Shiga Private Tours & Local Tour Guides

“Beautiful, Serene, and Delicious”

We had a fantastic day trip to Shiga from Kyoto with Nori. He tailored the tour perfectly to fit the time we had, and it was such a treat to escape the hustle and bustle of Kyoto. Every stop was peaceful, beautiful, and felt like a hidden gem. Traveling by private car allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the surroundings. Nori speaks fluent English, which made communication easy. He took us to some incredible off-the-beaten-path spots that we never would have found on our own. For our sixteen-year-old, the highlight of the day was enjoying Omi beef at a charming little restaurant with a private Japanese garden. The servers wore traditional kimonos, and we had the entire place to ourselves. The chef prepared the meal right in front of us—it was an unforgettable experience. We've had Wagyu before, but Omi beef was even better! Shiga is absolutely worth the trip, especially if you're staying in Kyoto. Of all the private day tours we did in Japan, this one was truly one of our favorites. Thank you, Nori!

Nori I.

(60 reviews)

I am so happy to hear that you really enjoyed the tour in Shiga. As you said, there are quite a lot of historical places in the area which are often older than Kyoto yet many people even Japanese don’t know their existence. Oumi and Kobe beefs are the top quality beefs in Japan. Luckily when we went to the restaurant, the special section was offered just to us. Hope you can come back to enjoy the amazing teppanyaki beef!! Take care!

“Outside Kyoto City”

While the city of Kyoto is undoubtedly beautiful and historic, it was a delight to be able to explore other areas just outside the city. We took a short train ride from Kyoto, and we were met at the station by our guide Nori. We quickly recapped what the day's plan was, and then Nori was an especially informative and intuitive guide. As a local, he was very in tune with the area's attractions and when to visit. We toured stunning historic temples and gardens, and enjoyed a delicious lunch of Oumi Beef at a local restaurant. Quite simply the best tour/guide we had on our two week Japan trip. We are already planning a return visit for our next trip to Kyoto. Highly recommended!

Nori I.

(60 reviews)

Thank you so much for the kind words. I really appreciate it. I enjoyed the tour myself and am very happy to hear that you enjoyed. It will be wonderful if you guys can come back! Please let me know well ahead of time especially if you are coming back in the peak months. We can plan some fun tours together. There is a lot more to see in and around Kyoto and great places to eat!! Take care!

“The guides guide ”

Importantly, his English is first class having lived and worked in senior management roles in USA and UK for more than 20 years provided Norri with a brilliant insight into the differences between his own country and that of the west. Norrie has been fascinated with history all his own life and therefore has an incredible depth of knowledge into Japan’s evolution from its feudal past into the modern powerhouse it has become. Norri was very patient with us as ‘seniors’ and once he realized what our specific interests were, tailored the excursion around what he perceived to be most appropriate. Great company, intelligent and he has a great sense of humour.

Nori I.

(60 reviews)

Thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate it! It was a real pleasure touring with you two. I enjoyed it a lot too. I was hoping to show some cherry blossoms by magically make them bloom earlier but could not.. I hope those pictures of plums you took turned out nice! Hopefully within a year or two I will visit the wonderful country of yours!! Take care!