Kamakura Highlights with Local Expert - from Tokyo
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!
Meeting Point
At your hotel or at any convenient spot for you in central Tokyo area
Your hotel or any place of your convenience in metropolitan Tokyo area
- meet and start the excursion
Kamakura station
- take enoden street car or taxi
Great Buddha of Kamakura
- a large bronze statue of Amida Buddha in Kotokuin temple
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
Enoden ride
- fun street car ride along the seashore * we could walk to Gokurakuji temple before that
local restaurant for lunch
- based on your request
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
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
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
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?
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This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
■ guide fee
■ hotel pick-up (in Tokyo metropolitan area)
■ 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
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
Carlos B.
“Tokyo highlights full day ”
Tomoko was amazing, very professional and knowledjable Guide. Very good english . Took us in public transportation ( subway ) but in a very efficient way we could not have done without get. Took us also to a very local restaurant- really what we were looking for !
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Tomoko H.
Thank you for the wonderful day we spent together and for your kind review. It was a very hot day, but I’m glad we were able to energetically visit all the highlights you requested—starting with the Imperial Palace, where there’s almost nowhere to escape from the sun, and then moving on to the Skytree, Asakusa, and Meiji Shrine. The “monjayaki” might not have looked very appealing, but I was so happy that you enjoyed it and said, “It’s delicious!” Your children, who are so curious, asked me lots of questions about culture, history, people’s ways of thinking, and even Japanese foods popular among young people—things I don’t know much about (or don’t usually eat)—so while there were many times I couldn’t give them a proper answer, it was still a stimulating experience for me. Muito obrigado, Carlos, Margarida, Madalena, João, and António!!!
Haejin B.
“Hakone Highlights with Tomoko”
Tomoko is an excellent guide. Not only did she know how the navigate the buses, trains, cable cars, and ferniculars in Hakone so that our one after there was not wasted waiting for transportation, she helped us fix a major issue. We had bought the Hakone Free Pass, but for the wrong dates, so she got on the phone with the company and came to a solution which we would never have imagined. At the same time while was ushering us onto various forms of transportation. She was very knowledgeable about the museums and the history of Hakone. OVERALL EXCELLENT.
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Tomoko H.
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, Haejin. There were a few unexpected happenings, but it was a very fun and enjoyable day. In Hakone, depending on the weather, cable cars and sightseeing boats may be suspended, or unexpected crowds can make it take a long time to board cable cars or buses—there are always unexpected things happening , so I try to stay attentive. Hower, this time, things got a little more complicated due to a mistake by the staff at Shinjuku Station, but I’m glad it was resolved in the end, and I learned a valuable lesson from the experience:) Thank you again for your patience and your spirit to have fun.- Tomoko
Scott C.
“Personalized Full Day Tokyo Tour ”
Tomoko was an exceptional guide and truly made our day in Tokyo unforgettable. Even with steady rain, she transformed the day into one of the highlights of our trip. From peaceful shrines and beautiful architecture to bustling food stalls, fascinating history, and delicious local treats, every stop felt thoughtfully chosen. Her warmth, knowledge, and sense of fun made every moment enjoyable, and she showed us a side of Tokyo we never would have discovered on our own. We left with full stomachs, great memories, and a deep appreciation for the city. Getting to know her better over a wonderful meal at the end of the day was truly a special way to end the tour. We wholeheartedly recommend Tomoko to anyone looking for an authentic and memorable Tokyo experience. You’ll have a lovely time! Haiku for Tomoko: Clouds came for the show, Tomoko outshined the rain— Tokyo smiled back.
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Tomoko H.
Hi Scott, Thank you for the heartwarming review—and for the lovely 'Haiku', too. Reading it brings back memories of the fun day I spent with you and Jose. When we got out of the taxi at Sakuradamon Gate near the Imperial Palace, it suddenly started pouring, and I wasn’t sure what to do, but seeing Jose enjoying the rain even without an umbrella really cheered me up :) You carefully shared with me your preferences and schedule in advance, and we planned the day together. Even though it rained, we were able to improvise where to go and how to get there on the spot, based on your interests and how much time we had, so it turned out to be a really fun day. It was also a memorable experience to enjoy fried pufferfish and sushi while sipping sake at a spot beloved by locals. I look forward to seeing you again. Tomoko
$408/ per group
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