Takayama Private Tours & Local Tour Guides

“Guided tour of Kamikochi from Takayama. ”

We are three Canadians from Vancouver: me, my wife and her mother. We can’t say enough about George. It became clear to us after the first few minutes that he is a genuinely kind and attentive person with a gentle heart. He also has a love of the outdoors and he spends much of his spare time immersed in nature. George managed all the details of this lovely day and we were fortunate to get perfect weather. After a short hike to Kappa bridge, my wife and I went for a longer hike while George remained with my mother-in-law, who is 89. They had a lovely time together and George even prepared some coffee, tea and a snack with the burner and other supplies he brought along in his pack. George shared much of his knowledge about the region and other interesting stories about growing up in a changing Japan. Mostly, we felt the sort of refreshing feeling one gets from spending a full day with someone with such a pure and honest heart. And I normally don’t talk like this. George is a special man.

“Shirakawa go & Takayama tour”

We had a great time with George. He drove us to beautiful Shirakawa-go and then back to Takayama to look round the old streets with an excellent lunch in between. He was knowledgeable about both and pointed out interesting things about the history of the houses and the way they were built. One of us has mobility problems and he went above and beyond to accommodate them as much as possible, even driving us round the streets to find the best place we could see the festival on the day after. We would highly recommend George

George M.

(5 reviews)

Thank you so much, Les, for your wonderful review! I had a great time with you both too. I’m very happy that you enjoyed Shirakawa-go, Takayama, and our lunch together. It was a pleasure sharing the history and culture of the Hida region with you. I also hope you both had a wonderful time at the Takayama Autumn Festival the following day. Thank you again for choosing me as your guide, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your travels in Japan!

“Discovering Takayama with a True Local ”

Our trip to Takayama was truly memorable, largely thanks to George. Our party of 10 did a half-day tour around Takayama, where he showed us local shops and hidden spots and shared a lot about the culture and history of Takayama. We enjoyed it a lot. George was also amazing with the kids, which was truly appreciated. His local knowledge and warm personality made us feel really welcomed by the locals we met along the way. All in all, it was a great half-day tour, and we are very thankful to George for making our time in Takayama so special!

George M.

(5 reviews)

Thank you so much, Laura, for your wonderful review! I had a great time with you and your family too. I’m very happy that you enjoyed the local shops, hidden spots, and learning about the culture and history of Takayama. It was also a pleasure talking with the children, and I’m glad they enjoyed the tour too. Thank you again for choosing me as your guide, and I hope you and your family have many wonderful memories of Japan!