This tour include Omiya Bonsai museum & village where several types of Bonsai are displayed in both inside the museum & outside garden and Kawagoe tour spots with nostalgic atmosphere of ancient Edo-Era such as Kura-machi street , Kawagoe-castle and Hikawa-Shrines which are both located in Saitama. You can enjoy Japanese traditional atmosphere and craftsman skill.
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel in Tokyo
To pick up your group at your staying hotel.
To take JR train from Tokyo to Toro / Saitama prefecture
To see and enjoy Omiya Bonsai museum
Omiya Bonsai museum which is one of the most famous Bonsai museum in Japan located in Saitama prefecture.
There are two types of Bonsai display circumstances. One is Bonsai Display in traditional Japanese Rooms called Zashiki-kazari. The other is Bonsai Display in garden called Bonsai garden. Various types of Bonsai are displayed in a garden considering the harmony between each Bonsai and the garden itself including the actual trees in background.
To see and enjoy one of Bonsai store in Bonsai village.
To visit one of Bonsai store within Bonsai village near the museum and see a lot variety of actual Bonsai display.
To take JR train from Toro to Kawagoe
To have a lunch in Kawagoe
To move to Kura store houses street by walking
To see Kura store houses street in Kawagoe city where there are many houses built like a Kura with the walls covered in mud lined in the Kura-machi street which show the atmosphere of Edo period.
To enjoy the street including Tokinokane/hour bell
While walking through the street, you will find the symbol of Kawagoe as “Tokinokane/hour bell”. This is said to be built in Edo era by the feudal lord of Kawagoe who is said to be strict punctual load and the bell has still announced the time to Kawagoe citizen.
To move to Kawagoe castle by walking
After going through the Kura-machi street to west by around 10 minutes walking, you will reach Honmaru palace of Kawagoe castle.
To see Kawagoe castle
Kawagoe castle was built in 1848 by the feudal load at that time and a part of the palace has been remained as it was.
To take bus and JR train to Tokyo
By walking around 5 minutes from the palace, you will reach Hikawa-shrine.
To see Hikawa-jinjya including Shingashigawa-river
Hikawa-jinjya shrine is the local Shinto deity of Kawagoe. The deity of this shrine is Ohikawa-sama who has been worshipped and well known from many people. In near the back of Hikawa-shrine, you can find the river named as Shingashigawa which used to be a main artery as flow of goods between Edo and Kawagoe. This river is flowing by surrounding Kawagoe city.
To take bus and JR train to Tokyo
Ending Point
At your hotel in Tokyo
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Guide fee,
Pick-up fee at your staying hotel in Tokyo,
Transportation inside Kawagoe city for a guide,
Transportation fee during this tour for you and a guide in case you move from hotel in Tokyo to Omiya (both way): JPY1140/ adult,
Transportation fee inside Omiya & Kawagoe for you: About JPY1000/ adult,
Entrance fee for you: Omiya Bonsai Museum: JPY310/ adult,
Kawagoe castle: JPY100/ adult,
Lunch fee,
1) For fairly long walking of sight -seeing, please put on the shoes to walk with ease.
2) Please prepare the cash to spend any train riding, lunch and souvenir.
3) I prepared the blog of Omiya Bonsai Museum with photos and detail explanation each shown as below,
Blog title: Omiya Bonsai Museum in Saitama Prefecture
I am now focusing tour guide area for East Japan area such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Hakone, Kamakura, Mt.Fuji, Nikko, Gunma, Saitama and Kanazawa.
However, I can support you for one day trip of Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Nara and Himeji from Tokyo.
I am Kashima. I have gained the Government Licensed Tour Guide authorization in 2017/2.
I passed a licensing examination of Kyoto Tourism Culture Certification Test 3rd grade in 2023.
I passed a licensing examination of Tokyo city guide in 2023.
I had worked for one of biggest Electric Company in the world which manufacture various type of Electrical products. I had a task roll of design development of Semiconductor for Video movie appliance in Japan and semiconductor marketing for 5 years in USA. Secondly, I had worked for one of big grovel Electric part Company which manufacture connectors for Electrical appliance usage. I had a task roll of quality assurance cooperating with the grovel college including USA, Europe (Ireland, Germany, France), China and Eastern Asia. As a result, I have communicated with people from different countries and I have become interested in introducing Japan to them. That is why I made decision to become an English tour guide.
<Primary Itinerary>
By introducing Japan to non-Japanese tourists, I would like to do my best to serve the best customized private tours in Japan that you and your family are looking forward to enjoying the fantastic experience as below.
1) Sightseeing of natural scenic spots, historical landmark (Temples, Shrines, Palace, Gardens) and cultural assets (Paintings, sculptures, swords and so-on)
2) Strolling of the bustling streets & towns
3) Traditional town atmosphere experience
4) Japanese Modern Architecture in both Tokyo,
5) Experience of Traditional performing arts & events enjoyment such as Kabuki, Sumo-training, tea ceremony and Ninjya training
6) Famous relaxation spots enjoyment such as Onsen and Japanese bar
7) Crafts art of Japan experience such as Sake brewery and Bonsai museums
8) Enjoyment for kids such as Amusement facility (Anime, Games, Comics), shopping of latest trendy goods, entertainment café and so-on.
9) Night-time foods and drinking enjoyment in Food market & Drinking streets
Hv Y.
One day Gunma/Takasaki tour for your great experience
Customized
“Very knowledgeable and friend guide”
Kashima San is very farm and have a good sense of humor. He made us feel very comfortable and we enjoyed our trip very much. Best wishes to him and his family.
Kashima H.
Hv Y. san, thank you very much for your upmost review for me. We enjoyed one day Gunma tour with visiting two types of Daruma stores, Shorinji Daruma temple and Byakuikannon in Kannon mountain. I am very pleased that you could find and purchase various Daruma products at those shops. Also, we could exchange communication about various topics thanks to your strong curiosity. I hope that you visit Japan again in near future so that I can introduce other nice tour spots in Japan such as Nikko, Hakone and so-on for you. Thanks, Kashima
Miriam S.
Tokyo and Hakone four days tour for your great experience
Customized
“Very friendly ”
Kashima San was well prepared and gave our group a lot of insights into Japanese culture!
Kashima H.
Miriam san, thank you very much for your upmost review for me. We enjoyed three days Tokyo tour and one day Hakone tour with exchanging communications about various topics. I am very much pleased that your group could enjoy various aspects of Tokyo tour such as Japanese art culture with Japan historical insight, traditional shrines and temple with various historical background, traditional town & market, Japanese style & Western style mixed garden and the most advanced sophisticated town & facility. Also, we could feel the enormous nature and various ridings in Hakone under good weather condition. I hope that you visit Japan again in near future so that I can introduce other nice tour spots in Japan for you. Thanks, Kashima
“Fun and educational tour for the entire family”
Kashima San is a very friendly and knowledgeable guide. He provided us with all the details of our tour down to the minute and was prompt at replying to my inquiries. We took the bullet train to Kyoto on a beautiful sunny day and saw all the temples and shrines while Kashima San gave us historical facts about what we were looking at. He's a wonderful guide and I would definitely book with him again. 次回まで鹿島さん、さようなら
Kashima H.
Lydia san, thank you very much for your upmost review for me. We visited Kyoto by one day tour from Tokyo with exploring Kyoto Arashiyam area as Tenryuji temple & Bamboo forest and also visited Golden pavilion & Ryoanji temple/Rock garden. I am very much pleased that you could enjoy the Kyoto tour and also the scenery on the Shinkansen we took. I am impressed that your family were very much interested in Japanese culture, building of each area and Japanese life style. Thanks to your strong curiosity for Japan, we could exchange various information and funny conversation. I hope that you visit Japan again with your family in near future so that I can introduce other nice tour spots in Japan for you. Thanks, Kashima
$286/ per group