“Great guide ”
Toshi was a great guide and was very patient with our family of 4. He was very knowledgeable and very flexible with our plans.
“Kamakura & Tokyo”
I had the great pleasure of spending 2 days in the company of Hideaki on 5th & 6th April 2024, when we visited Kamakura and toured Tokyo. Hideaki proved to be a very competent and knowlegeable guide and had no problem at all to fit all my requests into his preplanned itinerary. The visit to Kamakura proved to be of great interest with visits to the 13m high bronze Great Bhudda, Buddhist Zen Temples and Shinto Shrines. To have a guide who was able to give detailed explanations about various aspects of Japan's two major religions, certainly enhanced my experience of this great city which was once the political centre of medieval Japan. We took lunch at a local Japanese restaurant where I prepared my own okonomiyaki...a great way to sample "everyday" Japanese food. After a stroll down "Cherry Blossom Street", we explored the local market....and of course, various street foods bringing the days activities to a very satisfiying end :) Day 2 in Tokyo began with visits to the fish market, Asakusa (with its unique blend of traditional and modern cultures, including the iconic Sensoji Temple) and the Meiji Shrine (where I had the privilige of seeing part of a Japanese wedding ceremony). Along the way, I had ample opportunity to sample more street food and purchase souvenirs. The Shibuya Crossing was a fanatstic experience but nothing prepared me for the sight of the fabulous Cherry Blossom in full bloom at Ueno Park - Absolutely amazing !! My trip to Japan could not have had a better start.... So a huge "Thank You" Hideaki, not only for your company but for being a knowlegeable, conscientious and very competent guide ! With Very Best Wishes, Stephen.
“Great Tour ”
We had a great day exploring Sapporo. Miyuki was lovely to spend the day with. Unfortunately it was a dreary day, which has no bearing on Miyuki as a guide. She did great pivoting and making the best out of a cold and rainy day. It had been warmer but there was a cold snap. We went into some buildings most people choose to just look at from the outside and snap pictures. It was a chance to warm up for the next leg of the trip. I think you are doing yourself a disservice choosing to not go in at the clock tower. If you are from the USA, yes it is modeled after buildings in Boston. But it you enjoy history, Miyuki knows a lot and while it looks like a Boston building it is in Sapporo, Japan. We were also thankful for her knowledge of all the underground walkways and subways. That was a welcome reprieve from the wind. Where we stopped for lunch was delicious. She was also prepared with a map and told us a few things while we waited for our food. It was a great day. Highly recommend. Especially if you only have a short time. I definitely want to go back,
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Learning about Japan has never been easier with our local, expert tour guides leading the way, from a tour through Okayama, to the inner gems of Shikoku.
Ready to take on Japan’s sites and go beyond the usual? Kurashiki's Bikan Historical Quarter is a beautifully preserved Edo-period district, and with a knowledgeable tour guide, you can encounter traditional architecture, willow-lined canals, and charming shops. From historical context, to share stories about the area, it’s time to see the land of the rising sun the right way.
To see a side of Japan not commonly noticed, talk to a local tour guide about peaceful pockets of relaxation like Iya Valley, a rugged setting with high cliffs, vine bridges, and traditional thatched-roof houses waiting to be explored.