William T.

5 / 5

Aug 27, 2025

Arima Onsen- day-trip

Aug 27, 2025

Kyoto

7 hours

Customized

“Awesome Arima Onsen day-trip”

I wanted to visit Arima Onsen, known for it's amazing healing properties, however, being unfamiliar with the Kansai area decided to go with a highly customized tour that would use the Shinkansen as well as the day use of Onsen including lunch. I used Mary's guide service for my daughter previously, and was sure she could come up with a great tour plan for me. It ended up being one of the best guided tours I have taken thus far. Not only did Mary plan every detail of the tour per my requests, but my guide, Layla, was exemplary in her planning and research of the Arima Onsen area that we visited. The highlights of the tour included: 1. Arima Onsen Ginsuisou Choraku - this ryokan was wonderful and beyond description as the pictures don't do it justice. Both the silver and gold springs were very clean and pleasant and I had the most relaxing and invigorating time with it's day usage. 2. Kaiseki lunch - the traditional and seasonal meal far exceeded my expectations as it was absolutely a gorgeous peace of art in itself. 3. Mt. Rokko Ropeway - initially not part of the tour but we had arrived early and were able to take the ropeway to the top of the mountain with amazing views of Kobe and Osaka. In summary, I was touched by the care and attentiveness that my guide, Layla, exhibited during the tour. Everything went smoothly even when we had to go off the plan such as the detour to Mt. Rokko per my last-minute request. Not only did she thoroughly research the area regaling me with in-depth knowledge of the history and cultural significance of Arima, but Layla also did little things like bring a small electric fan so I could cool down in the very hot weather. She was really organized and did not miss a beat. I highly recommend Mary and tour guide Layla for any future tours in Kansai. I could not have done this Arima Onsen excursion without them. Thank You!

William T.

5 / 5

Jul 25, 2025

Osaka Private Anime shopping tour

Jul 25, 2025

Osaka

4 hours

Customized

“Amazing AMO Anime Cafe”

My daughter, Kana, was very pleased with the tour and had a great time with Michiko. She was very friendly and made sure we did what I wanted to do/see. She is very easy to talk to and tries to find a common interest with her clients. It was very nice talking to her and she knew many good spots to take me." Kana really liked the AMO anime cafe and appreciated Michiko's easy-going nature. Of course we would like to use your service again in the future on our next trip to Kansai. Thank you so much for arranging this wonderful tour!

Mary T.

(9 reviews)

Dear William, Thank you so much for your lovely message!! We’re so happy to hear that Kana had a great time and that you both enjoyed the tour with Michiko. She will be thrilled to hear your kind words! We truly appreciate your feedback and would absolutely love to welcome you again on your next trip. Thanks again for choosing our service! Best Regards, Mary

“Serene beauty”

We originally booked a 6 h tour to Kurama, but as it was going to rain the whole day, and hiking there wouldn’t be safe, Mary proposed us an alternative with the same ‘vibe’. We visited two beautiful and serene zen temples (no other tourists around). Rin was our guide, her English was very good though she was rather shy and not very talkative - maybe because the original tour was altered just the day before, there was less information to share. We really appreciated all the effort Mary put in finding a good alternative for the Kurama tour and can definitely recommend her!

Mary T.

(9 reviews)

Dear Karlien, Thank you so much for your kind review! I'm really glad you enjoyed the tour, even though the weather made us change plans. I appreciate your flexibility and understanding. Hope to guide you in the future! Best regards, Mary