I've been a guide of Kamakura for a long time, having noticed that the nature adds an extra tastes to the peaceful atomosphere of temples and shrines in Kamakura. Plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, azalea, hydrangea, roses, crape myrtles, colored leaves, moss, etc and Mt. Fuji! Let me choose some best spots by the time of the year!! Green tea and 'Masamune' swordsmith is included in this tour too.
Check out what we are going to do.
Feel free to personalize this offer.
JR Kamakura station, Outside the East Gate (*hotel meetup in central Tokyo is available with extra fee of 2000yen)
Kotokuin Temple (The Great Buddha Statue is a national treasure)
Hase Temple ( colore foreage and hydrangea )
*A work place of 'Masamune' swordsmith
Hokoku-ji Temple ( A bamboo grove and moss )
Sugimoto Temple ( The oldest temple in Kamakura)
Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine and the approach ( Water lily and cherry blossoms )
Tea Master's house to experience the Tea Ceremony
Komachidori, shopping street
JR Kamakura station or the most convenient train station or Kamachidori, shopping street
Just visiting temples and shrines on the guide book is not the best way to enjoy Kamakura. The trip wiht an experienced local guide can add something more to your trip and make it a fully enjoyable one. And here I am!! I would like to offer you the most beautiful spots based on the season, and the deliciouse food and traditional Japanese culture; a Tea Ceremony at the Tea master's house and a work place of 'Masamune' swordsmith! About the tea ceremony, you can shoot videos and take pictures while tea master makes your tea right in front of you! I won't miss the must see spots, of course such as ; The Great Buddha, the Bamboo temple and the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine. Let's enjoy Kamakura together!!
*If you are interested in calligraphy lesson instead of visiting just the temples or Tea Ceremony, it is, of course possible!! The tour is very flaxible.
guide fee, guide's entrance fee at some temples
-transportation fee and lunch during the tour(you and guide)
-entrance fees of the temples(you): approx. 1000yen in total
-transportation fee from central Tokyo to Kamakura: approx. 1000yen(you) *hotel meetup fee is not included
Tea Ceremony — A bowl of green tea with Japanese confectionary ¥1200.
*Option: Calligraphy ¥3000(a solo/a couple including material fee). For a group with 3 or more: ¥1000/person plus materials of ¥500/a group.
-The tour basically uses the public transportation such as the Enoden Line and buses.
-In high season, the streets in Kamakura gets crowded and the itinerary may need to be changed or use a taxi.
Of course, yes! Please enjoy the ceremony together. The ceremony hour is also flexible based on your schedule. (If you would like other drinks for your children, it is also possible.)
It takes about 45-60 minutes for a family of 3 or 4 persons, but it is flexible based on your schedule, the number of participants etc.
High reviews for our day with Eiko! From meeting us in our hotel lobby to sending us on our way at the end, Eiko provided us with a tailored experience. She’s knowledgeable, flexible and made our first experience with Tokyo pleasurable and fun. Thank you Eiki!!
Hi Marge and Annie, Thank you very much for this wonderful review! And I would like to thank you again that you allowed me to be a part of your memory of Tokyo. We ate delicious Japanese food, saw interesting archtectures, enjoyed souvenir shopping and moreover we talked a lot! I felt very comfortable throughout our tour maybe because we were just the three women! But maybe next time, please come back to Japan with the family! I'm looking forward to seeing you and your family in the near future! Take care, Eiko
I highly recommend Eiko! She took time to learn what I was interested in before my trip and made sure to include special stops to accommodate my interests. Eiko was very well organized and extremely flexible (because of heavy rains, she was able to adjust our plans so that we didn't get drenched). She even used our travel time to explain cultural influences as well as history of Japan. Due to her organization and quick thinking (changing plans due to the rain), I was able to learn more and see much more of Tokyo than I imagined possible.
Hi Kelley, Thank you very much for taking time to write my review! I appreciate it because I know how busy you are at work and at home, and moreover this is GREAT with 5 stars!! Thank you. :-) I felt very comfortable from the moment I met you to the end of the tour. You must be a tolerant teacher over there. Because of the rainy weather, we could have our own seats while seeing a single act of Kabuki at the theater, we didn't need to wait for the table for lunch! We, since there were just the two of us, talked about many things, but the conversation about 'Umami', the 5th sense of the taste was the most interesting! I would definitly like to see you again in the future! Please come back to Japan wiht your family next time! Take care, Eiko
If I could give 4.5 stars I would. We (my family with two more or less grown sons) were a difficult group to handle, with differing interests and temperaments, but Eiko did an excellent job, with all of us being pleased with the experience. She pushed us a bit hard, but always politely, and for good reason. But she was flexible, altering the tour as circumstances dictated, spoke English very well, and had excellent local knowledge. I would certainly recommend her to most anyone.
Thank you very much for the nice review. It was my pleasure to show you around my favorite Tokyo. I was looking at you as a very happy family even though each one has different interests. I hope you made a lot of nice memories! Again, thanks for having me as your Tokyo guide! Take care! Eiko
My wife and I spent 3 glorious days in December with charming, energetic, flexible and knowledgeable Eiko. We are English speaking, and we were all able to understand each other with ease. Eiko tailored the itinerary for each day to either a central theme, or to a locale in the city. We were specifically interested in museums, architecture, significant shrines and temples, and culture, and she adapted the tours to fit our interests. When we got tired after walking and climbing 18,000 steps on one day, she found interesting spots for us to take breaks. She steered us to some of the most authentic and delicious restaurants to enjoy lunch. And because of her experience living in the US, she was able to help us compare and contrast the culture of Japan with that of the US, and the exciting city of Tokyo with that of our hometown, New York City. Eiko's warmth and personality made us feel that we had made a true friend in Tokyo. If a family member or trusted close friend were visiting Tokyo, we would 100% recommend that they try to connect with Eiko to guide them.
Hi Edward, Thank you very much for your time and effort to write this wonderful review especially after a long Japan trip! It was definitely one of my most memorable tours in my career. And I cannot say thank you enough for allowing me to be your Tokyo guide for 3 consecutive days. I like Tokyo's beautiful architectures, and also the sceneries that show the contrast of modern and traditional. It was my pleasure to show you them and see Tobby and you smiling and taking pictures of them. You were such a generous, intelligent couple that I was also informed a lot of things though our conversations over 3 days. Thank you so much. And yes! We walked a lot! It was fun to check my smart phone at the end of the tour every day. :-) Please have a nice rest and enjoy the wonderful holiday seasons! I'm hoping to see you again in the future! Take care! Eiko