Hiroshima Private Tour Guides

“A deeply human story of Hiroshima — quietly reminding us of who we are, and who we may choose to become.”

Memorable tour. His experience as the son of a survivor gave everything a deeply personal dimension. It wasn’t just history, it was something lived, something felt. Through him, we didn’t only learn about Hiroshima, but also about Japanese culture, resilience, and the quiet strength with which memories are preserved at a family level. What touched us most is how such a profound human tragedy is not only remembered, but transformed into a meaningful message, present every day — one that speaks about peace, responsibility, and the importance of learning from our past. Beyond everything, it is a reminder of our shared humanity of what we are capable of, both in loss and in compassion, and of why it matters to carry these stories forward.

Tetsuo (pancho) H.

(32 reviews)

Dear Kata, I don't even know how to properly thank you for these words. This review means more to me than I can express. You understood exactly what I hoped to share - not just the history, but the human story behind it. My grandparent's experience, our family's journey, and Hiroshima's transformation into a city of peace... these are deeply personal, and I'm honored you felt that connection. What you wrote about 'shared humanity' and 'who we may choose to become' - that's the heart of why I do this work. And I'm equally glad we could also enjoy the everyday joys of Hiroshima together - the okonomiyaki, the local flavors, the simple pleasures that make this city alive today. To me, that's also part of the story: Hiroshima is not only about remembering the past, but about celebrating life and moving forward with hope. Thank you for your openness, your compassion, and for taking the time to write something so thoughtful. This is a review I'll treasure. I hope Hiroshima stays with you, as you've clearly stayed with its story. Thank you again, Pancho

“An enlightening and enjoyable day in Hiroshima and Miyajima ”

Wen I read that Miyu-san had worked with atomic bomb survivors, I knew that I wanted to have her as our guide. We had previously visited Nagasaki on a trip 2 years ago and had been to the A-bomb sites there but this was our first time in Hiroshima. Unfortunately, my husband was not feeling well, so Miyu and I spent the day t0gether with the first stop at the Hiroshima peace Memorial Museum. Having been to Nagasaki, I was prepared for what I would see here, but in light of the current world situation, it was still very emotional. I was especially touched by the artwork made by survivors 29-30 years after the bombing, illustrating the pain and depth of their memories. Also seeing the story of N. And his family. And later hearing Miyu tell me about her work visitingwith survivors, even in a number of countries abroad. After visiting the other sites in and around the Peace Park, and having Miyu help me make an origami crane to leave there, we headed to Miyajima to see the torii gate in the sea. Miyu had planned the day specifically so that we would be there at high tide. We had a wonderful visit, even encountering a wedding at the shrine. It was so beautiful. We were so caught up with our touring that we almost missed lunch, but Miyu found a nice place where we had okonomiyaki, a delicious savory pancake specialty, and I added another specialty, a grilled oyster, to mine. After lunch, we visited the Daishoin Temple with some unique experiences there. It was such a wonderful day that we almost lost track of time. We had a bit of fun racing to catch the ferry and then the train so I could get back to my cruise ship on time! I told Miyu it was like being back home in NY racing like that and we had a good laugh about that. Miyu was fun to be with and so interesting to talk to and learn from. If you tour with her, you will surely have a great day. Arigato gazaimasu, Miyu-san.

Miyu F.

(36 reviews)

Thank you very much for your detailed review. Reading it brought back fond memories of yesterday. We talked throughout the entire day—it was truly a fulfilling experience. Despite the heavy crowds at the Peace Memorial Museum, I sincerely admire how attentively you viewed the exhibits. Is your husband recovering well? I hope you both continue to enjoy a wonderful journey together.

“A moving day in Hiroshima ”

Prior to meeting us, Naomi devised this tour to try to fit in the sort of things that we wanted to do. Naomi met us in our hotel and briefly outlined the plan for the day and whether we were still happy with this. We then walked to the Shukkeien garden. It was a lovely day and the garden was beautiful. It is full of ornate trees, including cherry blossoms. It has a small lake with koi carp and terrapins. After a leisurely walk around the garden, we took a taxi to Schome House. The house was built as part of a charitable scheme run by an American, Floyd Schome, to provide housing for some of the people made homeless by the Hiroshima atomic bomb explosion. It is now run as a museum and includes lots of information and photographs of Mr Scome and his housing scheme. We were lucky enough to meet a Hiroshima survivor who works as one of the museum attendants. For lunch, we sat around the hot plate of a nearby restaurant and watched the proprietor make us some traditional okonomiyaki (pancakes). These were delicious. We then went to the Peace Park and listened to an English presentation given by the niece of a Hiroshima survivor. This was extremely interesting and very moving. We were able to chat with her afterwards. Following the presentation, Naomi took us up to the museum. She did not accompany us on the tour around the museum as there is plenty of written information for each exhibit and visitors are discouraged from talking. Audio guides are also available. We thoroughly enjoyed our day with Naomi. She was always professional but also very helpful and friendly. Her knowledge was excellent and, as well as learning about Hiroshima, we found out quite a bit about Japanese life. Naomi obviously enjoys meeting visitors and talking about Japan. If we had been staying for longer in Hiroshima, we would have loved to have visited her rice farm for the day - this is another of her tours.

Naomi K.

(3 reviews)

Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. I’m truly touched and deeply grateful. It was a very memorable day for me as well—learning about peace together and sharing those moments. Thank you for taking the time to reflect on the tragedy that happened in a foreign country 80 years ago, and for opening your heart to Hiroshima’s story. I was especially moved by the way you listened so attentively to the speech about A-bomb survivor. The sight of you quietly and sincerely paying attention left a strong impression on me. And the okonomiyaki was delicious! I was so happy to have lunch together. We were also lucky to have such beautiful weather, and I’m glad we could enjoy the cherry blossoms together. I learned a lot from you as well—your calm smile and gentle presence meant so much to me. I’m truly grateful that I had the chance to meet you. Please come back to Japan someday. I’ll be waiting for you. And I would love to hear you play the guitar one day! Wishing you continued good health and many wonderful days ahead. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. Warm regards, Naomi