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GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!

Plan a trip to Japan with a local guide

Kenzia Valetta

by GoWithGuide travel specialist:Kenzia Valetta

Last updated : Apr 28, 20227 min read

General

I think we can agree that it can be very difficult and tiring to plan a great trip and make sure everything goes well even on your trip. So, what should you do to make it easier?

 

It's actually easy to find the answer to your question with the available information on the internet. 

 

In this article, I'm going to tell you how and why planning a trip to Japan with a local guide is beneficial,  what you should look for in a guide, where to easily find one, and other recommendations. Keep on reading!  

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How a guide can help make the most of your trip

Traveling is fun but can be very challenging at times especially if you are traveling to a country with a totally different language and culture. If you are planning to visit Japan, and want to make the most of your trip, hiring a local guide is definitely helpful.

 

Look:

Planning ahead of your trip is always a good move. However, it can be very challenging and troublesome to do so, especially in Japan if you are not used to the language. Japan has a lot of complicated station and place names, there are also lots of exits in a station, so it is easy to get lost and end up wasting time.  That is when a local tour guide can be very helpful to make your trip easier, more meaningful and hassle-free. 

What kind of guide should you hire?

Look:

To make your trip a more valuable experience, it is important to find the right guide. It can be difficult to find the right one, as they need to match your preferences and needs, so here are a few tips you should know when hiring a guide.

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Competent

A great guide will be able to accommodate your travel needs. They will be able to recommend you places worth visiting during your planning and make sure that the trip plan or itinerary is the best possible arrangement for you according to your needs and regarding the route, cost, and time efficiency.

Experienced and knowledgeable

A great guide should understand the places well. They will be able to tell you everything about the places you are visiting and answer questions you have about the destinations. It is easy to memorize facts and recite them, but a great guide will also be able to even give you local insights and teach you the local tradition and culture.

Professional

A great guide should be prepared and punctual. They should have a great sense of direction in the places you are visiting with them. A great guide should always put your needs first.

Kind and engaging

A great guide should be engaging by making the tour enjoyable and not make the tour feel like a teacher-student class session. You should feel comfortable around them to ask questions as tours are not one-man shows. They should be friendly and show the right amount of enthusiasm so that your tour is not boring.

Why you should hire a guide in Japan to help you plan

blog imageWhen planning, it is quite difficult to make sure that the route of your trip is efficient, strategic, and even economical. With the help of a guide, they can make sure that your trip is the best arrangement for you so you can save time and visit more places.

 

There are services that make itineraries or plan a trip for you, but you need to follow the trip plan by yourself, which does not cut the odds of getting lost. With a guide, essentially, you only pay for the tour-guiding service and get the trip planning service for free. If you plan a trip with a guide, they can make sure that your trip is more economical as they can arrange the route so you don’t have to go back and forth through a certain place. 

More advantages of hiring a guide in Japan

Wait, there's more:

It is definitely advantageous to hire a guide in Japan and plan your trip with a guide because they can make planning easier and more efficient for you. If you plan your trip with a guide, they can give you recommendations of places worth visiting and plan the trip according to your needs and preferences. They can help you uncover the lesser known places which are worth visiting, and even give you access to places you otherwise would not have. The guides can give you local insights and help you understand the culture and context of the places you are visiting, allowing you to learn while traveling. 

 

If you are planning your Japan trip with a guide, you do not have to worry about language difficulties. This is also especially important if you have some restrictions, but could not understand the language. You can just communicate with your guide about your needs and restrictions, and they will tend to them. Local guides in Japan can help you fully experience the journey, adding more value to your trip. 

How you can hire a guide in Japan

blog imageThere are many places where you can hire a guide, but few let you know the personality of your guide beforehand. That's why I recommend GoWithGuide, where you can watch guide's introduction videos beforehand. They connect you to many professional guides all across Japan to make your trip more valuable. All you need to do is just open the GoWithGuide homepage, by clicking here select the destination you want to visit and options of many professional guides are available for you to choose from. They carefully select the guides through a screening process and instruct each of the guides in their website to make sure they are the ideal guides for your needs.

 

If you are ready to plan your trip in Japan with a guide, you can look for Tokyo tour guides here, for Kyoto tour guides here and Tour guides in other areas of Japan

Here are some useful links if you are looking for private tours:

Tokyo private tours

Kyoto private tours

Private tours in other areas of Japan

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Cherry blossom tours

One day bus tours

Multiple Day Package Tour Tours 

Other benefits of hiring a local guide in Japan

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Still not convinced?

By having your own Japan travel concierge, not only you will be able to save time and add more value to your trip, you will also be able to see the travel spots from another angle. By hiring a guide in Japan and let them help plan your trip in Japan, you don’t have to worry about getting lost or accidentally disrespecting the local culture as they got you covered. You are being looked after at a professional level, by someone who understands the culture, language, and direction. 

 

Compared to group tours, hiring a local guide in Japan can be more beneficial. When comparing the price of hiring a local guide or joining a group tour, the costs are probably the same or even less. You can be more flexible with the schedule and be able to enjoy the destination fully as you are not restricted by time. You can personalize your trips according to your needs.

 

 

If you are visiting Japan, hiring a guide can be really beneficial and helpful. Not only it will be more convenient, letting a professional help plan your trip can really help add value to your trip and make it more meaningful.  I hope you have a great time in Japan! 

Written by Kenzia Valetta

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GoWithGuide’s writers are passionate travel specialists sharing unique tips and essential information for global explorers.

Kanagawa Tour Guide - Yuki K.

Yuki K.

4.78 / 5
(362 reviews)
Japan

I was born and grew up in Yokohama. I used to work in Tokyo for more than 20 years. I became the National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter in English in 2013. At first, I had attended a volunteer group which provided a tour of the Imperial Palace East Gardens until 2015. I guided more than fifty times in the garden as a volunteer and studied about Japanese history and culture. Based on this experience, I became a tour guide of this online site in 2015. Since then, I have guided more than 500 tours in Tokyo as well as Yokohama, Kamakura, Hakone, Kyoto, Nikko, etc., while improving my tours. My tours are very flexible and I always do my best to customize them according to the interests of my guests. I studied about the places and will provide you knowledge to appreciate them more deeply than just visiting there by yourself or a member of group tours. I like foods and I know many restaurants which provide typical Japanese lunch with reasonable price without waiting too long. Therefore, I am sure that I can provide you the best tours customized to your interests. It will be my great pleasure to help you to enjoy your stay in Japan. So please be my guest!!                                                                                                                                 

Kyoto Tour Guide - Hiroshi Y.

Hiroshi Y.

4.67 / 5
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Hello,I am HIROSHI YOKOYAMA. Please call me Hiro, not "hero". I have been lived in kyoto for more than 30years. So, I am very familiar with the city of Kyoto and a unique culture developed in Japan as well. I can offer you not only historic places like Nijo castle, Kinkakuji temple ,Kiyomizu temple etc., but also off the beaten track spots Nijo jinya house or nicknamed "ninjya house" ,Katsura Imperial Villa etc.. I am really looking forward to seeing you .                                                                                                                                 

Tokyo Tour Guide - Akira N.

Akira N.

4.94 / 5
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Hello, My name is Akira. I am certified national guide interpreter. I have been living in Tokyo for more than 30 years. I love walking in the city with no particular plan finding trasures in the streets such as nice ramen noodle restaurants, cafes, funny billboards, and most of all, narrow alleys that remind me of good old days. I will help you enjoying the days in the city fully and making your vist memorable one. I am looking forward to seeing you soon.                                                                                                                                 

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