Kakegawa is a middle-size city famous for its castle and its green tea production. As the city is located at almost the mid-point between Tokyo and Osaka, I hope that, during your Japan tour, you will get off a bullet train (shinkansen) here at Kakegawa Station and enjoy a short walking tour featuring the attractiveness of this region.
Check out what we are going to do.
Feel free to personalize this offer.
JR Kakegawa Station
JR Kakegawa Station
・The highlight of this tour is Kakegawa Castle, which was originally built about 500 years ago and flourished in the Edo Period. Although the castle tower was destoryed in the earthquake of 1854, it was rebuilt in 1994, using the original blueprints from 1644. The guide explains the history of the castle.
・The present structure of the Ninomaru Palace was built in the late Edo Period. Taking off our shoes, we can tour the inside, and the guide explains how each room was used.
・You can also taste the local Kakegawa green tea served in the authentic, traditional-style tea house.
guide fee
Entrance fee for Kakegawa Castle (combined ticket for the castle tower and the palace): 410 yen per person
Entrance fee for the Japanese-style tea house (including the charge for a cup of local green tea): 510 yen per person
・To go to the top of the castle tower, you need to climb a lot of stairs. Some stairs are steep and may be a little demanding for some people. So please tell me beforehand if that's going to be a problem.
・If you are not very much familiar with the transportation system of Japan, it may not be very easy to get to JR Kakegawa Station. I think we will have an opportunity to exchange text messages prior to the tour. So I hope I will be able to help you get there and answer any of your travel questions via text.
You can get there by the Tokaido Shinkansen or the regular JR lines. If you use the shinkansen, please take the Kodama train because only Kodama stops at Kakegawa Station. The Nozomi and Hikari don't.
We had a wonderful tour. Koji was an excellent tour guide, and we had a most enjoyable day. Unfortunately, it was cloudy, so we did not see Mt Fuji. Nevertheless both Koji and his driver made sure that we had an enjoyable time, making sure that we saw all we wanted to see. Thank you for a lovely day.
Dear Susan, I am glad you seem to have arrived back at home safely. Many thanks for your kind review! I am relieved you could find some sort of pleasure in the tour despite the weather. The driver and I also enjoyed the time with you two. Please take care, and send our regards to Phil. Thank you very much.
Koji kept in constant touch with me once we agreed to hire him. The issue, of course, was the best time to see Mt Fuji. As it happened we had a most glorious day. We were a group of 5 with varying physical limitations. Koji adapted to and kept watch over us and was so very knowledgeable about what we were viewing I feel so very fortunate to have selected Koji as our guide. 5 stars +++
Dear Marylin, Many thanks for taking my tour yesterday and writing the generous and wonderful review! It was a great pleasure for me to guide you five through the Shimizu area. Well, I am sorry some of you, especially your husband, couldn’t see all of Kunozan Toshogu Shrine (mainly because of its daunting stone steps), but I wish they could find enjoyment, in some form or another, in the tour. Thank you very much, and please take care for the rest of your trip.
Koji adjusted our tour during the cruise stop in Shimizu to take into account my disability. He was very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful; we couldn't find a better guide. Everything was very well planned.
Dear Sir, Many thanks for writing the warm comment. It was an honor for me to guide you two. You might have thought that it was unfortunate Mt. Fuji was too shy to appear during the tour, but I hope you will think about it in a positive way: for example, now you have one reason to revisit Japan in the future! Please be well, and send my best regards to your wonderful wife Irene.
A wonderful day with an excellent guide and driver, despite rain. Koji greeted us with a supply of towels, handled our bulky umbrellas, stopped to purchase a poncho for my husband before we headed out. My husband was not able to negotiate stairs, but stayed with our driver while Koji and I explored Kunozan Toshogu Shrine (in more rain). Informative explanations with additional stops at a tea field and Miho Pine Grove made this day.
Dear Barbara, Thank you very much for taking my tour and writing the generous comment about it! Well, It was a rainy day, and we managed to see the traditional ceremony at the shrine and the legendary sword in the museum, but Mt. Fuji was always thickly covered with clouds. Nevertheless, I spent an enjoyable time with you and your husband, and I hope you could enjoy some aspects of the tour, too. I thanked the taxi driver for helping us a lot during the tour and will thank him again the next time I meet him. Please be well, and if possible, please visit Japan again some day in the future.