Shiga Private Tours & Local Tour Guides

Discover Things to Do and Plan a Trip to Shiga, Japan with a Local Guide

Popular Shiga Private Tours

The villages of Kouga Ninja, Shigaraki pottery and Sake brewery

Shiga
9 hours

There are many genuine Sake breweries in Shiga. Koka city is one of the two most famous districts for Ninja as well as Iga city. The Ninja house was built about 300 years ago .It displays some gears and weapons actually used by Ninja allowing you to have experience intelligence and crafty skills. Shigaraki pottery has a long history and famous for its cute raccoon dog "Tanuki"

FROM$128/ per group
Mana F.
4.80(49) reviews

Experiencing Japanese calligraphy and tea ceremony

Shiga
2 hours

You can experience real traditional Japanese tea ceremony privately. I will pick you up at Otsu jr station or Hamaotsu Krishna station. Please feel relaxed to contact me.

FROM$71/ per group
Toshiyo O.
4.66(189) reviews

Let's enjoy Lake Biwa cruise and National Treasure Castle!

Shiga
7 hours

Hikone Castle is one of the five National Treasure castles. The castle is on the hilltop and you can see beautiful scenery of Lake Biwa and castle town. Beside the castle, there is a beautiful Japanese garden, named "Genkyu-en". If you like, you enjoy a cup of green tea with Japanese sweet. After lunch at the castle town, let's enjoy cruise to a small sacred island, Chikubu-jima. In the sacred island, there are a famous temple and a National Treasure shrine. I'm sure you like it!!

FROM$178/ per group
Yuriko S.
4.87(23) reviews

Tour to the National Treasure Hikone Castle from Kyoto

Shiga
6 hours

Hikone City is only an hour away from Kyoto by train and faces the largest lake in Japan. Hikone Castle, a national treasure, and its castle town are located there. There are also some old temples and shrines nearby. You feel like you have slipped back into the Edo Period ( about 200~400 years ago). This is a half-day tour where you can learn about Japan's medieval period.

FROM$93/ per group
Kazuhiko G.
4.66(125) reviews

One Day Bike Tour around Yogo, an Old Home of Japan in Shiga (日本的乡土“余吴”一天自行车远行在滋贺县)

Shiga
9 hours

Lake Yogo, alias "Mirror Lake" is a northernmost attraction in Shiga pref. Literally, it looks like a natural mirror on a calm day, perfectly reflecting surrounding mountains. The one day tour takes you to representative spots associated with impressive folklores about the lake and its vicinity. We can also visit the stage of the fierce historical battle of Shizugatake of the Provincial Wars.

FROM$196/ per group
Yoshi K.
5.00(3) reviews

A Half Day Bike Tour around Lake Yogo in Shiga (余吴湖一周半天自行车远行在滋贺县)

Shiga
4 hours

Lake Yogo is a northernmost mysterious attraction in Shiga prefecture, and its another name is "Mirror Lake", since it looks like a natural mirror on a calm day, perfectly reflecting surrounding mountains. The lake was a stage of the fierce historical battle of Shizugatake in the midst of the age of Provincial Wars (1583). There are also many folklores associated with the lake.

FROM$87/ per group
Yoshi K.
5.00(3) reviews

One Day Tour for Autumnal Leaves around Keisoku-ji Temple & Shizugatake Old Battlefield

Shiga
9 hours

Keisoku-ji was re-built by the Venerable, Saicho (767-822 AD), and named after footmarks of a chicken left on accumulated snow. The monk found an Eleven-headed Deity of Mercy in burned-out ruins, and then opened tremendous area of many Buddhist temples. Though the temple became deserted now, the breath-taking beauty of hundreds of colored leaves attracts so many people just like the old days.

FROM$196/ per group
Yoshi K.
5.00(3) reviews

One Day Bike Tour around Kohoku in Shiga (北琵琶湖一天自行车远行在滋贺县)

Shiga
9 hours

Kohoku, i.e., northernmost district in Shiga pref. is said to be “The home of Kan-non (Deity of Mercy)”, many of which have been protected by successive villagers of the hamlets since more than 1,200 years ago. You can also appreciate breathtaking autumnal beauty of the old mountainous temple of Keisoku-ji in late fall. Thus, you may feel a genuine cultured atmosphere of old Japan here at Kohoku.

FROM$196/ per group
Yoshi K.
5.00(3) reviews

Popular Shiga Tour Guides

Toshiyo O.

4.66(189) reviews
Japan

I was born and raised in Kyoto.Kyoto has a lot of things to see and experience. Kyoto is an ancient city with a lot of world heritage. I am happy to show you both traditonal aspects of Japan and modern things. I use public transportation and I am good at walking. Also I am very flexible.

Kazuhiko G.

4.66(125) reviews
Japan

Hello, I’m Kazuhiko. Please call me “Kazu”. I'm a national-licensed tour guide. I have a wife and 4 children. I was born in Osaka city near Kyoto, although I have lived in many places across Japan. I used to work for multinational electric company and I traveled to many countries (U.S., Thailand, Hong Kong etc.) on business. I have enjoyed guiding many foreign tourists in Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Mt. Fuji etc. for many years. During your tour, you can discover a rich Japanese history spanning about 2,000 years, learn about and experience profound Japanese arts (tea ceremony, flower arrangement etc.), feel the spiritual atmosphere of Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, see a breathtakingly beautiful scenery of Mt. Fuji, bamboo forest, Japanese gardens etc.. Moreover, you can taste Japanese cuisine that each season has to offer (Sushi, Tempura, Soba or ramen noodle etc.). You can get close to nature and feed wild deer or monkeys or even a build snowman in winter. I’m sure that I can provide a splendid tour of Japan that will be a lasting memory for you to treasure. Experience the mysteries of Japan with 5 senses !! Your memorable tour awaits you. Please feel free to contact me!!

Masaki H.

4.91(64) reviews
Japan

Hello I’m Mike, a national licensed tour guide from Kyoto. Meeting with people is a gift of God for me. A new encounter inspires and enriches my heart. People sometimes ask me unexpected questions I can’t answer on the spot. It is the moment when I I am frozen. Indeed, guiding people is like a thrilling, adventurous journey. I would like to offer a memorable journey to you. I retired from work as a teacher at senior high school and then started this job in 2015. I’m familiar with Japanese history, culture, religion and architecture. My guide areas are mainly Kyoto, Nara and Osaka. But as a national tour guide, I guide around Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Wakayama, Shirakawago, and Takayama. Feel free to ask me anything.

Tomoe S.

4.90(61) reviews
Japan

Hello! My name is Tomoe. I'm a national licensed guide interpreter(English). I made my page here, TripleLights in October 2018. Thank you for finding me. I was born and grew up in Otsu,Shiga, which is the next city of Kyoto. I graduated from the university in Kyoto and lived there for four years due to my husband's job. I like history and like to visit temples in Nara. My hobby is to plan trips and have visited many cities and towns in Japan and abroad. One of my favorite places is the AIRPORT!! I have enjoyed meeting and guiding people from abroad, to sightseeing spots in my country. I really want many people from abroad to enjoy visiting many places and have wonderful experiences in my country. I'll be really happy if I can have such experiences with you!! Please tell and ask me if there are any places which you want to visit and anything which you want to do in my country. I'll plan the trip only for you. I am cheerful and always positive. I like to talk with people. I would like to talk with many people from many countries. Please tell me about your country, too!! I'm looking forward to seeing you!! * If you want, I will take you back to your hotel (within the time or with the extra hourly rate) Or, I will show you how to go back to your hotel when we finish the tour. * If you want, I will give you some advice about what to and where to eat your lunch/dinner.

Tatsuhiro N.

4.23(30) reviews
Japan

It took me some 20 years to be qualified for this job and I feel honored for being able to help tourists from abroad understand our nation and culture. Japan is a beautiful country with a long history, tradition and rich cultural heritages, having various features in each of the four distinct seasons. Although there are now many visitors from abroad, mainly from Asian countries, they are mostly interested in shopping taking advantage of cheaper yen rather than understanding our people and culture. Kyoto and Nara are the two cities best known by foreign tourists, but not all the aspects of Japanese culture are concentrated there. If you visit the countryside other than these two cities, you will never fail to see the beautiful natural surroundings and people who will warmly welcome you. I wish to work as the bridge between Japanese people and tourists from all over the world.

Mana F.

4.80(49) reviews
Japan

Hello, my name is Mana. I am a National Licensed Tour Guide in English. I was born and raised in Kyoto. I worked for Kyoto Prefectural Police Headquarters.I know lots about Kyoto's cultures and festivals . I am good at walking. After I got married, I have been in Shiga for over 30 years.I work for at high school as a part time teacher. I am flexible in Kyoto and Shiga. See you soon!

Koichi W.

4.92(37) reviews
Japan

Hi! I'm Koichi. I was born in Osaka, I studied in Kyoto when I was a university student. Now I live in Shiga next to Kyoto. I am a national government licensed tour guide. I have been guiding about 160 groups over the past twelve months. I usually guide my customers mainly in Kansai region including Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kobe and Shiga by public transportation systems. But If you need a private car please feel free to contact me. Well, I am curious about Japanese history, especially the history of Japan's ancient times since I was raised next to the world biggest mausoleum of the ancient Emperor called "Nintoku" in Sakai Osaka which has just become the one of world cultural heritage sites. I dug out some ancient earthen ware when I was a primary school student like the adventure archaeologist “Indiana Jones" (It’s our secret!!). That was my hobby. Now, one of my hobbies is outdoor activity such as mountaineering, kayaking, skiing and so on. So I would like to take you to some good places where you can enjoy Japanese unique nature. I love to guide foreign visitors from all over the world. I think it is my calling, heavenly given job! Let's go and enjoy together! I hope to see you soon.

Ai A.

4.83(30) reviews
Japan

I'm in NYC and will return to Japan in mid August. Tour bookings after August 2023 to May 2024 is welcome. ………………………………………………… Ai obtained her MBA from Kyoto University in 2020, major in tourism & hospitality management. She is currently a graduate student at Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences(GSAS), Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, goes back-and-forth between NYC and Osaka. She passed a national license of English guide interpreter exam in 2015 and speaks French(DELF B1~B2 level). In her tour, she offers you free photo taking & sharing digital data by her award-winning + magazine-cover photography skill. <Awards & Publications> -cited by Columbia University's Official Instagrams four times during her fist summer at Columbia (2022) -got interviewed by Nikkei WOMAN, June issue of 2021, a monthly magazine that publishes 150,000 copies nationwide, and two other magazine and book, published in the same year -won a top prize in Photo Contest at Tourism Expo in Osaka, hosted by SriLanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (in 2019) -received Gold Award in CONRAD OSAKA opening Art Photo Contest among 367 entries -coverered "NU7(top 7 national universities)" magazine, 50,000 copies (in 2018) -2nd Prize in Festival Tower West Opening Photo Contest and her shot became a billboard advertisement (both in 2017) She was raised in Kobe, had attended schools and universities in Kyoto for twelve years. Before enrolling to Columbia, since COVID19 forced her to suspend her vocation, she had served as a contract in-house interpreter at an IT department of SHIMADZU Corporation group(2020-2022), waiting her opportunity to fly to Manhattan. She resides in her hometown Osaka from late August to next May, and in NYC every summer(June to the first week of August). Tours in Japan are available in Spring, early summer(May), Autumn, and Winter. ………………………………………………………………… Feel free to contact me! Just inquiry is totally fine. Let's have fun together☆★** Ai

Day Trips from Shiga

Shiga Private Tour Guide

Whether it’s your first time to Shiga or you are back to discover more, a good tour guide can make all the difference. Enjoy the best of what Shiga has to offer, without all the fuss of planning everything by yourself! You can pick your favorite itinerary from the Shiga tours offered by our local guides, but feel free to ask for customizations based on your preferences. We want to help travelers get the most out of their trips, and we believe a good tour with a local guide is the best way to ensure that. There is so much to see and do in Shiga, and the best way to get the most out of your time there is to have a local expert with you. GoWithGuide is committed to delivering unforgettable tour experiences, so let us help you create your next favorite memory.

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