Kyoto Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide Kazu

Title: What Is a Private Kyoto Tour Like for First-Time Visitors? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visiting from North America, and this was their first time in both Japan and Kyoto. They traveled from Tokyo to Hida-Takayama, stopped at a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, and then came to Kyoto. They planned to spend a night in my home city of Osaka before returning to Tokyo and heading home to North America. Having attended school where all lessons were taught in English from an early age, they spoke very clear English. Since they had apparently explored Tokyo and Hida-Takayama on their own, they still knew relatively little about Japanese history, culture, and customs, and everything I explained seemed to be new to them, so I ended up talking quite a lot. At Kinkaku-ji, I explained the Gozan no Okuribi bonfire and the Obon tradition, and since there is a very similar custom of welcoming ancestors once a year in their home region, the conversation became lively as we agreed how alike they were. Talks about how living habits, dialects, and even temperaments differ from region to region always spark good conversation, and today too we enjoyed discovering that the same is true in their home region. The guests had a refined and easygoing manner, listened attentively, and asked questions at just the right moments, and I too spent a truly enjoyable time.

The other day I had the pleasure of attending the Japan Guide Awards. I was able to greet President Fujiwara and the staff of [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/), and although it was only a short time, I was able to deepen my connections with guides from my own region as well as from the Kanto area, making it a very meaningful day. Thank you very much.

Perhaps in part because assignments have become fewer since December, no matter how hard I try, I have been completely unable to secure any assignments from December through February other than those over the year-end and New Year period. The moment an assignment email arrives at 7:00 or 15:00, no matter how quickly I open it, it already shows as "being assigned." Has the number of guides during these time slots increased sharply? I wonder whether everyone else is receiving assignments fairly evenly and I alone am unable to, as it feels a little unusual compared to previous years. I am doing what I can within my means, including paying attention to my internet environment, but as things stand I am effectively at a loss.

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

Tour Report by Kazu

Hello, this is Kazu Akiyama, your tour guide. Nice to meet you and welcome to Japan. Thank you for joining me on the tour. Now I am a retired salaried worker, living in Osaka. I have been very much interested in not only learning Japanese history, culture, religion myself, but also talking about them (sometimes going off topics) in English with tourists from all over the world as well. I am so excited being with you as your guide on coming day! I am very much looking forward to you enjoying with me visiting the must-see places and some of the hidden gems. See you soon. Thank you – Kazu Akiyama