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

  • 11:30 Meet up @ Kobe Port
  • 13:30 Iwatayama Monkey Park
  • 14:15 Rickshaw tour around the bamboo grove
  • 17:00 Disband @ Mouriya Sannomiya

Tour Itinerary in Detail

This private tour of Hyogo began at 11:30, when the guide met the guests at @ Kobe Port, and finished at 17:00. The day ran to 5 hours and 30 minutes from start to finish.

From there the group visited Iwatayama Monkey Park at 13:30 and Rickshaw tour around the bamboo grove at 14:15.

Title: What Is a Private Kyoto Day Tour with a Licensed Guide Like? An Arashiyama Itinerary Report

The day before the tour, I received a request to change the start time, and we agreed on the condition that the end time would remain the same. A change to the itinerary was also requested, so I remained on standby until 11:30 today. This morning, I revised the agenda based on the guests' email and sent it, receiving a reply of confirmation. However, in the car, the guests said that this was not where they wanted to go, that they had wanted to ride a boat on the river, visit the monkey park, and see the bamboo grove, and that the company's handling had been unacceptable. So I quickly changed the destination to Arashiyama. There was an awkward atmosphere in the car, but I gradually eased the mood by talking about baseball and other topics, and by the time we reached the summit of Mount Iwatayama, their spirits had lifted considerably. On the way to the bamboo grove, they spotted a rickshaw and said they wanted to ride it, so I arranged that for them. They asked me to recommend a good restaurant for Kobe beef, and I made a reservation, but the only available seating was from 5:00, so we timed our return accordingly and parted ways earlier than scheduled. At the end, they gave me a gratuity, so I believe they were satisfied.

Thanks for joining our tour. I’m Hiro Nakagawa, assigned to be your guide for this tour. I was eligible as a National Licensed Tour Guide in 2017. I have guided many tourists from overseas since then. Japan is a beautiful country with full of various attractions. Please enjoy your time in this country to the fullest. I will help you with that. What are you interested in this country? I will introduce this country’s long history, traditional culture, beautiful seasonal highlights, and delicious food to you. Please let me know your preferences. If it’s other than which I mentioned, I’m preparing it for you as much as possible. Let’s enjoy the trip together!

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