Customizable Private Tours with Local Tour Guides

“Personable and informative guide - Rick”

Rick led and guided us to the key sites with useful information. He was patient, personable and engaging. He knew the ground and communicated clearly in English. He was flexible and helpful with additional information for the rest of our stay in Kyoto. Definitely recommend Rick to anyone or group visiting Kyoto.

“A kind and well-organised guide. Thank you Shu, for an exceptional day out! ”

We had a fabulous day with Shu, who I recommend as a guide. I knew that after recent changes to the Ghibli ticket purchasing system, it would be harder than ever to purchase them from my home country, and I wanted the best odds of including this museum on my itinerary. I figured Shu would know best how to access the system from within Japan as he's done so many times. I felt fortunate that he successfully purchased tickets for the 10am opening time and also that we managed to book him, since guides can only book one lot of tickets per month. We are Ghibli fans, and the highlight of the museum for me was an exhibition of the exquisite art from 'The Boy and the Heron. We could have easily spent longer examining all the artwork from other Ghibli movies that covered the walls elsewhere. The room showing how animation works was delightful, the models and carousel whimsical and fun. So was the short movie. I felt joy as I viewed all the pieces. Possibly someone who isn't a Ghibli fan wouldn't enjoy it as much after all the hype over ticket purchases. But I felt it was true to the spirit of its creator and I loved it. Shu improved our visit by knowing where to go, not rushing us at all, and being very considerate of my sore feet (from my two prior weeks of walking everywhere in Japan). I took lots of breaks throughout the day. He took us to an izekaya for lunch which served delicious local food, and suggested we try some items we wouldn't have otherwise. That was a great success. We then visited the architectural museum. The grounds are full of significant Japanese buildings that were painstakingly moved there in their original condition. Shu showed us screenshots from some of the Ghibli movies and paired them with the buildings that may very well have inspired them (I was certainly convinced). The buildings are beautiful and worth seeing even without their connection to the Ghibli films, but Shu's thoughts on that and his knowledge of history enriched the experience.

Ian B.

5 / 5

Dec 4, 2024

Osaka : OLD & NEW Tour 6 hours

Osaka

6 hours

Dec 4, 2024

“Day to remember ”

Although Toshi had a sprained ankle he never stopped in his quest to show us his Osaka. From Osaka castle, the museum with its replica of a Japanese village to the 2km shopping centre it was fantastic.

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1/3

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Toshi M.

(48 reviews)

Hi Ian, Thank you very much for your review with the good pictures. I’m really glad that you guys enjoyed the tour with me in Osaka. Terry and you were very excited about being able to find interesting Kimono in the long shopping mall. Also, the museum of 1830s attracted everyone in your group. I get happy to see my clients enjoy their tour with me. Thank you. Toshi M.