Kamakura Highlights with Local Expert - from Tokyo
Joined 2018
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?
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
Joined 2018
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
Mark C.
“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!
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
Les T.
“A Beautiful Beginning to Our Japan Journey – Thank You, Tomoko!”
My family and I (myself, my dad, my auntie, and my two sisters) planned the trip of a lifetime to Japan. It was a dream my dad and auntie had shared for years, and we were so excited to make it a reality together. But as much as we were looking forward to it, the thought of navigating Tokyo right away felt a bit overwhelming. So we decided to book Tomoko for our very first day, and oh how grateful we are that we did! From the moment we met her, Tomoko-san was everything we could have hoped for and more. Warm, patient, and incredibly kind, she instantly made us feel at ease. She gently guided us through the city with a calm confidence, weaving in stories of Japanese history and teaching us bits of the beautiful language along the way. We never felt rushed, only welcomed. What made the day truly unforgettable, though, was something we could never have planned. Thanks to Tomoko-san’s personal connections, she brought us to a traditional tea house for an authentic Japanese tea ceremony. We were even invited to drink from centuries-old Chawan bowls, carefully and respectfully, under the watchful eye of the host. To wrap this up, you definitely won't regret it if you book Tomoko as your guide! It honestly embarrasses me that it’s taken us this long to write this review. Life swept us away when we returned home, but even now we all still talk about the experience and we will remember this for a long time! Tomoko-san, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. For your patience, laughter, your knowledge, and your kindness. You didn’t just show us Tokyo, you helped us feel it. And in doing so, you gave us the loveliest beginning to our Japan journey :)
Tomoko H.
It was so nice to hear from you, Les. I was surprised to receive your review today, and I am so happy to hear that you and your family remember that pleasant time together amidst all the things that happen every day. It was more than half a year ago, but I clearly remember walking in the rain around Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, and at your prior request, the temple town of Yanaka, and having tea at an antique shop that I know very well. In preparing your Tokyo tour, I remember how you always listened to the interests and opinions of the family members you traveled with and carefully communicated them to me. Such careful and cordial interactions made sure that everyone in your family had a good time. Again, thank you for the opportunity to be with you. I wish you and your family peace and joy every day.- Tomoko:)
Greg B.
“Brilliant Tour Guide”
Tomoko is a brilliant tour guide. She is full of useful information, anecdotes and stories that are so interesting. She went out of her way to accommodate our requirements. My wife was unable to walk great distances due to blisters. Tomoko was able to restructure our tour so we were able to see the Tokyo sights on bikes, That was a great experience.
Tomoko H.
Thank you for the lovely review, Greg. To be honest, when the subject of cycling came up the day before I wondered what I would do, but now I am grateful for the way you have broadened my horizon. Unlike Nara, Tokyo is much larger and has more traffic, so we enjoyed riding very carefully together. The lunch we had after returning our bicycles at Otemachi, with our stomachs suddenly felt empty released from the tension, and the beer we toasted was delicious! The good times we had together laughing and talking a lot are my treasure. Thank you, Greg and Jan.
$447/ per group
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