We had a great day with Dai, as he took us to some interesting spots in the Shimane area. He showed knowledge, as well as flexibility, as we changed our points of interest for the day. We first went to Matsue City and visited the castle as well as enjoyed a delicious lunch of Sobe Noodle Soup in an old Samurai House. We were also lucky enough to see the beginning of an annual drum competition. We asked Dai to take us to the Adachi Museum, where we saw beautiful Japanese Gardens and art. From there, we went back to the port city and visited the really cool street where we saw fantastic sculptured characters of an early Manga writer/artist Mizuki Shigeru. And... he got us back to the port on time! Thank you, Dai, for a great day and also sharing your culture and history with us!

Daizaburo N.

Thank you so much for your kind quick review! You were so thoughtful and nice to talk with. I really enjoyed our meaningful conversation and learned a lot about you and your country and culture. You were really lucky because rain let up and could see "Drum Parade" for the first time in three years due to the pandemic. And one more thing, you talked with mayor of Matsue City during the parade. About NEW JERSEY, it brought back memories visiting New York City. I also learned the situations current government is bringing about In the U.S. I enjoyed talking about Rock Music, too! Enjoy the rest of the trip and have a safe trip home! DAI

Peter J.

5 / 5

Oct 16, 2025

Private Guided Cultural Tour in Izumo (with Driver)

Oct 16, 2025

Shimane

7 hours

Customized

“Personable and informative tour of Izumo”

We spent the day with Sameera seeing some of the highlights of the Izumo area. He is knowledgeable, informative and charming. He sees his role as a tour guide not just to drive you places, but to provide insights for cultural understanding, and to connect with people on a personal level. At our first stop, the Quilt Museum, Sameera was genuinely interested in learning what we knew about quilts, and broadening his knowledge. Sameera was easily accommodating to making changes to our day’s itinerary, and helped with suggestions that fit the bill.

Sameera G.

Dear Peter, Thank you so much for your thoughtful and generous review. It was a real pleasure spending the day with you and sharing some of the highlights of Izumo together. I truly appreciated your openness and the insightful conversations we had especially at the Quilt Museum, where I enjoyed learning from you as much as guiding you. I'm glad the experience felt flexible, informative, and personal that's exactly the kind of connection I hope to create with every guest. Wishing you both many more meaningful journeys ahead, and you're always welcome back to explore more of Shimane. Warmest regards, Sameera ThoughINAKA

Robin B.

5 / 5

Apr 15, 2025

Shimane Highlight Tour

Apr 15, 2025

Shimane

7 hours 30 mins

Customized

“Amazing personal tour of Shimane”

Our tour guide, Daizaburo Sab, was truly exceptional! He provided a wealth of knowledge about Matsue Castle and Izumo Taisha Shrine, the history, and the surrounding culture. His passion for the shrine was contagious, and his interests made the tour incredibly engaging. We learned so much more about this amazing place than we ever would have on our own and it was one of our favorite castles. Daizaburo's dedication to providing a meaningful experience for all visitors is truly appreciated. He even arranged some amazing visits to shops we were interested in and surprised us with a stop at the Tori gates outside a shrine in the area. Lunch at a samurai house was one of the highlights of the day as well. Thank you for a great trip!

Daizaburo N.

I'm glad to hear you three seemed to enjoy the tour. This was the first time for me to use a car as a means of transportation. But it was good ultimately, because we can be more flexible handling the schedule. You were both very friendly and considerate. And I was glad to know that your love of Japan was great! It is partly because you lived in Japan when you were young. You use Prius, RAV4 and HONDA. If you come to Japan again in the future, please drop in on Shimane! Please remember to Scott and Tonny (I wish spellings are collect)! Thanks! Take care!