • 9:50-10:50 Stay at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine
    • 10:58-11:20 Move to Namba
    • 11:20-12:10 Walk around Namba / Kuromon Market
    • 12:10-12:50 Dotombori / Hozenji Alley
    • 12:50-13:10 Move to Shitennoji Temple
    • 13:10-14:10 Stay at Shitennoji Temple
    • 14:20-14:55 Go back to Sakuranomiya Station
    • Around 15:00 End of tour

    Title: What's a Private Day Tour of Osaka Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Sumiyoshi Taisha and Shitennoji Body: Today was the first day of sightseeing for the guests, who had just arrived in Japan. The guests had no trouble walking and were able to sightsee as planned. Since Osaka Castle and the Umeda Sky Building were scheduled for later dates, today we visited Sumiyoshi Taisha, Shitennoji Temple, and the Namba area. The guests were delighted to see the arched bridge at Sumiyoshi Taisha and a baby's shrine-visit ceremony. At Shitennoji Temple, it was the autumnal equinox day, so there were many flea market stalls, and admission to the temple grounds was free. It did not rain, and I felt the guests were fortunate in many ways.

    Transportation cost per person

    No.TransportationRouteFare
    Section 1TrainSakuranomiya~Tennoji200JPY
    Section 2TrainTennoji-ekimae~Sumiyoshi-toriimae240JPY
    Section 3TrainSumiyoshi Taisha~Namba (Nankai Line)240JPY
    Section 4SubwayNippombashi (Osaka)~Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka190JPY
    Section 5TrainTennoji~Sakuranomiya200JPY
    Total1,070JPY

    Hi! I’m an official English guide in Wakayama prefecture. I’m also a national guide as well. I’d like to expand my guide area to help tourists.
    The town of Osaka offers a different atmosphere than Tokyo. I like both exciting Osaka and nature-filled Wakayama Prefecture.
    If you stay in Osaka for 3 days, you can go to Koyasan for one day, or even for a day trip, so I recommend sightseeing at Koyasan.
    If you are tired of the hustle and bustle of the big city, the nature of Koyasan will relax you.
    I will introduce you to the unique culture, history and must-see sights.

    Aug 17, 2026
    yasmintX6792FN
    Great trip
    Tripadvisor review: Mt. Koya Sacred Sites Half-Day Tour with Licensed Guide
    It was a great time and very interesting…

    Jun 23, 2026
    Shelley_E
    Viator review: Osaka 6hr Private Walking Tour with Government Licensed Guide
    There is much to do in…
    There is much to…

    May 28, 2026
    Duncan_R
    Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    A Great Tour of Kyoto
    The tour was both very informative and…

    May 28, 2026
    ignaciosilenzi
    Tripadvisor review: Mt. Koya Sacred Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Licensed Guide
    Amazing day in Koyasan with Miyuki
    Miyuki was…

  • Kyoto in Half a Day: Kiyomizu-dera Temple & Nanzen-ji Temple

    Kyoto in Half a Day: Kiyomizu-dera Temple & Nanzen-ji Temple

    Tour Itinerary

    • 7:30 Meet up @ Hotel Kyoto
    • Transport: Taxi
    • 7:45-8:45 Kiyomizu-dera Temple
    • Transport: On foot
    • 9:00-10:00 Kodai-ji Temple
    • Transport: Taxi
    • 10:15-11:30 Nanzen-ji Temple
    • Disband @ Nanzen-ji Temple

    What Is an Early-Morning Private Kyoto Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Kiyomizu-dera, Kodai-ji, and Nanzen-ji The guests were a group visiting from North America. From the outset they had a tea ceremony booked from 12:30, so they asked that the tour be finished before then. The tour had originally been scheduled to start at 8:30, but to make it in time for the tea ceremony, we needed to wrap up by 12:00. We therefore moved the start time up to 7:30, and since they wanted to visit Kiyomizu-dera first, which opens in the early morning, we decided to go in the order of Kiyomizu-dera → Kodai-ji → Nanzen-ji. It appeared that one of the guests had arranged everything, so I offered a compliment about how thoughtful that arrangement was, and the guests were very pleased. At the same time, I mentioned that I too should follow that example and be more devoted to my own family. Working in this profession, I get to meet all kinds of people, and sometimes it makes me reflect on my own everyday attitude. Being able to look back on myself through others is one of the things that makes this work so rewarding, and I felt that anew. Because it was early morning, Kiyomizu-zaka was uncrowded and easy to walk. At the entrance to the main hall, the guests tried lifting the iron staff and iron geta, and rang the bell inside the main hall. They also listened attentively to my explanations of the Buddhist statues in the inner halls. After a while, a group of elementary school students on a school trip, wearing yellow caps, arrived. When we came back around to Otowa Waterfall, the students had taken a shortcut straight there. When I explained why the schoolchildren were lining up at the waterfall, the guests noticed the children were not lining up at the "waterfall of learning" and remarked that they really ought to line up there. We then walked to Kodai-ji, passing along Sannen-zaka and in front of the Yasaka Pagoda (Hokan-ji). At Kodai-ji, the pond water was murky and there were many buildings under construction, which personally I found a bit disappointing. The approach has quite a lot of ups and downs, so some of the guests found it difficult to walk, and I felt a little sorry about that. As it happened to be the equinox period, a family had come to visit a grave at their family temple, and the guests took an interest in Japanese burial customs, asking, "How much does it cost to purchase a grave in Japan?" They also asked whether one gravestone holds a single burial. I answered that you can tell by looking at the names inscribed on the gravestone. I wondered why they asked, and it seemed that in their home region ground burial is common with one person per gravestone, so they were curious how it worked in Japan. We then headed to Nanzen-ji, where we climbed the Sanmon gate. The autumn equinox service happened to be taking place, and remarkably a monk was performing a service on the upper level of the Sanmon. Because of this, more doors than usual were open, allowing a good view inside. The guests were captivated by the rare ceremony. It was my first time seeing a service held on the upper level, so it was a valuable experience for me as well. I mentioned that guests often ask whether services are really still held at temples today, and because I had witnessed it myself, I could answer that yes, they truly are. We then went to the Dharma Hall (Hatto), where the autumn equinox service was also being held; the side doors had been removed, giving a good view inside the hall. This too was unusual, and the guests took an interest and spent a while gazing at it. By this time it was 11:15, and there was not enough time to see the Hojo, so I asked what they would like to do. They said they wanted to see something viewable in about 15 more minutes, so we decided to see the Suirokaku aqueduct. When I asked whether they wanted to go up to see the actual flow of water, one of the guests wanted to go up, while another was tired and chose to rest at the bottom. As it was just the right time, the guests called a taxi at Nanzen-ji and headed to the tea ceremony venue. They thanked me for starting the tour so early in the morning. For the photo, since it is rare to be able to take a relaxed picture in front of the three-story pagoda at Kiyomizu-dera, I took one, but I accidentally shot it in portrait orientation. My apologies.

    I am a 54-year-old woman, living in Kyoto for nearly 40 years. I got the license in 2001. Since then, I worked as an interpreter or a translator in several companies, secretary at universities, and now work for a company on weekdays at the international dept.I do guiding job only weekend now. I started full swing guiding career after COVID-19 pandemic. I have gotten good review from many of my guests. I love my hometown, Kyoto which has a lot of interesting and historical sites to see. Particularly, I am native to Arashiyama which is famous for bamboo forest. So, I know a lot of places where you can relax yourself around this area. Other than that, Kyoto has many attractive sites which surely interest you.Also, I like meeting many people from different cultural background. I am very happy if I learn about your culture as well. Let’s enjoy exploring around Kyoto!

    May 18, 2026
    WENDY_W
    Viator review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    Excellent day out
    The trip was really well planned and organised, it…

    Sep 21, 2025
    joshsJ915FC
    Super tour of Kyoto
    Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    Really wonderful tour of markets and geisha district.…

    Jun 16, 2025
    Chanyl C
    Highly recommend
    Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    My husband and I really enjoyed the Kyoto tour.…

    May 18, 2025
    Steve J
    A relaxing, enjoyable visit to Arashiyama.
    Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    Satori was very kind and…

  • Tokyo in One Day: Mimaru Tokyo Suitengu & Mitsukoshi-mae station

    Tokyo in One Day: Mimaru Tokyo Suitengu & Mitsukoshi-mae station

    Tour Itinerary

    • 09:00 Mimaru Tokyo Suitengu
    • 09:15 Suitengu station Purchasing “Pasmo”
    • 09:45 Imperial Palace
    • 11:00 JR Travel SVC Ctr.
    • 12:10 Lunch
    • 13:10 Ueno Overview
    • 13:30 Asakusa
    • 15:00 Mitsukoshi-mae station

    I'm sorry, but the text you've provided appears to be a list of conversational notes and questions, not a tour report with the structured fields (such as a title, tour report body, tour route, or guide transportation cost) that the anonymization and translation instructions are designed to process. To help you effectively, could you please provide the actual tour report content organized into the expected fields? For example: – **タイトル (Title)** – **ツアーレポート本文 (Tour report body)** – **当日のツアールート (Tour route of the day)** – **ガイド様交通費 (Guide transportation cost)** Once you share the report in that format, I'll anonymize it and translate it into English according to the guidelines.

    Transportation cost per person

    No.TransportationRouteFare
    Section 1SubwaySuitengu-mae~Otemachi (Tokyo)180JPY
    Section 2TrainTokyo~Ueno170JPY
    Section 3SubwayUeno~Asakusa180JPY
    Section 4SubwayAsakusa~Mitsukoshi-mae180JPY
    Total710JPY

    Hello, welcome to Japan you all.

    I’m a resident of Ebina, Kanagawa, and am a national government licensed guide and interpreter.
    I enjoy showing travelers both the new and old of central Honshu, primarily Tokyo and Kanagawa, ranging from Meiji Shrine, Edo Castle, Tsukiji Outer Market, Ueno, Asakusa, Ginza, Ginza Sky Farmstead, Shibuya Zebra Crossings, Yokohama, Kamakura, to Hakone, not to mention Mt. Fuji, and sharing views with my guests on Japanese homes and their surroundings, Japan’s labor productivity and labor market, among others.

    I also enjoy introducing travelers to Japanese culture through home visits with Japanese families, touring Zen temples, and explaining the intricacies of Japanese culture.

    I am happy to arrange personalized tours to other places of your interest.
    I am making the most of my long experience as a foreign language education service, escorting VIPs at the Sony showroom in Ginza, Tokyo.
    I also offer services to help families and individuals relocating to Japan with immigration VISA applications.

    My hobbies are movies, strolling along the river in my neighborhood and am a novice at la lingua Italiano.
    Let’s enjoy touring together, shall we?

    Sep 27, 2026
    Jan_v
    City tour
    Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
    Very kind and knowledgeable guide. Taylor made…

    Sep 23, 2026
    Yolanda_S
    Tokyo walking tour with Hideaki
    Viator review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
    Hideaki was our guide today and…

    Jul 16, 2026
    135ulrikh
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
    Private guide – a very good experience
    We spent a half…

    Jun 21, 2026
    CJW324
    Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Guided Tour & Tablet Guided Origami Experience
    Unforgettable day in Tokyo with Hideaki — incredible with…

  • Nara in One Day: Nara Park & Naramachi

    Nara in One Day: Nara Park & Naramachi

    Tour Itinerary

    • 10:00 Meet at Kintetsu Nara Station
    • 10:15 Nara Park
    • 11:00 Todaiji Temple
    • 12:15 Lunch
    • 13:00 Kasuga Taisha Shrine
    • 14:30 Naramachi
    • 16:00 Disband at JR Nara Station

    Can You Do a Private Day Trip from Osaka to Nara? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were a group visiting from Oceania. According to the email sent when the guide was confirmed, the meeting point was listed as a hotel in Nara City. However, when I confirmed shortly beforehand, I learned that they would be coming from Osaka, so we changed the meeting point to Kintetsu Nara Station. According to the guests, there had been no change to their plan from the outset. In any case, this raised the need to reconfirm the meeting point, as well as questions about how the original meeting point had come to be listed. The tour was blessed with good weather, and the humidity was not high, so we spent a comfortable time. Since there were young guests in the group, we spent a lot of time with the deer of Nara. When feeding crackers to the deer, I handed a cracker to the young guests only in a spot where there was just a single deer, right before feeding. This is the deer's mating season, and being surrounded by many deer can be dangerous. This group purchased a relatively large amount of souvenirs in Nara. Perhaps this was because of the young members of the group, or because they were traveling Japan in what could be called the reverse of the usual course (Hiroshima → Osaka → Nara → Kyoto → Tokyo).

    Transportation cost per person

    No.TransportationRouteFare
    Section 1BusKintetsu Nara Station / Nara Kotsu~Todaiji Daibutsuden / Nara Kotsu250JPY
    Section 2BusKasuga Taisha Main Shrine / Nara Kotsu~Kintetsu Nara Station Front (Highway/Connecting Bus)250JPY
    Total500JPY

    I am Yoshi, a Nara Local Government Licensed Guide Interpreter and also, a National Government Licensed Interepreter.
    Let’s go out! The Kansai region was the center of Japan for a long time. It was from the 4th century to 19th century. Thus the Kansai region is rich in scenic and historic interest. Why don’t we see, feel, and find so many attractions in Nara Kyoto and Osaka. I was born and raised in Nara. Also I have been to Osaka and Kyoto for working, shopping and dining. I can show you not only major tourist spots but also shops and delicious food that only locals know. I am looking forward to sharing wonderful moments with you!

    May 29, 2025
    Dana_K
    Get ready to climb and explore
    Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    There is a lot of climbing…

    Aug 16, 2024
    Dylan_N
    Yoshi was a great tour guide
    Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    We had a great experience with…

    Jun 9, 2024
    Tour39164063770
    Tolle Stadtführung mit erfahrenem Guide
    Tripadvisor review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
    Auf unserem Trip durch Japan hatten wir…