Yamanashi: Saiko Nature Center — Guide May
April, 2025
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.
Tour Itinerary
- 09:30 Meet up @ Hotel
- 09:42 Take the Fujikyuko Line to Kawaguchiko Station
- 10:10 Take the Fujikyu Bus (Green Line) to Saiko Nature Center
- 10:44 @ Saiko Nature Center (Bat Cave)
- 11:15-12:15 Participate in the Aokigahara Jukai walking tour with a nature guide
- 12:47 Take the Fujikyu Bus (Green Line) to Iyashi no Sato Nenba
- 12:53-14:00 @ Iyashi no Sato Nenba
- 14:05 Take a taxi to Narusawa Ice Cave
- 14:25-15:00 @ Narusawa Ice Cave
- 15:05 Take the Fujikyu Bus (Blue Line) to Kawaguchiko Station
- 15:45 Arrive at Kawaguchiko Station
- 16:00 @ Tourist Base Kawaguchiko for cafe time
- 16:30 Disband @ Kawaguchiko Station
Title: What Is a Private Fuji Five Lakes Nature Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report from Kawaguchiko
Body:
The guests were a group visiting from Europe. A Japanese agent was involved as an intermediary, so I had received information about the guests in advance, which allowed the day's itinerary to proceed smoothly.
As highlights of the Fuji-Kawaguchiko area, I recommended attractions such as the sightseeing boat, the ropeway, Arakurayama Sengen Park, Oshino Hakkai, and Oishi Park. However, since the guests were interested in nature trekking, I guided them on a hike through the Aokigahara forest (the "Sea of Trees").
Regarding the forest hike, simply walking through the woods without any change of scenery would not be interesting at all, so we decided to join an official guided tour at the Saiko Nature Center. (This turned out to be an excellent decision.)
The guests seemed very impressed by the explanations about the formation of the forest, the history of Mount Fuji, the wonders of nature, and the atmospheric one-hour hike through the Sea of Trees.
Afterward, we visited "Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba," a village lined with traditional thatched-roof houses. Here, the guests enjoyed a rice-ball lunch box that I had prepared myself. (I had made it in the morning in case the hike ran long. I also took their dietary preferences into consideration.)
After that, since the local bus times did not match up, we moved by taxi, visited the Narusawa Ice Cave, then returned to Kawaguchiko Station by bus, took a coffee break, and parted ways. I gave them a pair of chopsticks as a souvenir, which was also very well received. Overall, I believe the guests were satisfied. (I have already received a high review as well.)
Click here for more details: Mt. Fuji Aokigahara Jukai Forest Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Kawaguchiko Station～Fujikyu Highland Station | 173JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Fujikyu Highland Station～Kawaguchiko Station | 173JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Kawaguchiko Station～Saiko Bat Cave | 800JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Saiko Bat Cave～Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba | 240JPY |
| Section 5 | Bus | Narusawa～Kawaguchiko Station | 530JPY |
| Total | 1,916JPY | ||
Hi, I’m May, your guide in Tokyo. Welcome to Japan!
I have been grown up in Tokyo and working here for more than 45 years, so I’m sure I can share the best attraction of Tokyo with you, such as food, cultural and historic sites, sub-culture, shopping, and nightlife.
Besides the tour guide, I have been working for a travel agent for more than 30 years, I can advise you the travel plan of not only in Tokyo but all over Japan.
I had lots of guests from all over the world here in Tokyo, and most of them gave me great and wonderful review.
I’m sure I can meet all of your demand and expectations, and am ready to welcome you to Japan with the best “Omotenashi” mind, or hospitality.
Sep 19, 2026
Plumb72
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Our guide ‘May’ had emailed us several times to work out exactly what we wanted to see in Tokyo. He was great, very funny and helpful. He even found us a vegan restaurant where we had lunch, you could tell he was a bit apprehensive himself as a self confessed carnivore but he tried it anyway. It was a great introduction to Tokyo.
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You get to experience moving around in Tokyo’s subway. We were explained to the shrines and temples.
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labrinir2016
Excellent- best in class.
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Aug 31, 2026
labrinir2016
Excellent- best in class.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We booked a private tour with May for our second day in Tokyo, and it was easily one of the best decisions we made on our trip. Tokyo can feel overwhelming at first because there is so much to see and the city is enormous, but May made the entire day feel effortless, fun, and incredibly memorable.
We started at Tsukiji Outer Market and Honganji, then went to Asakusa, where we explored Nakamise, Senso-ji Temple, and Asakusa Shrine and stopped for lunch. May did such a wonderful job explaining the history, traditions, and proper etiquette along the way. It made visiting these places so much more meaningful than simply walking through them on our own.
From there, we visited Meiji Jingu Shrine before ending the day in Shibuya, where we experienced the famous Scramble Crossing and Center-Gai. It was such a great mix of old and new Tokyo—from peaceful, traditional temples and shrines to some of the busiest and most energetic parts of the city.
One of the most valuable parts of the tour was having May teach us how to navigate Tokyo’s trains and subway system. It felt intimidating when we first arrived, but after spending the day with him, we felt so much more comfortable getting around on our own for the rest of the trip. That alone was invaluable.
What really sets May apart is how knowledgeable, thoughtful, and personable he is. He shared so much about Japanese culture, customs, history, and everyday life, and we loved being able to ask questions throughout the day. He also tailored the experience to us, gave us great recommendations for the rest of our trip, and knew exactly where to stop for the best photos.
May is an exceptional guide and such a genuinely lovely person to spend the day with. If you are visiting Tokyo, especially for the first time, I cannot recommend booking a tour with him enough. We saw so much, learned so much, and left feeling far more confident exploring Tokyo on our own. It was absolutely one of the highlights of our Japan trip. Five stars without hesitation!
Jul 16, 2026
fernandorM8865OM
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Memorable day
We had a great time. Our guide Meiji “May” made our day memorable. Excellent sites and great food, May is very knowledgeable of the sites, has very good English and had very nice details during the tour. Ahh and he has all the nice spots for pictures identified. The restaurant he took us for lunch was excellent, we tried an amazing hoto udon.