GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
GoWithGuide
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
Kamakura Private Tour - The adorable Jizo Buddhas make us smile and relaxed
The adorable Jizo Buddhas make us smile and relaxed
Kamakura Private Tour - Everything is beautiful in Hasedera, even the roofs- Oh, of course you both are:)
Everything is beautiful in Hasedera, even the roofs- Oh, of course you both are:)
Kamakura Private Tour - With the statue of Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, the first Shogun in Japan's history.
With the statue of Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, the first Shogun in Japan's history.
Kamakura Private Tour - Kannon, or goddess of mercy will be waiting for you in Hasedera temple
Kannon, or goddess of mercy will be waiting for you in Hasedera temple
Kamakura Private Tour - Kamakura satisfies our mind and stomach!
Kamakura satisfies our mind and stomach!
Kamakura Private Tour - In the bamboo grove of Hokokuji temple
In the bamboo grove of Hokokuji temple
Kamakura Private Tour - Don't miss the chance! (Enoden, street car)
Don't miss the chance! (Enoden, street car)
Kamakura Private Tour - Sagami bay and Mt. Fuji in winter
Sagami bay and Mt. Fuji in winter
Kamakura Private Tour - Sunset viewing Enoshima island
Sunset viewing Enoshima island

Kamakura Highlights with Local Expert - from Tokyo

Day Trip
Kamakura Tour Guide - Tomoko H.

Joined 2018

Tomoko H.
4.95 / 5
(184 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks
Kamakura
English, Japanese (Native)
9 hours
Private tour (only you and Tomoko H.)
Up to 6 people

One day fun excursion to Kamakura, a small, coastal city just one hour south of Tokyo. Sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, Kamakura offers numerous temples, shrines and other historical monuments as well as beautiful beach and forestry hills. Refer to this model plan, and I will customize your tour based on your tastes and requests. Count on me, Kamakura specialist!

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

08:00 AM

Meeting Point

At your hotel or at any convenient spot for you in central Tokyo area

08:00 AM

Your hotel or any place of your convenience in metropolitan Tokyo area

- meet and start the excursion

09:20 AM

Kamakura station

- take enoden street car or taxi

09:40 AM

Great Buddha of Kamakura

- a large bronze statue of Amida Buddha in Kotokuin temple

10:30 AM

Hasedera temple

- a lovely Buddhist temple called as Kamakura's Western Pure Land full of seasonal flowers, famous for its eleven-headed statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy

12:00 PM

Enoden ride

- fun street car ride along the seashore * we could walk to Gokurakuji temple before that

12:30 PM

local restaurant for lunch

- based on your request

01:30 PM

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine

Kamakura's most important Shinto shrine originally found in the late 11th century walking along Dankazura path, the street I used to walk to my junior high school in teens

03:00 PM

Engakuji or Kenchoji temple

- the site Zen Buddhism started in Japan in the 14th century and where thousands of monks have trained

- the precincts are large and beautiful in every season perfectly maintained by the monks

04:30 PM

Kitakamakura station

- You will find some other lovely ancient Zen temples when you walk to the station.

* We could extend the tour for Yokohama (China town and Minato Mirai area) for a couple of hours based on your request and our discussion

05:00 PM

Tokyo station or any place of your convenience

- the end of the tour

Ending Point

At Tokyo station or any place of your convenience

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

■ guide fee

■ hotel pick-up (in Tokyo metropolitan area)

What‘s not included

■ transportation fee (you and guide): about 3000 yen/each in total, e.g. ① JR round trip between Tokyo and Kamakura(about 2,000 yen/adult) ②Enoden and local bus, etc.

■ lunch

■ admission fee: e.g. Great Buddha (300 yen/adult), Kenchoji temple (500 yen/adult), Hasedera temple (400 yen/adult), etc.

Tour Important Information

■ Please wear comfortable shoes and outfits for walking.

■ It takes about one hour from Tokyo area to Kamakura, so it is recommended to start the tour at 8:00 am (or even earlier.)

■ I'm usually flexible to put 1 or 2 extra hours and make the tour longer or to add Yokohama visit on the way back. Please consult me if you want even on the tour date.

It's my personal story, but I moved from a large city Nagoya to Kamakura with my family when I was 10 years old. Despite a little girl, I instantly noticed how historically interesting the town was and loved the milder climate there. It also surprised me there were so many atmospheric narrow winding streets and slopes. It was the best site for kids to have a little adventure! Since then, I have been walking around the city of Kamakura with friends, family, or even by myself. I know every corner of the city and its seasonal beauties. So, let me know your interests and tastes, and I will make the best itinerary for you.

Cancellation Policy

  • Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
  • 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
  • No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Kamakura Tour Guide - Tomoko H.

Joined 2018

Tomoko H.
4.95 / 5
(184 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Tomoko H.

Hi everyone! Hearty welcome to Japan.

I’m Tomoko.

I am an English-speaking licensed tour guide, and a registered nurse as well.

“Fun Discovering Experience Walking like a Local!” – F-D-E-W-L!

That’s what I suggest.

【Experiences】

My work history is as follows.

1) high school teacher ---12 years

2) nurse--8 years + 2 years as operational manager for Kamakura city vaccination team (during COVID period)

3) tourism related jobs such as tour conducting, guiding, and backyard supporting---10 years

As a tour conductor, I’ve visited about 20 foreign countries (possibly yours?) as well as countless number of towns and villages in Japan.

I’ve enjoyed these jobs while being a mother.

Through these experiences with lots of people from different backgrounds, I've found it a great pleasure to share the joy of learning and experiencing something new!

【Guiding Areas】

<Basic> Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Fuji, Yokohama, Nikko, and other neighboring areas from Tokyo

I’m a specialist in Tokyo and Kamakura as I have lived and enjoyed walking a lot in those cities for decades. To be honest, even after all my years here, I still enjoy exploring like a tourist as Tokyo is such an enormous city with great diversity and is constantly changing.

Kamakura is a historical small city with nice beaches and hills and lots of hidden spots of beauty. Almost every time I go out, I feel I’m still making new discoveries. That’s why I cannot stop exploring.

I would take you to some neighboring areas like Hakone, Yokohama, Nikko, and Mt. Fuji area (Lake Kawaguchiko), etc.

<Based on Requests > *if my transportation & accommodation are covered

Nagoya, Kyoto, Nagano(Nagano city, Snow Monkey park, Kisoji trail, etc.), Hida (Takayama, Shirakawa-go), Kanazawa, Oita, Yamagata, Akita, etc.

My original family is from Nagoya, so I know their culture and even their language(dialect) well. Later in my life, I have lived in Oita, Kyushu(far south west of Tokyo) for nearly 10 years and traveled a lot in Kyushu. I love traveling Tohoku, the northern Japan area, too. I’ve planned and enjoyed visiting many of those local areas in the north, too. So, I could share those experiences with you even while having tours in Tokyo or online.

【Personality and others】

- I love meeting people, listening and talking to them.

- I'm friendly and caring, I hope:)

- I love nature and enjoy hiking and skiing.

- I love seasonal flowers and good local food.

- You will see a lot about Japanese culture, nature, and lifestyle with me.

What has made you decide to come to Japan, by the way? Is it its scenic beauties, exotic culture, history, food, anime, or what else? Is it your business that has brought (or will bring) you here? Let me have a clue and customize your tour. I will make the best tour suggestion for you.

Why don’t you contact me now? I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!

Thank you! Arigato-gozaimas!


Reviews

Don't know what we would have done without her!

Hiring Tomoko was the best decision I made for my entire 17-day trip across Japan. I messaged several tour guides before messaging her, with a list of unique things I wanted to see in Tokyo off the beaten path and they did not want to do much else than their normal tours. I only had weeks to go before my arrival, and Tomoko worked very hard to get an itinerary that worked for us in a short time. Her communication was amazing. During our time with her, she helped me find FUGU (blow fish) which has been on my bucket list for 20 years. I had a request for live music and she took us to an unforgettable Shamisen performance in a small local restaurant. I requested to see some local artists, and we went to the neatest place which reminded me of Austin, Texas. We found a dog cafe for my boyfriend, played in the photo booths, got some amazing sushi, and so much more. We also saw the bigger attractions and really got a feel for the different neighborhoods in Japan. She is a perfect tour guide for any walk of life as she is very adaptable and organized. Thank you so much Tomoko. I wish I would have had you for the rest of my trip!

Haley F.

Tomoko H.

Thank you, Haley, for broadening my horizon and experience while having fun together. Sure, your initial list of things you wanted to do and places you wanted to go was enough to make my head spin. This may have been your first trip to Japan, but I could sense that your list included places that held memories for your father and grandfather, things you had been thinking about for decades, and consideration for your kind boyfriend who was accompanying you. If you didn't understand my schedule and my relationships with the local shops that are important to me, things might not have gone so smoothly. I appreciate your cooperation. I will never forget Jeremy's sparkling eyes and happy smile when we came across the Snoopy anniversary corner in Ginza.:) If there is one thing I regret, it is that I was distracted by an appointment with a friend and was not on the platform when the Narita Express arrived and you boarded. I was relieved that you'd safely caught your flight after the last adventure in Japan. I learned a lesson. It goes without saying, but “what is usual for you is not usual for others.” I look forward to seeing you again. Best wishes to you all, Haley, Jeremy, families, neighbors and doggies!

Excellent summer day in Nikko!

I highly recommend Tomoko to be your family's guide to Nikko (or anywhere else for that matter). She is a consummate professional and made sure to tailor our trip to our family's needs. Her knowledge on our temple venture to Nikko was quite impressive. She anticipated exactly where lines would be and ensured tickets were bought in advance to enter the temple on our trip and this alone saved us a lot of headache and waiting time. She was also just a lot of fun to hang out with! Book Tomoko and you will have a great day!

Dominic M.

Tomoko H.

Dominic, thank you very much for your positive review. You clearly stated in your first message that you wanted to enjoy the nature of Nikko, the history of the Tokugawa shogunate, and, if possible, the cooler climate with your family, which made planning fun and concrete. It may have been a bit early in the morning, but I am glad you decided to proceed as planned, resting in the comfortable seats of the Spacia X. As we hoped, we were blessed with good weather and a cool climate, and it was enjoyable to stroll together among the many beautiful waterfalls, the lake, and Toshogu shrine. Thank you and hope to see you and your family again.

Laughter, joy, energy and love-filled day!

Where do we even start! Right on time at our hotel this morning! This knowledge filled full of smiles lady wasted no time in reading our hopes for the day. Straight to joyful introductions, crossing the road to an amazing park with Zojo temple! Full of humour, Tomoko was dismayed to see the gates closed for refurbishing ! Nonetheless she said that was unusual and we took a photo of the unusual scaffolding lol ! She poured out plenty of knowledge of the temple and the difference between temples and shrines and their history! We loved it as we had come to learn about Japan! History done we embarked onto trains et al places! It was hot! But we quickly learned from her how to keep cool! This review will not cover everything! It got so busy and interesting: lunch, rivers, party boat locations, beer company, shopping, an open temple with gates open this time, tree of life that survived a fire, bring cash for this area! Really nice trinkets! Sweets galore! Unique craftsmanship shop! Trains again, palace, fashion high street, affordable fashion shopping! Dear me! Don- que, anime shops, electronics! I really have a long list! Arigato gozaimasu Tomoko! We have thoroughly enjoyed our trip with you. We hope to meet again definitely! Thank you thank you thank you!

Mark C.

Tomoko H.

Dear Mark, Lucy, and Lily, I had a really good time with you, and I felt like all my sweat was blown away by laughter with you. I am honored that you remember in such detail where we went, what we did, and what I said today. Thanks to you, I was able to return home safely without being caught by the police. (lol) I'm innocent!!! Lucy, Lily, I was impressed by how efficiently and smartly you shopped. Mark, I appreciate your keen observation and kindness in letting me know that we were about to miss Asakusa station because we were so absorbed in conversation while riding the subway. The hot weather is expected to continue tomorrow and beyond, so please stay hydrated, seek shade and air-conditioned areas, and keep enjoying your trip in Tokyo, to Kyoto, Osaka, and Kyushu. Thank you so much. Arigato!!! Matane!!! - Tomoko

Want to Personalize?

$450/ per group

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