Kyoto: Sightseeing ①: Nijo Castle — Guide Nori

Title: Can You Do a Private Day Trip to Kyoto from a Cruise Ship in Kobe? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests this time were a group visiting Japan from North America. Advance communication was conducted with a representative of the group, but although I sent my first message in late July, there was no reply for nearly two months, and I was unable to reach them. I also asked [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) to follow up, but there was no response to that either. At the end of September, following guidance from [Japan Guide Agency](https://www.j-g-a.org/), I tried contacting them via a messaging app, and finally received a response in early October. However, the messages were fragmentary, and it was difficult to obtain crucial information such as the accommodation and the meeting point. The main pieces of information I could gather were: ① they did not know the meeting point (in the confirmed information, the guests are supposed to instruct the guide); ② they did not know the means of transportation from Kobe to Kyoto (which made no sense to me at this stage); ③ was the 10:00 meeting time correct? (suggesting they might not have seen either my first message or the detailed information); and ④ there would be four members in the tour, one of whom would need a wheelchair. In any case, after exchanging repeated messages via the messaging app, it was only the day before that we finalized: ① meeting in the lobby of the Hotel, and ② visiting Nijo Castle → Kinkaku-ji → Arashiyama → Fushimi Inari, with lunch in Arashiyama.

On the day, I waited in the lobby of the Hotel from 9:30. I had also confirmed with the private car driver that they would board at 10:00, and waited, but even after the promised 10:00 the guests did not appear. When I asked the hotel staff, they could not confirm the guests' name (incidentally, I had inquired the day before about whether the guests were staying there, but was told that "without a room number, we cannot share information for privacy protection"). Of course, I sent messages via the messaging app, which was my only means of contact, and even tried its call function, but the guests did not answer.

I had resolved that "if there is no response from the guests after 30 minutes, I will consult with [Japan Guide Agency](https://www.j-g-a.org/)," but around 10:25 one of the guests appeared, and we were able to meet up. It was only after meeting up that I learned several important facts: ① the group were guests of a cruise ship docked in Kobe and were on a day trip to Kyoto, and ② therefore, they had never been staying at the Hotel in the first place. In any case, I was fortunate to be able to meet all the guests with a 30-minute delay.

I asked the guests to confirm: "Since we are starting late, if we fall further behind along the way, we will have to cancel the final destination (Fushimi Inari). Is that acceptable?" and all the guests agreed. On that basis, I did my best to help them enjoy their Kyoto trip, with the cooperation of the driver. However, one of the guests strongly requested, "I absolutely want to see the newly opened 'Six Senses Kyoto,' so please be sure to take us there," and all the guests confirmed that we would try to make that request come true.

Once the tour started, prioritizing wheelchair movement above all meant that we moved more slowly than planned. While using the itinerary as a basis, I responded flexibly with safety as the top priority. Thanks to this, the guests were able to fully enjoy Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji, and Arashiyama. The final stop, Fushimi Inari, had to be canceled due to lack of time. However, we were able to realize the visit to "Six Senses Kyoto," which had been a heartfelt wish, and everyone was delighted.

I was relieved to be able to finish the tour safely, but I strongly feel that the "lack of information about cruise ship guests" is an issue that [Japan Guide Agency](https://www.j-g-a.org/) should work to resolve. I would like it to be thoroughly ensured that, in the detailed information of a guest's tour application, it is always clearly stated when they are cruise ship guests. Even now this is sometimes noted, but in most cases the "meeting point" field only says "We will select later." In particular, I think guests who are slow to respond even when the guide has sent the first message deserve caution. I sincerely hope for and look forward to measures from [Japan Guide Agency](https://www.j-g-a.org/). Thank you very much.

Click here for more details: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Nori

Hi, everyone! I’m Norifumi Kamon, a government registered guide interpreter. Please call me “Nori”, or “Kamon-san”.
Let me introdece myself. I was born on April 17th in 1952 in Miyazaki prefecture in Kyushu island. I used to be an English teacher of Osaka Prefectural high school. When I retired from a teacher ten years ago, I decided to get a professional guide license. I wanted to play a role of the bridge between Japanese people and the people from all over the world as a second life of mine. After two years efforts, I finally got the guide license. Since then, I have guided several handreds of foreign people mainly in Kyoto and Nara for about five years except Corona Pandemic period. Almost all the tourists were deeply impressed by the beauty of nature, traditoin, culture, and art of Japan. I can surely help you enjoy and be satisfied with the sightseeing in Japan. And I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.