Japan Private Tours

“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.

“Interesting Day in Kamakura”

This was our second trip with Yoshi, from Tokyo. For all 3 trips we did with him in Japan, his communications and coordination were excellent. Also, for all trips, he was very thoughtful and polite. For our trip to Kamakura, he met us in our hotel and escorted us for the hour-long train ride to the seaside town. The whole day was spent visiting temples - which is the only reason this is a 4-star review. Yoshi's service was 5-stars (as it was on all 3-days we met him) but the location of Kamakura was a bit limiting. If temples are not your thing, I'd suggest spending an extra day in Tokyo or even goign with Yoshi to Hakone, which have much more variety. That said, we had a good day and had a nice lunch at a small local restaurant that was tourist free. Also, we had a short stroll down a bustling shopping street. Overall, it was an interesting day and Yoshi was great but, if you want a bit more variety then go on one of Yoshi's other tours.

“Fantastic First Day in Japan and a Super Helpful Guide”

Yoshi was really fast in all communications that led to us having 3-tours with him. He is very diligent and we knew exactly what we were doing well before we arrived. On the day of the tour, he arrived early and was well prepared - with lots of information to impart through the day. He showed us how to use the Tokyo rail systems and was really kind in helping us to figure out the JR/Shinkansen systems (which are easy...when you know how)! the day was very good - with a mixture of shrines, markets and a wonderful garden (where we stopped in a tea house). Overall, this was a great day and we really enjoyed our time with Yoshi.