Tochigi in One Day: Board bus & Kanaya History Museum — Guide Yumi

Title: What's a Private Day Tour of Nikko Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

Before the tour, I was assigned in August of the previous year and sent an email soon after, but there was no reply for a long time. At the end of May, I received a notice of a change of meeting point, which had been set as a plaza in Tokyo. [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) contacted the guests on my behalf, and the meeting point was changed to the tourist center at Tobu Nikko Station. (Apparently the response at that time did not come directly from the guests.) After that, I tried to reach the guests several times through the tour details page and by email, but there was no response. They were not using any messaging app, and I could not reach them via text message from their phone number either. There was no response to my message the day before, so I faced the day of the tour in a very anxious state. However, since the meeting place and time were set, I waited from around 9:00 at the planned location. (I did not know what time their train would arrive.)

When the guests had not appeared five minutes past the 10:00 meeting time, I reported this to [Japan Guide Agency](https://www.j-g-a.org/) through the tour details page. I continued waiting, showing my banner to foreign visitors who seemed likely to be them, and around 10:35 I was finally able to meet the guests. It turned out they had arrived in Nikko by JR rather than the Tobu Line, and had also missed their planned train. We were both relieved to have finally met, and when I mentioned that I had tried to contact them several times, they said not a single message had reached them. They seemed disappointed by this as well. Since the guests' email address was through the Tripadvisor site, my messages may have gone into their junk mail.

The guests were visiting from Europe. They were a lovely group with wonderful, kind smiles. Since we had not been able to discuss the itinerary by email beforehand, I explained several options and decided the day's plan while listening to their wishes. As our time had become shorter, they gave up on visiting the waterfalls and lake, and instead wished to enjoy the World Heritage sites efficiently, leaving everything up to me.

They said they love nature, and they were moved by the trees and flowing water around Rinnoji Temple and Toshogu Shrine, so I took them to a place where they could eat lunch while looking at the river. The only menu item was udon, but they enjoyed it so much that they drank up all the soup. The weather was fine and they savored the scenery, which they were very happy about.

At the Kanaya Hotel History Museum, they looked with great interest at how historical figures from Europe (such as Ernest Satow, Isabella Bird, and the British Crown Prince) had a great influence on Nikko. They also seemed fascinated by the fittings, garden, and structure of the old samurai house.

The guests had never traveled in Asia and it was their first time in Japan, so they looked at everything with great curiosity, including the buildings and the carvings of Toshogu Shrine, and enjoyed the historical stories.

I had been very worried until we met, but in the end it turned out to be a wonderful day.

Click here for more details: Nikko Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Yumi

Hello! My name is Yumi. The Nikko area, Nasu area, in Tochigi Prefecture, and Aizu and Shirakawa area in Fukushima prefecture, where I will be guiding you, are not only surrounded by beautiful nature in all four seasons but are also full of historical attractions. Nikko, in particular, is a great place to learn about the culture and history that has shaped Japan to this day. In order for you to truly enjoy your day, I am flexible to your wishes and will prepare your day to be a great day. Because I am a local guide, you will surely see some sights that are not in the guidebooks. Is local food one of your favorite parts of your trip? I am also a sushi-making instructor for foreigners, so food is one of my specialties. I am also a certified sake navigator. Why don’t you come and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with me?