Japan Private Tours

“Great experience - Koyasan and Kumano Kodo with Keiji”

We had done hiking in Japan before - Nakasendo as well as Mount Hangetsu on Lake Chuzenji - but Kumano Kodo was a highlight of hiking. Over a couple of months we had been able to plan the route with our guide Keiji. He was great help in finding the right accommodations, organize transportation, and plan the three day hiking on Nakahechi trail. Everything worked perfectly, and we appreciated Keiji’s insights and knowledge of the origins of this unique 1’000 year old pilgrimage route, as well as his guidance at the temples of Koyasan. Starting on the holy mountain, and spending a night in a temple - Shukubo Yochiin was excellent - was a great preparation for the quite demanding hikes on the Nakahechi trail. We had respect for the challenges - doing about 55km and 2’700 meters in elevation requires a bit of preparation - but thanks to Keiji’s intimate knowledge of the trail and his ease of communicating with hikers from other groups, it was an immensely satisfactory experience. Doing Kumano Kodo in mid-November, lucky with great weather, was a wonderful experience, and part of this was the joy of meeting people from other countries equally enjoying the hikes, the shrines and temples, the extremely well kept trails, and the (almost) spirituality of the forests. Thanks for making our journey a success Keiji! Thomas C.

“Relaxing & Great Tour”

Aside from the excellent weather we had, Moto took maximum advantage by taking us to the best spots to view Mt Fuji in all her glory. He took us to a secluded tea farm that offered majestic views of Mt Fuji & we were able to sample the fresh tea grown there. Lunch was at a very elegant restaurant frequented by locals which was simply delicious. Moto is a soft spoken guide who understood our desire to avoid crowded tourist spots. He was very flexible & was very gracious. I would highly recommend Moto to anyone who wants to explore the Shimizu region.

“Pleasant day in Osaka”

My wife and I had a very pleasant day with our guide Makoto in Osaka. He impressed us with his deep knowledge of Japanese history visiting Osaka Castle, and we were impressed how well prepared he was when we visited Doshomachi Street, normally not on Osaka tours, but interesting a this is where the Japanese pharmaceutical industry originated with Tanabe in the 17th Century, and there are interesting company museums and exhibits of how the industry evolved from trading chinese herbal medicines to modern age.