Inuyama Castle, Kimono, and Tea ceremony
Joined 2024
Join this unforgettable tour that takes you to Japan's oldest castle. Wear a kimono and wonder through charming streets while savoring local delicacies. Perhaps take a ride in a traditional rickshaw and have matcha green tea in a traditional Japanese garden. Throughout the experience, we capture your memories with video and photos.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Nagoya station/ Sakae
- We will meet at a decided place at Nagoya station or Sakae
Inuyama castle
Visit Japan's oldest mountain castle located in Inuyama. Inuyama Castle, built in 1537 by Oda Nobuyasu—the uncle of the renowned warlord Oda Nobunaga—offers a unique glimpse into Japan's rich history. The castle is surrounded by three distinctive shrines, making it an ideal destination to immerse yourself in Japanese culture.
Lunch, the third most important meal of the day
A little chill time, we can have lunch at a nearby restaurant, or we can sit somewhere and have a lunch box. We can also stroll around in our next location and eat while we walk.
Inuyama joka machi/wear kimono/yukata/matcha green tea
A charming street leading to the castle, Joka Machi, which means "castle town," boasts a unique atmosphere with quaint shops, traditional houses, and delightful eateries. You can wear a kimono or yukata as you explore the town, return to the castle for stunning photos, and even enjoy a cup of green tea with wagashi (traditional japanese sweets)in a traditional setting in the Urakuen garden. This garden was created for a single purpose: to serve as the setting for Jo-an, a priceless
seventeenth-century tea house. Jo-an is a masterwork of tea house architecture and one of
only three tea houses recognized as National Treasures.
We head back to Nagoya
We will take the train back to Nagoya.
Ending Point
your location
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
Guidance
Video recording
I will upload the video to a private cloud for you to download. They will NOT be used for promotion without your permission.
train fare 500-810 yen (one way)
Entrance fee to inuyama castle adults 550 yen
kimono/yukata 4400 yen pp
Lunch, incl.guide's lunch around avg.1000 yen pp
Urakuen garden and tea 1800 yen (+guide fee)
Tour Important Information
This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
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 2024
About Tour Guide Serge R.
Hi lovely travelers,
I'm Serge, originally from the Netherlands, and Japan has been my home for over three decades now. What brought me here initially was love, and that love has kept me rooted in this beautiful country ever since. Along the way, I discovered another love: Japan itself. Following my stint as a radio jockey and TV presenter, where I co-hosted a dedicated program for the Nagoya Grampus soccer team, I transitioned to a behind-the-scenes role as a media fixer for international media outlets.
Though my job as media fixer, I've been traveling and working throughout all of Japan, exploring unique places and meeting lots of very interesting people.
I would love to share and make you, my dear traveler, experience these places as well. Visiting and getting a tour at Japan's oldest traditional vinegar maker, or experience and taste at a traditional "katsuo bushi" bonito flake maker, or do you prefer to visit some old local shrines or temples. with no-one around you, except for the crickets and trees. Maybe you just want a friend to bring you to your desired locations and interpret and be at your beck and call 24 hours (like I do for the media). If you're looking for flexibility (time, places. transport), you won't find a better match than me.
My work as a fixer taught me a valuable lesson: the key to traveling together successfully, lies in a blend of humor, professionalism, and adaptability.
Reviews
“A fun-filled tour with sightseeing and unique workshops”
Right off the bat, we knew Serge would be great - he was responsive, gave wonderful suggestions for our tour and nothing seemed too difficult for him to arrange. We had requested for a visit to Korankei Gorge to see the autumn colours, a pottery workshop and another activity which would be fun for all members of our family. It was a tall order, since most places would be closed by 5pm (the first 2 activities would already take up nearly 7 hours including travelling time), but Serge managed to convince a food “sampuru” artist (an award-winning one, no less!) to host us at his own home for a workshop, making food replicas/samples (the sort you see in a display showcase in front of a Japanese restaurant). Having Serge as our guide was like having an old friend taking us around; thanks to Serge, we had a fun-filled day and took home happy memories of the unique experiences!
Paul T.
Nagoya: car tour to Korankei valley, Toyota museum and more
“Top notch tour guide”
We had a wonderful experience with Serge. He contacted us the day before the tour to suggest that we should consider starting our tour at an earlier time due to potential traffic issues going to Korankei Gorge. We were pleased with his suggestion as we even had extra time to go to another lovely spot. Serge gave us three options for the second place to visit. We chose to go to Shikizakura to see the cherry blossoms and colourful autumn leaves. We were not disappointed. He even took candid shots of us. We met Serge as our private tour guide but parted as a friend. He is very passionate at what he does and knowledgeable as a guide. Tip: A great photographer too. Do not hesitate to have him as your tour guide. You will not be disappointed.
Serge R.
Thank you so much for your kind words. Honestly, I feel like I have the best job in the world! With people like you, it never feels like work. From the moment you stepped into my car, the conversation flowed so naturally, it was as if the concept of "strangers" simply vanished. I laughed so much, and I was deeply inspired by the respect and love you share for each other. Thank you both for such a wonderful day—I’m already looking forward to our paths crossing again!
“Private Ceramic Arts Tour”
I asked for a tour of two famous pottery towns, Seto and Tajimi. Serge put together a great day which included a visit with a warm and wonderful ceramic artist, a tour of the Seto Pottery Museum, a visit to a pottery tool store and a tour of an amazing ceramic festival at the Ceramics Park in Mino. Although he was unfamiliar with the pottery scene in these pottery towns, he did his research and reached out to experts and as a result, the tour gave me insight and experiences that I could never have achieved on my own. Just as important, Serge was warm, easy to talk to and answered all my questions with humor and grace.
Serge R.
Thank you so much dear Heidi, we had an amazing day as well, thanks to you, my world has gotten a bit bigger, I could experience something new and I caught the pottery bug as well. At the moment I'm putting your video together, it will take a few weeks due to the busyness of this month, but I hope it'll be worth the wait. Till we see again, Serge
$242/ per group
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