This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

Tour Itinerary

  • 10:00 Meet @ JR Himeji Station
  • 10:15 @ Egret Himeji Rooftop
  • 10:30 @ Himeji Castle
  • 12:45 @ Koko-en Garden
  • 13:30 @ Nadagiku Sake Brewery
  • 14:30 Disband @ JR Himeji Station

Title: What Is a Private Sake Brewery Tour in Japan Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visiting Japan from North America. One of them was visiting Japan for the first time, while the other had visited Japan about three times before, and both clearly held a very favorable impression of Japan. The guests asked many questions. Both of them enjoy Japanese sake, and one in particular said, "I love junmai ginjo sake!" They seemed to be looking forward to the sake brewery visit, and enthusiastically took part in the tasting and purchased souvenirs. I gave them a handmade drawstring pouch made by a family member of mine, and they were delighted, saying, "It's wonderful to receive something you can't get anywhere else."

Special note) I was unable to contact the guests directly until the day itself, and all communication went through a local travel agency. On the day, I was quite anxious about whether we would be able to meet without any issues. I had asked the agency several times, just in case, to share the guests' contact information, but I never received a reply. On the day before and on the day itself, I tried several times to reach the guests via a messaging app, but the messages were never marked as read (and voice calls did not connect either), which made me very anxious. Fortunately we were able to meet without any trouble, so it turned out fine in the end, but I still feel it would be best to receive the guests' contact information at least the day before. (Some agencies only provide the guests' contact information the day before, and until then everything is routed through the agency.) I believe contact information is especially essential for guests who do not use a messaging app (or rarely use one).

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

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