Pottery Village Mashiko (Hamada Shoji's ware) Museum, Cafe and Laughing King of Hell Statue.
Joined 2014
Today, Mashiko attracts many artists and entrepreneurs from various areas. Visitors can enjoy charming cafes that serve food in beautiful Mashiko ware, including cups and plates. Our visit included exploring museums, shops, and an indigo dye factory. We also stopped by Saimyoji Temple, where we saw a statue of the laughing King of Hell.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
JR Utsunomiya station
Hamada Shoji Memorial Mashiko Sankokan Museum
Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art
Jonaizaka (Kyohan center and Mashiko ware shops)
Higeta Indigo Dye Studio
Cafe lunch in the bush setting
Saimyoji Temple (Statue of Laughing King of Hell)
Ending Point
JR Utsunomiya station
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
Guide fee
Transportation Utsunomiya-Mashiko
Admission fees (Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art 600 yen, Hamada Shoji Memorial Mashiko Sankokan Museum 800 yen)
Lunch at Cafe (own expense)
Tour Important Information
Important message from the supplier
If you want to enjoy Nikko, please think about staying Nikko or Utsunomiya, I will take you around the night tour if you stay in Utsunomiya.
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 2014
About Tour Guide Jack M.
Hi there!! I am an English speaking tour guide based in Utsunomiya city near Nikko. Since I came back from Auckland, New Zealand I started my own business as an English Speaking Guide. I have been a guide for 6 years. My favorite things to do these days are 1. visit historical places in Tochigi prefecture, 2. find nice restaurants and bars in Utsunomiya 3. wear hats while I am working outside.
Reviews
Aiko O.
“Great time with Jack”
Jack guided my clients through the history and temples of Nikko. Thanks to him, they were able to visit places that would have been difficult to explore on their own. They truly enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Japan. Thank you, Jack, for helping them create such a wonderful memory of Japan. He is a highly recommended guide!
Jack M.
Hi Aiko, I'm sorry not to respond sooner. I was swamped due to the cherry blossom season. And I was in the hospital to check up on my health. Your clients were very nice people. The only thing I didn't enjoy was that they didn't eat lunch. They asked me to skip lunch both days. We had a Macha break, though. They didn't have any coffee and tea, but they love Macha and Sencha. It was challenging to find one of those places in Nikko and Mashiko. Thank you very much for your comment. Jack
Louise Y.
“Day with Jack”
A great day, Jack worked hard to show us the sights, although the weather did not cooperate. Jack made sure all our questions were answered and was very courteous. His English was great and we made sure to maximize our experience. Very happy
Jack M.
I will always remember the incident that happened while we were in Nikko. A flat tyre depressed me, but your husband helped me, and we ended up eating Chinese lunch unexpectedly because lunchtime was almost over. The fried chicken Chinese style was excellent. I will return to the restaurant if my guests agree to the idea.
Pam I.
“Jack knows Nikko!”
We thoroughly enjoyed our escape from Tokyo to beautiful Nikko! Jack was very hospitable, knowledgeable and able to navigate very busy nature sites to maximize our time. The tour was a nice mix of nature and history with cultural discussions mixed in.
Jack M.
Thank you for your comment on me. I am delighted to spend the day with you.
$280/ per group
More tours by Jack M.
Nikko walking tour (The world heritage site and hidden treasure spots)
Experience the most personalized guided tour in Nikko, where I will meet you at JR Utsunomiya station or Tobu Nikko station. We'll take the bus to Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park. I will show you around both inside and in the garden. After the lunch break, we will go to Kanmangafuchi Gorge. Then we will walk to Toshogu Shrine and spend one and a half hours there. We will visit Rinnoji's Sanbutsudo Hall. On returning to Nikko station, we will stop at the Shinkyo Bridge.
Greedy Nikko Tour (enjoy both historical sites and beautiful lakes and waterfalls)
After arriving at JR Utsunomiya station, your guide will take you to Nikko National Park and World Heritage Site. On the way to Nikko, we'll pass through an avenue lined with Japanese cedars. This avenue is recorded as the longest tree lined avenue in the Guinness Book of World Records. We will see Yunoko Lake in Yumoto area and also enjoy "Ashiyu" or foot bathing. We'll visit the Yutaki Waterfall, the Ryuzu Waterfall, and the Kegon Waterfall. Around Chuzenji Lake, we'll spend some time at the Italian Embassy Villa memorial park. Lunch will be at Chuzenji Lake or Sannai area. Our last visit will be the Toshogu-Shrine.
Nasu Heisei-no-mori Forest walk and Nasu Highland
We go to Nasu by motorway and stop at Sesshoseki (Killing stone) and then to Nasu Heisei-no-mori Forest. We walk there around a couple of hours and have lunch. There is no restaurant in that area so that you should buy your lunch at one of the covenience stores on the way to Nasu. After lunch if the weather permits we go to the ninth station of Chausudake mountain by ropeway. We enjoy spectacular scenery from there. Then dropping off at the visitor center to learn about Nasu. We pass through Nasu Imperial villa and we will drop by some souvenir shops if you like.
Other Popular Art, Culture, & Historical Tours in Tochigi
Nikko, trip to popular spots and the spot of odd sight
Nikko has been a well-known center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship since Toshogu was built in 1617 and Nikko National Park continues to offer scenic, mountainous landscapes, lakes, waterfalls. However, there are still many unfamiliar places of odd sight in Nikko. One of them is Kanmangafuchi abyss. This trip is to visit not only popular sight-seeing spots but also spot of odd sight. If you follow the Daiya river, you will reach a small gorge called Kanmangafucchi Abyss.
Nikko, "Must-see" spots in a day
The charm of Nikko is that one can enjoy both the natural beauty of its mountains, lakes and waterfalls-sacred places to mountain ascetics since 8th century-and the magnificent craftsmanship of the Toshogu constructed by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Nikko can be reached from the Tokyo by train in about two hours. The area is famed for its beautiful autumn colors. 103 buildings belonging to the Toshogu and Futarasan shrines and Rinno-ji temple were registered as UNESCO World Heritate site in 1999.