Hokkaido in One Day: Goryokaku Tower & Motomachi Park — Guide Kazu

What Is a Private Hakodate Walking Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were returning to Japan for their second trip, visiting from North America. On their previous trip they had traveled through western Japan, including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima. This time their itinerary covered Tokyo, Nikko, Sendai, and Hokkaido. As the guests were walking energetically, we decided to walk up the sloping streets toward Motomachi for lunch, rather than taking a taxi as originally considered. Over lunch, much of the conversation centered on Japanese culture and daily customs, and I sensed a genuine desire to learn more about Japanese culture, beyond simple sightseeing. Unfortunately, the former Soma Family Residence, which we had planned to visit, was closed. I had checked the official website several times before going, but it did not state that the site was closed on Tuesdays in June. It was a shame, as the guests had been looking forward to it. When I later checked the Hakodate city tourism site, it stated that the residence would be closed from May onward. I was puzzled as to why this information was not included on the official website. A few other tourists had also come but could not enter and appeared disappointed. The photo was taken at Goryokaku Park.

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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.