“A Guide makes all the difference”

On our trip to Japan we used private guides for the first time. I highly recommend private guides. Yoshi was easy to communicate with in advance of our trip and his fees were reasonable. He was always punctual and easy to understand. While we could have spent time figuring out the subway and trains and buses, Yoshi made that process easy and we spent more time touring instead of looking at transportation schedules. We had Yoshi guide us in Hakone and Kamakura. He was very knowledgeable of each site that we visited and gave us time to enjoy the site before we moved on. Yoshi is a dynamo and he will get you where you want to go. I'm attaching some pictures of Yoshi in action that you can consider when deciding if he is the right guide for you. Thank you, Yoshi, for helping us have a wonderful trip to Japan.

Yoshi S.

(64 reviews)

Hi Allen, thank you for your warm message. I am very honored by your kind praise and it will encourage me to continue my guide activities in the future. I also had a great time guiding you and your family to Kamakura and Hakone. Please let me know if you have another opportunity to come to Japan. Yoshi

“Excellent tour of Temples, Shrines and Beautiful Kamakura!”

Yoshi was a wonderful tour guide for us to take in four temples and one shrine, and we even had time to shop along one of Kamakura's main shopping streets and enjoy a fabulous ramen and tempura lunch at a local eatery that Kamakura residents enjoy. His English is excellent and his historical knowledge is vast. He met us at our Yokohama hotel, helped us purchase train tickets, explained the background of each stop and answered all our questions. When I first contacted Yoshi (pre-booking), I asked him if he could include Engaku-ji Temple to his advertised Kamakura tour. Although it was a different train stop, he was happy to accommodate and was even so kind as to identify my grandmother's grave site at Engaku-ji Temple for us. He also took us to a local literary museum that had an exhibit of special interest to us. We are so happy to have had Yoshi's service for a full day, as we would never have been able to take in so much in one day! We highly recommend him and hope on our 2026 Japan visit that we are able to use his services again.

Yoshi S.

(64 reviews)

Hi Joyce, thank you for your kind message. I was so happy too to be with you in Kamakura and Yokohama. I hope you enjoyed your cruise around Japan on a large passenger liner. I'm relieved that your grandmother's grave at Engakuji Temple will be able to be preserved as it is. Regarding the issue of what to do with the materials currently stored in the museum, I hope that you will have a thorough discussion with your sister and come to a satisfactory solution. Best regards, Yoshi

“Fast-Paced, Fascinating Tokyo Tour with an Expert Guide”

We had an incredible private tour of Tokyo with our guide, Yoshi. From start to finish, he was fast, efficient, and exceptionally knowledgeable. Yoshi packed an impressive number of major sites into our day without it ever feeling rushed. His commentary was full of fascinating details that brought each location to life, offering cultural insights and historical context that we wouldn’t have gotten on our own. Thanks to Yoshi, we were able to see the best of Tokyo in a short amount of time while still feeling deeply connected to the places we visited. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a meaningful and well-organized introduction to the city!

Yoshi S.

(64 reviews)

Hi Howard, thank you for your warm meesage which is very encouraging to me. I also enjoyed being with you on the day. Your recommendation will motivate me to keep guiding. Look forward to seeing you again! Yoshi