Title: What Is a 6-Hour Private Walking Tour of Kobe Like? A Licensed Guide's Report 9:15 Met the guests at Kobe Port Terminal. Since we had agreed on the meeting spot in advance, we were able to start a little earlier than the scheduled 9:20. 9:33 Boarded from Kobe Port Terminal Station. 9:40 Boarded from Sannomiya Station on the Kobe Municipal Subway. 9:50 Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden. Blessed with clear weather and colorful flowers, the guests were delighted and took many photos. 11:13 Visited the Kitano Ijinkan (former foreign residences) area and toured the Moegi House. The guests were very interested in the furnishings, period, and style of the rooms and asked many questions. When I explained that the current owner is the president of a Kobe railway company and that the mansion, along with its furniture, is now leased to the City of Kobe, they were satisfied. 11:30 Kitano-zaka. There was an event called Kitano Infiorata going on, in which tulip petals are laid out on Kitano-zaka to create pictures, and the guests enjoyed that as well. 12:00 Kitano NOSTA. A light lunch at a cafe. At the guests' request, we had a light lunch of muffins and cafe latte. It was more crowded than usual, but since Kitano NOSTA itself is a relatively new venue and was comfortable, the guests were pleased and said it was "a nice lunch." 12:45 Kobe Sorakuen Garden. Although this place is not part of the original 6-hour Kobe plan, I had heard in advance that the guests wanted to "walk a lot," and since the azaleas were in full bloom right then with an azalea festival taking place, I took them there. They were delighted to come across a bride in a pure-white wedding kimono. 13:20 Chinatown. This place was far more crowded than expected, so packed that it was hard even to walk. Worried that they might feel unwell, I decided on the spot to take a break with some window shopping at Daimaru. 13:30 Kobe Daimaru. There happened to be a display of May dolls, koinobori carp streamers, and school backpacks. When I explained that "the family often buys these for the couple after they marry," the guests were surprised at how expensive they were, saying, "We couldn't buy something this costly." 14:20 Ikuta Shrine. I explained how to pray in the Shinto way and we worshipped together. 14:40 Sannomiya Station (Port Liner). 13:00 Port Terminal Station (Port Liner). 13:05 Ended at Kobe Port Terminal. When explaining the day's itinerary at the meeting point, I told them in advance that, since it was right in the middle of the spring holidays, it would surely be very crowded, and we started the tour after they understood this. Looking back, the only places that were really crowded were the entrance to the Herb Garden and the throngs of Chinatown, and elsewhere it was not so bad, which was fortunate. Since I had heard that the guests "like walking," we made a full loop around central Kobe on foot. By the end, my pedometer read 19,000 steps, but indeed the guests did not appear tired at all. They said it was their first time in Japan, that Kobe was a very beautiful and pleasant place to spend time, and that they were glad they had chosen this tour. When I sent them the photos taken during the day via a messaging app, they replied, "Thank you also for making it a memorable day in Kobe. We really appreciate the program you designed for us," which made me very happy. This time, compared with how the city streetscape lacks variety (discount shops, drugstores, and monotonous clothing only), the department store offers seasonal features and lets me introduce culture, and I once again recognized that it is useful for a guide. For next time, I thought I would scout out places where one can buy "room-temperature-stable Kobe beef-related souvenirs."

Click here for more details: Kobe Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by TRACY

Hello, my name is Toshiko Kanoh, and my nick name is Tracy in English and Jiana in Chinese. I love Japanese culture, history and art, and I feel appreciated that I can assist your Japanese tour as your guide. I want to take you not only to the very famous spots but also to the very attractive places where only the local people knows. I work as a tour guide in spring and fall, but usually I support the university students as the counselor, as I want to contribute myself to the next generation. Added. I am interested in linguistics, so I have studied English, Chinese, Burmese and Italian, and I love cooking and eating. In Japan, you can enjoy various kind of food, very delicious and fair price.I am eagerly waiting for your visit to Japan. See you soon,!!!

Title: What Is a Private Full-Day Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Ueno, Meiji Shrine, and Harajuku The guests were visitors from North America and Oceania. They had a great many requests, and fitting them all in would have been tight even with eleven hours, so the tour was arranged as six hours plus a two-hour extension. Since they also had days planned in Tokyo after the holiday period, I recommended that they save many of the sights for those days instead. The tour began with a request to visit Ueno, though they had no specific goal in mind for it. While strolling around, they mentioned an interest in art, so we looked at the shop of an art university and, at a Japanese sweets shop we happened to find, enjoyed some matcha. As they had informed me in advance that they follow a plant-based diet, we headed to the restaurant that had been reserved for them. The portions were very generous, and they seemed very satisfied. Then we went to Meiji Shrine. There had been a request to visit Yoyogi Park, but again without any particular activity in mind. When I mentioned that a Cambodia fair was being held at the time, they said they were not interested, so we skipped it. They enjoyed the atmosphere of Meiji Shrine and the souvenir shops. On Takeshita Street as well, they became very lively while buying souvenirs for family back home, and since there was no time to return to the Hotel, we parted ways in the queue for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observation deck, which had a 30-minute wait.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Sam

Hi, I’m Sam.
I am happy to welcome you all to Japan.

Since I was a child, my parents welcomed many international students into our home and I had many opportunities to interact with them. My mother is a translator, and I have always seen her guiding foreigners around Japan, so it was natural for me to start doing the same.

I am good at guiding people to popular places such as Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, and Asakusa, as well as photogenic spots in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Since I was a child, I’ve watched anime like Pokémon and played Nintendo games, and I still buy around 100 manga comic books a month. I love shopping in Akihabara! I currently live in Urayasu City, Chiba, so close that I can see fireworks from Disneyland from my house every night.

Please feel free to ask me anything!

Title: What's a Full-Day Private Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report This was a booking that had once been canceled, but thanks to the consideration of the coordinator, I was able to take charge of it again. I am grateful for everyone's support this time. The guests wished to purchase a 48-hour metro free pass, so we first visited the information center at Shimbashi Station. Afterward, they requested to know where the Tokaido Shinkansen platform was at Tokyo Station, so before heading to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, we decided to walk from Nihonbashi Station to Tokyo Station. Since they also asked me to show them how to get to Ryogoku Station the next day, I took them to the somewhat hard-to-find entrance of Shiodome Station, and we transferred between the Oedo Line and the Asakusa Line. The time spent at each spot tended to be relatively long. Since the guests had mentioned wanting to visit the drinking district in Shinjuku after the tour, I showed them the locations of Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho after visiting Meiji Shrine, then extended the time and concluded the tour.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Sam

Hi. My name is Masafumi Miyazaki. Please call me “Sam”. I am a government-licensed guide.
I was born in Tokyo and was raised in the suburbs of Tokyo called Tama area. When I was in university, I majored in western dramas, so I am good at playing like an actor.
I like reading, listening to the music, and walking. I belong to several walking clubs, and sometimes I guide the members around Tokyo.
One of my strengths as a guide is that I know well about kombu, Japanese kelps. In December every year, I work at a traditional kombu shop in Tsukiji Fish Market. At that shop, I learned a lot of things related to kombu or other ingredients for washoku. I can explain the different characteristics of them to you.
Also, I am familiar with Japanese flowers and plants. If you stroll around a Japanese garden with me, I am sure you will be able to enjoy beautiful flowers and unique plants in every season.
I look forward to meeting you. Thank you.

Title: Can You Take a Private Guided Tour of Naoshima? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were a group from Japan. They traveled from a remote area with limited transportation, flying to Haneda and then via another airport to a port town where they stayed the night before. They had researched various destinations online and chose Naoshima, booking through a travel review website, which meant that this became my first case of guiding Japanese guests in Japanese through [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/). They used a holiday period to close their business and came specifically to visit Naoshima. Since they had traveled a long way, I wanted them to see as much of Naoshima as possible before heading home. The guests were pleasant and quiet, making them easy to guide.

Click here for more details: Naoshima Art Island in 1 Day Tour with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Kaji

Hello. My name is Hisao Kaji. I was born in 1945. I was raised in Takamatsu City from 3 years old. So, I have been living in Takamatsu for around 75 years. I believe I know Takamatsu City and the Kagawa prefecture area very well. If you come to Takamatsu, Kagawa I think you can enjoy your tour with me. I started a Government Licensed Guide in 2019. So, I have been a licensed guide for about 5 years. My favorite destinations are Naoshima, Teshima, Ritsurin Garden, the top of Mt. Yashima and so on. I always show you an itinerary about one month before your tour date, and I will accept any questions, other favorite places you want to visit. Communicating with you, I would like to accommodate your request for your tour. I always listen to NPR on the internet to know how the world is moving and improve my English. I like conversation based upon it with my life. I stayed in the USA for 8 months for a Power Systems Engineering Course conducted by General Electric in New York State when I was 28 years old. I sometimes talk about my memory of those days with the guests. I am very happy to guide tourists because I can see the guests become happy and enjoy themselves when I am guiding better. Nothing is more wonderful than that. I welcome your visit to Takamatsu City and Kagawa Prefecture. I believe you will have a pleasant time through my guide.

Title: What Is a Private Day Tour of Fukuoka Like During the Hakata Dontaku Festival? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were visitors from Europe who used a free day during a group tour. The guests had prior experience staying in Japan and a strong understanding of Japanese culture. Having just arrived from Europe the day before, they were quite tired toward the end of the tour due to jet lag, so we cut the planned visit to Yusentei Garden and finished the tour a little early. The day happened to be the first day of the "Hakata Dontaku" festival. At Kushida Shrine we came across a group taking part in the parade, and at Tocho-ji Temple we encountered the "Matsubayashi," the origin of "Dontaku," so the guests took many photos of these rare scenes. The crowds were smaller than expected, so we were able to spend a relaxed time under the clear May skies. For lunch, the guests requested something light, so we chose "yakitori." The "chicken skin" yakitori is unusual, and we were also able to get seats right away, which was fortunate. I thought it worked well as a light lunch.

Click here for more details: Fukuoka Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Chizuko

My name is Chizuko Kitajima.
I have worked as an international exchange coordinator for sister schools for more than 20 years and have handled more than 10 sister school partnerships. I guided young students when they came to Japan.
I was born in Fukuoka and have lived here almost all my life. I am very happy to be able to introduce my hometown to our international guests.
I will do my best to make your trip different from other cities and offer you new experiences and pleasant surprises.
Please let me know where you want to go and what your interests are. I would be delighted to help you make the most of your trip and help you create wonderful memories.
I look forward to seeing you soon.

Title: What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour of the Imperial Palace, Kinkaku-ji, and Nijo Castle Like? A Licensed Guide's Report The travel agency requested a tour of Kyoto's most iconic sites for a first-time visit to Kyoto, so as usual I planned a course covering Kyoto's history: the Imperial Palace, Kinkaku-ji, and Nijo Castle. As soon as we met, the guest said they wanted to buy comfortable walking shoes because they walk a lot. There happened to be a commercial building next to the Hotel that was likely to have a shoe shop, so we went there together to buy shoes. From there, we took the subway to the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Everything seemed novel to the guest, and they photographed many things. They also took photos of the university buildings and a historic residence across from the Kyoto Imperial Palace, finding them fascinating. Since the guest was that kind of person, I tried to explain the facilities while walking as much as possible. Just as we were about to enter the Kyoto Imperial Palace, we found it was closed to the public for a while due to preparations ahead of the Aoi Festival. (This is not an excuse, but I had checked the website in advance and found no such information posted. In fact, it is still not posted. So anyone considering visiting the Kyoto Imperial Palace during this period should be careful.) When I apologized to the guest, they were not concerned, saying they had been able to take lots of video. As an aside, the guest asked what the wall was made of, so I said "this?" and touched it, which set off an alarm and startled us greatly. The guest was surprised too, but later we both burst out laughing about it. Regaining our composure, as we came out of the Imadegawa Gate, the gate of Shokoku-ji came into the guest's view, and they liked it and took photos. It was the first time someone visiting the Kyoto Imperial Palace had photographed the gate of Shokoku-ji, so since our next destination was Kinkaku-ji, I explained the relationship between Kinkaku-ji and Shokoku-ji. Next, we took a bus to move to Kinkaku-ji. As I was explaining the conveyor-belt sushi restaurants visible from the window, after getting off at the Kinkakuji-michi bus stop, the guest said, "Talking about sushi made me want to eat sushi," so we went back to a sushi restaurant and had lunch. When their order arrived, they happily photographed the sushi. During the meal they sent the photos to a relative, and they were pleased that the relative said they were getting hungry. Next, we moved to Kinkaku-ji. The guest listened to my explanation of Kinkaku-ji with great interest. Kinkaku-ji was more crowded than ever before. People were lined up from the slope starting at the Jizo statue all the way to the Sekkatei tea house, and the guest was amazed. After leaving Kinkaku-ji, seeing someone eating matcha ice cream, the guest said they wanted to try it too and bought some matcha ice cream. I thought about finding a place to sit, but the guest said they were fine eating while walking, so we had them eat as we walked. I noticed matcha powder had gotten on their clothes, so I handed them a moist towel I had on hand and wiped it a little, and they laughed, saying they were "like a child." Then we moved to Nijo Castle. The guest listened to the explanations with interest. When I asked if they would like to see the garden, they said they had seen plenty and wanted to head back. Since it was much earlier than the scheduled time, I offered to guide them to Higashi Hongan-ji near Kyoto Station on the way and see them back to the Hotel. (At the start of the tour, when I had asked whether they wanted to be taken back to the Hotel afterward, they had seemed to want that if possible.) They said, "If it's fine with your time, please do that," so we set off on the return journey. Along the way, the guest said they wanted to buy a kimono as a souvenir for a family member, so I remembered there was a kimono shop in the commercial building and decided to stop by on the way. Unfortunately, they did not carry children's kimono, so since there was a department store nearby, I told them how to get there and said goodbye. It was a tour full of laughter, and I enjoyed it as well.

Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Satoko

I am a 53-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!

Title: What Is a Private Nara Day Tour Like During Golden Week? A Licensed Guide's Report Today's guests were a group visiting from North America. We had arranged to meet at 9:30, so I arrived at around 9:00, and the guests came down to the lobby at 9:30. I was waiting with a [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) sign, but we were not able to meet easily, so we finally gathered at around 9:35. As for the tour, it was a Sunday during the Golden Week holidays, and Nara was extremely crowded. The buses moved very slowly, and there were long lines just to buy admission tickets. We had planned to visit Toshodaiji Temple after Nara Park, but we were unable to make it there. The guests were disappointed about this.

Click here for more details: Nara Day Trip from Kyoto: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Haru

Personal data
Born in : May 1st, 1957
Hobby : Visiting scenic places,
historic spots, Japanese
gardens and old townscape
Former career : Worked for electric
company and engaged in
international sales for
about 40 years.
Travel history in the former career :
Visited about 20 countries about 200 times

Career as guide interpreter
Acquisition of guide license : 2016
Career of guide : 8 years
Genre of my specialty :
Japanese historic structures such as
temple, shrine, castle and garden.
Area of guide : Kyoto, Nara, Osaka &
Himeji

Let’s enjoy Japan with me !!

What's a Private Kobe Cruise-Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report from Kobe Port Terminal Today's guests were a group of six visiting Japan from North America, including some children. The adults in the group were born in Japan and had once lived in Roppongi. One of them had visited Japan before, while another was returning to Japan for the first time in about 30 years. Today, as the guide, I arrived at Kobe Port Terminal quite early. When I contacted the guests, they replied right away, so we were able to start the tour 40 minutes ahead of schedule. First, we took the Port Liner and the subway to the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden ropeway station. Today was a mid-point day of the Golden Week holiday, the weather was fine, and there was already a long line in front of the ropeway station elevator, so we had to wait for a while. The Herb Garden was also crowded with tourists, and the herb footbath the guests had hoped to try was unavailable, but we were able to enjoy a relaxing tea time at The Veranda. After the Herb Garden, the plan was to pass through Meriken Park, then visit the Motomachi shopping street and Nankinmachi, and finish the tour in Sannomiya. However, since the guests wished to have lunch and also wanted to make a reservation at a Kobe beef restaurant for dinner, we changed the route on the spot. After making a reservation at a Kobe beef restaurant in the Motomachi shopping street, we walked around Nankinmachi, returned to the Motomachi shopping street to have lunch, and ended the tour there. The guests were concerned that after dinner they might not make the last free shuttle bus back to Kobe Port Terminal, but they agreed that in that case they would use a taxi. Overall, the guests were very pleased with the tour.

Click here for more details: Kobe Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Tour Report by Norio

Hello, my name is Norio Oki, a Government-Certified Tour Guide in Japan.
I specialize in guiding visitors through the beautiful and historic regions of Himeji and Kobe.

My expertise includes Japanese history, traditional culture, castles, and sake. I enjoy sharing not only facts, but also the stories and spirit behind each place.

In Himeji, I offer guided tours of Himeji Castle, Kokoen Garden, Shoshazan Engyoji Temple, and Nadagiku Sake Brewery.
In Kobe, I guide guests through the Nada Sake Breweries area, Mt. Rokko, Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden, Harborland, Meriken Park, the Kitano District, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, and the lively Motomachi Shopping Street.

Whether you’re interested in history, nature, or local experiences, I will create a personalized tour tailored to your interests.

If you’re planning to visit Himeji or Kobe, I would be delighted to be your guide.
I look forward to meeting you soon!

Title: What Is a Private Kobe Day Tour Like During Japan's Golden Week? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were visitors from Oceania. When the guide arrived on site 30 minutes early, they were already waiting, and one of them greeted the guide first. After that, they needed a little time to retrieve something they had forgotten, but we were still able to start the tour about 15 minutes early. One of the guests found walking a little difficult, but overall we were able to move around smoothly. Perhaps because it was the middle of a major holiday period, every sightseeing spot and all forms of transportation were extremely crowded with many people. In particular, at the Herb Garden, there was a long line in front of the elevator before entry, resulting in a wait of about 30 minutes. From the observation deck, the guests were delighted to be able to see the cruise ship they were traveling on. At two sake breweries, they enjoyed tastings, including some paid samples. After arriving at the final spot, Nankinmachi, they decided to explore on their own, so we parted ways there. I informed them that a shuttle bus to the cruise terminal was operating very close to Nankinmachi.

Click here for more details: Kobe Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Tour Report by Yama

Dear my guests,

This is (Mr.) Yama, greeting from Kobe, Japan.
I would like to warmly welcome you to Japan this time. I am from the city of Kobe, which is of course, well-known for very tasty Kobe Beef . You can taste
real genuine Kobe Beef here. Kobe is also called “Home of Japanese Sake” with lots of Sake breweries, and I recommend you would visit those breweries
if you have any interest in Japanese Sake as well as one aspect of Japanese cultures. Of course, you can have tastings of various kinds of Sake there.

Whenever during the tour, I always try to make it safe, pleasant and comfortable for all of the guests, which is my first priority. I am very much confident
that you can have a pleasant and unforgettable experience in Japan. Just tell me about your preference; what you would like to like to see, have, know
and eat and so on. Particularly, I hold the license for cooking qualified by the government here and maybe, I can reply you for questions related to the
foods here. In this respect, I strongly recommend you would try not only famous Japanese cuisine such as Sushi, Tempura or Suki-yaki but some
Japanese traditional local foods, like Tako-yaki, Okonomi-yaki and Kushkatsu. They are sometimes called the soul foods of Japan. Here is the brief
explanation for these three foods.

1) Tako-yaki
Tako-yaki is a snack filled with pieces of octopus in a batter of flour , egg and soup stock. You can call them octopus dumplings or balls. “Tako” means
octopus and “yaki” means grilled or broiled.
2) Okonomi-yaki
This word Okonomi-yaki means “cook just as you like” and you can use whatever you like as toppings, such as beef, pork, shrimp, squid and octopus.
Okonomi-yaki is round shape and just like pancakes or pizza in shape mainly made from egg, flour and water.
3) Kushi-katsu
Kushi-katsu is skewered cutlet or deep-fried foods on a stick. “Kushi” means skewer and “katsu” means cutlet. Various kinds of foods are used for
ingredients such as beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, squid, octopus and lots of kinds of vegetables.

Actually, the western Japan including Osaka, Kobe and Himeji is called as “Home of such local soul foods”. You should give it a try and I am sure
that you like them very much.

I sincerely hope that I can be your tour guide this time in Kobe, Osaka and Himeji. If my guests said to me after the tour, “I have had a very good
and pleasant time with you today. I hope I can come here again and name you as our guide”, which is my great pleasure. Moreover, I would be
great honored if they say “I like Japan now thanks to you”.

Looking forward to meeting you soon here.
Doomo Arigato Gozaimasu!
Yama

Title: What Is a Private Day Tour of Koyasan from Namba Like? A Licensed Guide's Report I guided a group of guests from Europe to Koyasan. Since they were departing from Namba but were not sure where Nankai Namba Station was, I sent them a map and details of the train to take, and we met up at Hashimoto after coordinating which train they were on. I made good use of the time at the stations along the way and on the train to tell them about Koyasan, though they already knew quite a lot about it. One of the guests was knowledgeable about India and Hinduism, so they even understood Sanskrit. They also asked about the many Jizo statues they had seen at a previous sightseeing spot and what kind of Buddhist figure they represented. Since one of the guests had apparently undergone knee surgery, we used elevators for the climbing stairs and walked along slopes where possible. Walking through Okunoin took some time, but everyone enjoyed the natural scenery surrounded by trees and took many photos. There were many tourists, and we moved by the second bus. Perhaps because it was crowded, the bus moved slowly and it took more time than expected, but they mainly enjoyed Okunoin. As the rhododendrons were beautiful, we went around Kongobuji, and we only saw Danjo Garan from the bus as we ran out of time. Inside Kongobuji there was also an art exhibition, and since they liked art, they bought postcards and cards. Today, a novelist who became a monk at Koyasan was giving a talk. If we had had time, I would have liked to listen carefully and interpret, but the return was a rush — we boarded the bus and immediately transferred to the train, and I think we made good connections and returned to Namba smoothly.

Click here for more details: Mt. Koya Sacred Sites Half-Day Tour with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Yuki

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.