Title: What Can You See on a One-Day Private Tokyo Tour from a Yokohama Cruise Port? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were visitors from North America who took a one-day tour of Tokyo after disembarking from a cruise ship that had docked in Yokohama. To minimize travel time lost in transit, we met up in Kamata. Since they had already seen plenty of shrines in Shimizu, we quickly decided to head to a garden first. They enjoyed the Japanese garden at Shiba Rikyu, located near Hamamatsucho Station. After that, we visited the Shibuya Scramble Crossing and the Hachiko statue, then had an early lunch. There was a bit of a dilemma because one of the guests wanted sushi while another could not eat fish, but in the end we went to a sushi restaurant, where one guest was delighted by the fresh ingredients and another was very happy with the fried chicken. When they saw the food and sweets in the department store food hall, they were thrilled again and bought their favorite macarons. After that, we visited the Nijubashi Bridge at the Imperial Palace, and finally made a quick tour of Asakusa before I saw them off at Kamata to end the tour. Even with limited time, it seems they were quite pleased.

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Tour Report by michi

I obtained the License of English-speaking national guide by Japanese government in Japan in 2014.
Recently, I have been guiding inbound tourists all over Japan for over 100 days every year.
With my passionate tour guide, I am confident that you will be very satisfied and enjoy your tour. I want to convey not only the goodness of Japan and the Japanese people, but also their kindness, diligence, demeanor, and other things that will remain in their hearts. Also, I am always aiming to improve my guiding skills and knowledge, so I am working on training and self-improvement in all genres. I am always calm, friendly, and passionate on any type of tour.

Title: What Is a Private One-Day Kyoto Tour Like from Kyoto Station? A Licensed Guide's Report I met the guests, a group visiting from North America, on time in front of the Starbucks inside Kyoto Station. I explained the planned itinerary, which was Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kiyomizu-dera, Tenryu-ji, the bamboo grove, Kinkaku-ji, and Teramachi shopping street, and then began guiding. At Fushimi Inari Taisha, it became clear that one of the guests was unable to walk normally, so our movement had to be quite slow. At Kiyomizu-dera, after climbing partway up the approach, that guest decided not to continue and waited outside the grounds, sitting on the stone steps, while I guided the other guest inside. From Kiyomizu-dera we traveled by bus and train to Saga-Arashiyama, where we had lunch, and then I guided the group through Tenryu-ji. They enjoyed the beauty of the Tenryu-ji garden. We then passed through the north gate of Tenryu-ji, walked through the bamboo grove, and strolled toward the Arashiyama station of the Randen tram. However, walking was very slow, with many stops along the way, so it took a great deal of time. I recommended taking a taxi, but this was declined with the reply that walking slowly was fine. Keeping in mind the closing time of Kinkaku-ji, I judged that we could not extend things any further, so we made our way using the nearest Randen line. When we arrived at Kinkaku-ji it was 15 minutes before closing, so I guided quickly, and the guests seemed deeply impressed by its beauty. By that point the scheduled guiding time had already passed, but I was asked to continue to the shopping street, so we headed there by bus. Traffic conditions were poor, and by the time we reached Shijo-Kawaramachi we had gone considerably over the guiding time. We parted ways there.

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Tour Report by Toshi

After a rather long teaching experience at Japanese college, I converted my career about 6 years ago into working as a tour guide for the tourists visiting Japan.
As my career overseas, I’ve been in the UN and the Japanese Embassy, all in the USA, totaling more than 6 years.
And then I had made a big change in my career from a diplomat to an academic researcher. For that career to achieve, I studied abroad and won a doctorate degree in linguistics from Indiana University and landed a teaching position at college in Japan.
With all these interesting and exciting experiences I’ve made myself ready to enrich your tour and make it both enjoyable and worthwhile.

What Is a Private Kamakura Day Tour Like from a Cruise Ship? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were visitors from North America who reside at two different locations. Some of the guests had visited Japan before, and the group had heard about Japan through a family member who had once stayed in Kobe for work, so they had various interests and curiosity about the country. On this occasion, they arrived by cruise ship, stopping at the ports of Muroran, Hakodate, and Shimizu, and the previous day they had visited the Mount Fuji World Heritage Centre and Sengen Taisha Shrine. Because the Kamakura tour began shortly after disembarking from the cruise ship and dropping their luggage at the hotel, the guests told me at the outset, "If we get tired, we would like to head back early." We walked bravely from Hase Station on the Enoden line, and upon arriving at our first destination, Kotoku-in, a short rest sitting down at the entrance became necessary. However, the moment the guests saw the Great Buddha of Kamakura, they were deeply moved. "Seeing just this made the trip worthwhile," they remarked. From there, we walked to the next destination, Hasedera Temple. We first visited the garden and cave that do not require climbing stairs. In the end, due to a leg condition, part of the group waited below while one of the guests climbed the stairs together with me to see the Eleven-Faced Kannon statue, the seated Amida statue, and the view of Yuigahama beach. For the things that could be photographed, the guest showed the photos taken after coming down to the rest of the group. At that point, they decided to return to the hotel after having lunch. At a soba restaurant we found nearby, they enjoyed tendon and shrimp tempura soba, savoring them and saying, "This is even more delicious than we expected." Having previously heard from a friend that "soba is delicious," the guest even drank all of the broth. The return train was delayed due to a personal accident and was quite crowded, so for a little while it was difficult for the guest with a leg condition to get a seat. We parted a little earlier than planned, and since they had a Tokyo tour the next day, we said goodbye with the plan for them to rest well.

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Tour Report by Noripy

Hello, I’m Noripy.
I am a lively woman in my 60s who loves having fun. My charm lies in my bright and approachable personality. Drawing on over 30 years of international experience, I began working as a tour guide in 2023. I have conducted over 100 tours annually, ensuring that my clients enjoy Tokyo and its surrounding areas. I have received high praise from a wide range of customers, from teenagers to people in their 80s. I cater to solo travelers, couples, newlyweds, families, and groups of up to about 10 people. Living in the heart of the city, I actively guide tours primarily in Tokyo. In addition to being certified in English, one of my strengths is being able to communicate effectively in Spanish as well.
I’m looking forward to meeting you all in Tokyo!

What Is a Private Himeji Castle and Koko-en Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report For today's tour, the guests were arriving in Himeji on a Shinkansen scheduled to arrive at 9:14. They had confirmed everything was fine in a message the day before. Feeling reassured, I waited at the designated meeting point in front of the central ticket gate. However, even after the tour start time of 9:30 had passed, the guests did not appear. They did not respond to my messages on the messaging app, so I called them. They told me, "We cannot get through the ticket gate with the QR code." When I asked a nearby railway staff member, they said, "If it's the Shinkansen ticket gate, there is staff there, so they will come right away." Still, the guests did not appear, so I called again. This time there was an explanation in Japanese, but it was difficult to understand. Here, I called [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/), purchased an entry ticket, and headed to the Shinkansen ticket gate. What I discovered was that the guests had "used a QR ticket to receive an EX usage slip, then mistook the EX usage slip for the ticket itself and lost the QR ticket. However, the EX usage slip cannot be used to pass through the ticket gate." In such a case, the procedure is: "Report to the station staff that the QR ticket has been lost, and purchase again a ticket with the same usage conditions as the lost QR ticket reservation. Have the station staff at the ticket gate certify the repurchased ticket, and keep the ticket. If the appropriate procedures are completed within one year, a refund can be obtained for the repurchased ticket." (Quite a hassle, isn't it.) As a result, the start time of the tour was delayed by one hour. Originally we had planned to visit "Himeji Castle, Koko-en, and Engyo-ji Temple on Mount Shosha," but after consulting with the guests, we decided to visit only "Himeji Castle and Koko-en." Today's guests were a group visiting Japan from North America. They seemed to have come to Japan several times, but Tokyo and Kyoto had been their main sightseeing spots, and they did not seem to remember much of what they had toured. They had already been to Osaka Castle, but they were impressed that Himeji Castle was a completely different, authentic, and beautiful castle. They also seemed to enjoy the beauty of Koko-en. After having lunch at Koko-en, the guests wanted to buy "Gozasoro," so we bought some in the basement floor of the Sanyo department store, returned to Himeji Station, and ended the tour. The guests enjoyed the tour.

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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 Can You See in a One-Day Private Tour of Tokyo? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests had only this one day in Tokyo, as they planned to travel by Shinkansen the next day to Kyoto and other destinations across the country, so they wanted to see as much as possible. Since they had not yet seen the Godzilla Head, we walked a little around Shinjuku, then took the Fukutoshin Line from Shinjuku-sanchome to Kitasando to visit Meiji Shrine. After a relaxed visit, we saw the entrance to Takeshita Street and continued from the Takeshita exit toward Shibuya. We walked through the famous crossing and then headed to the Imperial Palace. Entering from Sakuradamon Station, we saw the Nijubashi Bridge, the outer garden, and Gyoko-dori Avenue (the East Gardens were closed that day, which was a disappointment). From Otemachi Station we went to Asakusa. From Komagatabashi Bridge we headed to Senso-ji Temple, took a short rest on the rooftop of the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, and then strolled through the Senso-ji area. As the guests wanted to explore the surroundings, we ended the tour in front of the Asakusa Engei Hall. They were interested in a wide range of topics, from history to culture, performing arts, and modern architecture, and they told me they appreciated that I kept explaining throughout, which put me at ease. In the evening they planned to return to Shinjuku for a meal, so I offered several recommendations, which I believe they were also happy with. [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.

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Tour Report by MATT

Hi,I’m Matt.
Let’s enjoy together and learn a little bit more about Tokyo and Japan.
I have many experiences in private tour and can be flexible in planning the tour itinerary. To see everything in Tokyo may be difficult in few days. Historical points,seasonal view point,most trendy places,there are so many to choose. Please let me know your interest or whatever you want to see,and I will try my best to fulfill your request.Off course those who do not have a choice is most welcome. I will come up with the most recommended points to visit at the time.
So,see you soon.

Title: What's a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, and Shibuya The guests were a group visiting from North America, and for most of the group it was their first trip to Japan. They thoroughly enjoyed today's tour. At Senso-ji Temple and Meiji Shrine, the guests took many photos. In particular, they were deeply impressed by the vast grounds of Meiji Shrine, the tranquility, and the peaceful, serene atmosphere of its magnificent setting. I explained the differences between temples and shrines, the different ways of praying at each, how to pass through a torii gate, and introduced waka poems composed by Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The guests learned a glimpse of Japanese culture and enjoyed the experience. At Takeshita Street in Harajuku, a lively spot where young people gather, the guests did a lot of shopping and had a great time. Some of the guests had especially been looking forward to visiting the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, and were very happy to finally see it. The weather was fine today, and the entire group thanked me, saying they had spent a wonderful and enjoyable day.

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Tour Report by Nobby

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 4300 tourists from 53 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)

What Does a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Include? A Licensed Guide's Report on Meiji Shrine, the Imperial Palace, and Senso-ji The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from North America. After sightseeing in Tokyo, they planned to continue to Kyoto and Asia. At Meiji Shrine, they seemed impressed by the quiet and solemn atmosphere. They also listened with great interest to my explanation about the differences between shrines and temples. At the Imperial Palace, they showed interest in the historical explanations about the role of the Emperor, the Meiji Restoration, and the Edo Shogunate. At Senso-ji, they took interest in the sweets along Nakamise Street and purchased some. Since they planned to do some shopping and then return to their hotel on their own, we parted ways at Tsukiji. As I attended to everything according to the guests' wishes, I believe they were satisfied.

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Tour Report by Seizo

I am Seizo Kamiuto, National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter (English). I was born in Kagoshima City in Kyushu (Southern part of Japan) and grew up there until the graduation from a high school. I came to Tokyo to enter a University in Tokyo and since then, I have lived in Tokyo for more than 40 years and therefore I know Tokyo and its suburbs and Kagoshima City very well. After retiring from an IT company, I have been working as a Guide Interpreter of English since March 2018. I have guided many overseas guests to the popular sightseeing spots in Tokyo, Kamakura, Mt. Fuji area (Kawaguchiko Lake etc.), Hakone, Nikko, Yokohama, Kawagoe and Kagoshima and so on. I have received good reviews from many guests. I can explain the history and the culture of Japan in detail. I look forward to an opportunity to guide you in Japan. Thank you. Seizo Kamiuto

Title: What Is a Private Guided Tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima Like? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were active visitors who mentioned they run regularly, and they walked (or ran) up and down every set of stairs all the way to the end. Since they had only arrived in Japan the day before and had not yet made any preparations, my first task was to help them withdraw cash yen from a convenience store ATM. On this trip, their destinations within Japan were only Hiroshima and Tokyo (plus an optional bus tour to Mount Fuji), after which they were scheduled to board a cruise to Southeast Asia. Perhaps for this reason, their interest in nuclear weapons and war was very high. They wanted to learn about the reality of the atomic bombing and how Japanese people feel about it, so they spent a great deal of time carefully exploring the Peace Memorial Park. Rather than going through a prepared list of questions in order, their style was to probe deeper into the points that caught their interest during my explanations. In addition, they asked many active questions about social topics such as Japan's feudal system, holidays, and tax system. I believe I was able to answer almost all of them. When I went ahead to the pier to move to Miyajima via the World Heritage Sea Route, leaving the guests at the museum, the ticketing line was longer than I had ever seen, apparently due to a shortage of staff, so I gave up on that route. Instead, we traveled to Miyajima by taxi (to Nishi-Hiroshima Station, with the guests agreeing to cover the fare of 1,230 yen), train, and ferry. Compared to Hiroshima, Miyajima was treated somewhat as a secondary highlight, but the guests seemed overwhelmed by the sheer size of the Grand Torii Gate, which we could walk right up to because of the low tide. Since they had not yet decided where to have dinner, on the way back I gave them a list of bars I had prepared for the previous day's guests, as well as the website of the restaurant they were most interested in. After arriving at Hiroshima Station, I helped them purchase limited express and Green Car tickets for the bullet train back to Tokyo the next day (reserving seats on the Mount Fuji side) at the ticket machine, and after showing them around the restaurant area in the station building, we parted ways within Hiroshima Station at the guests' request. Having flown from North America to Narita the previous day and arriving in Hiroshima late at night, some of the guests seemed a little tired from jet lag in the latter half of the tour, but even so, they kept smiling until the very end.

Click here for more details: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Sebastian

Hello, my name is Soshi Ebisuda. My first name is Soshi but my nickname may be easier to remember, so please call me Sebastian!

My guiding as a government-licensed interpreter in English is specialized in the areas of Tokyo (where I live now) and Hiroshima (my hometown). Professionally I have a long track record in the finance industry, working for a multinational company, and therefore am quite experienced to host international visitors. My areas of interest include Japanese and western history, travel (especially by railroads), and mountains. I also have a trekking guide license of Japan Mountain Guides Association, so will be happy to guide you to beautiful mountains from spring to autumn.

I look forward to seeing you in Japan!

What Is a Private Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were a cheerful and highly considerate group visiting Japan. Because one of the guests looked at the exhibits in the museum very carefully, our stay there was slightly longer than usual. Afterward, they viewed the various monuments in the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome. On that day, both public transportation and tourist facilities were extremely crowded everywhere, so partway through I stepped out of the museum to buy boarding tickets for the World Heritage Sea Route at the pier. The fare was settled later in cash with the guests. The whole of Miyajima was very crowded, but one of the guests was very pleased with the views, saying, "This island is so relaxing." In addition to sightseeing, they thoroughly enjoyed the food, and the fact that they immediately decided on anago rice made me feel they were guests who were very used to traveling abroad. At the request of the guests, we stopped by Hiroshima Castle, and I showed them the main keep from the moat side at the northwest corner. Heading south along the tram street from Hondori toward Ujina, I introduced sights such as the former Bank of Japan Hiroshima Branch. Since I had been told in advance that they wanted to visit a bar in the evening, I handed them a list of several places, which they were happy to receive.

Click here for more details: Hiroshima & Miyajima in 1 Day: Private Tour, Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Sebastian

Hello, my name is Soshi Ebisuda. My first name is Soshi but my nickname may be easier to remember, so please call me Sebastian!

My guiding as a government-licensed interpreter in English is specialized in the areas of Tokyo (where I live now) and Hiroshima (my hometown). Professionally I have a long track record in the finance industry, working for a multinational company, and therefore am quite experienced to host international visitors. My areas of interest include Japanese and western history, travel (especially by railroads), and mountains. I also have a trekking guide license of Japan Mountain Guides Association, so will be happy to guide you to beautiful mountains from spring to autumn.

I look forward to seeing you in Japan!

Title: What Is a Private Full-Day Kyoto Tour Like for Visitors to Japan? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests were a group visiting Japan from Asia, planning to stay in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. Some of the guests were visiting Japan for the second time, while it was the first visit for another. Because one of the guests preferred to avoid stairs, I selected sightseeing spots that involved as little difficult walking as possible in addition to the places they had requested (such as Chishaku-in and Nanzen-ji). They had wished to visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace, but it was closed today, so we had lunch at the Nakadachiuri Rest House while I explained how and where to visit. They plan to stop by tomorrow as a group. Today's sightseeing spots, including the quiet Tenryu-ji and Nanzen-ji, were all very well received, and the guests seemed thoroughly satisfied.

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Tour Report by SAM

Hello! I am Osamu Kitagawa , National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter(English). Please call me SAM.
I love Japanese culture, history, and visiting historical places, scenic spots, and fashionable spots as well. I can guide you all over Japan as I have ever visited all prefectures in Japan. I have a global experience in international banking business including residing in Hong Kong and Jakarta. So I’m able to have daily conversations in Indonesian language, too. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!

Certification
Certified Travel Services Manager
Authorized Tour Conductor
Kyoto Expert Certification