Shiga Private Tours & Local Tour Guides

“Expand your journey in Japan!”

Japan has so much more to offer than just Tokyo and Kyoto. Step into the countryside and see some amazing places. I had the pleasure of visiting Hikone Castle with an excellent guide Tomoe S. she did some amazing research on some family history that I provided. In addition she reached out to the historian of the museum to assist in my research. Much more than I would have expected from a guide! A short train ride from Kyoto opens up a whole new view of Japan. Hire a dedicated guide like Tomoe to add to your experience. Thank you Tomoe!

Tomoe S.

(161 reviews)

Dear Al, Thank you so much for such a wonderful review. I was really glad to guide you to Hikonejyo Castle which is the representative tourist spot in Shiga, my prefecture. Talking about various things with you on the train was a lot of fun for me, and I was impressed with you, having searched your family history in such detail. I really hope that you will get more information about your family. Thank you very much for giving me such a precious meeting! TOMOE

“Trip to Lake Biwa ”

We had a enjoyable day with Tatsuhiro who took us to Lake Biwako which us the largest lake in Japan. We had an lovely cruise on the Michigan, enjoying a great selection of food for lunch and then entertained by some of the crew with song. We then visited the Arashiyama kimono walk. Thank you Hiro for getting us back to the Kyoto train station to catch the train back to Osaka.

Tatsuhiro N.

(80 reviews)

Hi Shirley-san & John-san, Thank you very much for your favorable comment. There can be no better reward than receiving such a wonderful review. I hope the tour will remain forever in your memory. Besides giving me the ship ride including the delicious lunch, thank you so much again for telling me about your country and the birds and animals that live there. And for the nice souvenir, too. All is well that ends well. However, it made me feel a bit dismayed when we failed to make it to the same train at Arashiyama station. Enjoy life in the beautiful atmosphere in your country. Regards, Hiro

“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.

(77 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!