Hokkaido in One Day: Goryokaku & Hakodate Morning — Guide Kazu

What Is a Private Walking Tour of Hakodate Like from a Cruise Ship Port? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting from Asia. Originally the tour was planned for a larger number, but some of the guests decided not to participate. The guests had mistakenly assumed that this tour included a private vehicle, so it took some time to explain that it was a walking tour. In addition, the cruise ship dock was at a port pier with no public transportation available, so we used two taxis to head to Goryokaku. The guests' disappointment was clearly visible, which made for an awkward start. When I told them the admission fee for Goryokaku Tower, they decided not to go up the tower. During the rest of the tour, I could no longer suggest anything that involved additional costs. As the guests walked slowly and took many photos, the tour proceeded at a very relaxed pace. What the guests seemed to enjoy most was taking photos at the morning market and in the Kitano area. We also stopped by the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses, but no purchases were made. I saw the guests off by train to Goryokaku Koen Station, and from there they returned to the pier by a single taxi without me. Just to be sure, I confirmed the cruise ship's arrival via a messaging app. Photos were taken at Hachiman-zaka slope.

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

Tour Report by KAZU

I was born and grew up in Kyoto and now live near Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. I used to be a schoolteacher of English and welcome a lot of students from foreign countries. I really enjoyed showing them around Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Himeji, and Hiroshima. I have been a professional tour guide for about 8 years. I always try to let my guests learn Japanese traditional and modern culture. Since I was born in Kyoto, I know a lot about its culture and people. I myself enjoyed several sports, such as soccer, judo, and marathon when I was young. I’m much interested in baseball and sumo. My motto as a tour guide is to let my guests learn about our tradition and culture precisely and really enjoy themselves. I strongly hope you will enjoy the tour in Japan with me.