“Amazing Guide!!”

Yoshi is an amazing guide! Professional, informative, and just wonderful. He has boundless energy and a wonderful personality! He met us promptly, gave us an outline of what we would explore and proceeded to so guide us through all the major areas of interest in Tokyo. We spent our first full day in Tokyo with him, which set us up for the rest of our stay. It helped us to decide where we wanted to explore more deeply. He showed us how to use the subway system, which was a lifesaver! He guided us through temples, food markets, interesting neighborhoods, and shopping areas, giving us highlights and recommendations. We did lots of walking, so be prepared to wear comfortable shoes. I cannot say enough about what a great guide he is. You cannot go wrong in exploring with him!!

Yoshi S.

(127 reviews)

Thank you so much Laura, for your wonderful message; it serves as great encouragement for me to continue my work as a guide. I also truly appreciated you walking such a long distance with me. It was a pleasure for me as well, seeing how enthusiastically you listened to my explanations. Please get in touch if you have the chance to visit Japan again—I look forward to seeing you. Yoshi

“Top sites of Tokyo”

Yoshi toured us around many sites using trains (1 day pass) and was very prepared with additional photos. He is knowledgeable and has great English.

Yoshi S.

(127 reviews)

Hi Sara, Thank you so much for your kind words of praise. I also enjoyed being with your family and friends. Your comments are a great encouragement to me as I continue to work as a guide. Yoshi

“A Potentially Good Day...that doesn't work in the rain.”

We had 3 tours with Yoshi (2 from Tokyo and this one in Hakone). His communications and coordination throughout our time in Japan (and beforehand) were perfect. Also, for each trip, he arrived punctually and was very polite/kind. For this trip to Hakone (which was due to follow his itinerary - see his listing), whilst it looked great on paper, heavy rain and wind meant that almost all of the attractions were closed. This meant that a wet-weather plan was needed and, sadly, that was quite thin. We managed to visit a shrine and a gallery but by lunchtime Yoshi was out of ideas and we sent him home early. Although we had a car, we did not visit many of the other locations in the Hakone area that might have been OK in the rain. This was a shame, as our previous tours with Yoshi had been really good trips. On reflection, this would have been a great trip if the weather had been good. However, with rain all day and no great suggestions for other activities (of which we found several on our own), it was not great value for money. So - if you are confident of the weather - go for this Hakone experience but, if you are not sure the sun will shine, have a think about a back-up plan. All that said, we are grateful for Yoshi's hosting for the 3-days we were with him in Japan.

Yoshi S.

(127 reviews)

Hi Andy, thank you for your frank feedback and for taking the time to write a review. Based on this experience, I will strive to improve my guiding services to better handle unexpected situations. However, the closure of Hakone’s main attractions—such as the sightseeing cruise and the ropeway—due to heavy rain and strong winds was beyond my control. While it would have been possible to continue the tour by visiting indoor attractions like art museums, souvenir shops, or cafes, I felt that such options would not offer good value for money. I believed it would be better for you to return to your hotel and rest well in preparation for the next day's tour. In hindsight, perhaps I should have presented these options and asked for your input before making that decision. Yoshi