At a tea ceremony. The hanging scroll says treasure every encounter once in your lifetime.

With my lovely guests, at Ueno Park

Sankeien Garden, a spacious traditional Japanese-style garden, where you can see a lot of historic buildings relocated from all over Japan, in Yokohama

A Kimono lady preparing Matcha, or Japanese tea in Sankeien Garden, Yokoyama

Matcha and Japanese sweets served in a tea house at Hamarikyu Garden in Tokyo

Daibutsu, a Great Statue of Buddha with cherry blossoms at Kotokuin Temple in Kamakura

Coffee with cherry blossoms served in my favorite cafe at Engakuji Temple in Kamakura

Sometimes, I participate in a session of Zen meditation held at this room in Kenchoji Temple in Kamakura

Plum blossoms at Egara Tenjinsha Shrine in Kamakura

A scene at Houkokuji Temple in Kamakura

Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi, and cherry blossoms seen from Onshi-Hakone-Koen Park in Hakone

A glamorous statue, named Miss Black Power, placed in the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Hakone

Cherry blossoms and Odawara castle built by a powerful Samurai clan near Hakone.

Omoide Yokocho Street lined with various bars and restaurants in Shinjuku

Autumn leaves in Nezu Museum in Aoyama

With my lovely guests, at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa

Cherry blossoms at a gate leading to the Imperial Palace grounds

Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku, reproducing the scenes of Edo, the old name of Tokyo, where Samurai warriors ruled Japan.

Banners for Sumo wrestlers - Kokugikan, the Sumo stadium in Ryogoku

Vending machines selling a cup of various types of sake. Would you like to taste one?

Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, the oldest and most popular Buddhist temple in Tokyo

TOKYO SKY TREE, standing nearby the Sumida River in Asakusa

Sake barrels placed in Meiji Shrine

Tokyo National Museum in Ueno

Ueno Zoo in Ueno Park

I love sushi - a sushi lunch served at a sushi bar near Tsukiji

Curry and rice is one of my favorite dishes, served in a restaurant in Shibuya

The Railway Museum in Omiya, Saitama

Aki

Licensed Guide

(49) Reviews

Send message fully booked in February

US$ 44 Hourly rate Price up to 4 people

Hi, I’m Aki, a government licensed English speaking tour guide.

I was born and raised in Kagawa prefecture, the venue of Setouchi Triennale, facing the beautiful Seto Inland Sea, in western Japan.
After graduating from a university, I had worked for a global electronics company in Tokyo for 30 years and retired early. Working with foreign colleagues gave me fantastic opportunities to learn about Japan from their points of views, and I came to think it's fun to talk about Japan with foreign people.

Also, I love traveling. I have visited a lot of places throughout Japan, amazed by its beautiful nature, great tradition, and wonderful food. I realized Japan has numerous tourist attractions.
Then I became a tour guide, hoping to entertain foreign visitors with my tours based on my experiences as a tourist.

I've been living in Yokohama and Kamakura areas for more than 30 years. I know Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura, and Hakone very well. I love food, nature, cultures, and architectures. I value genuineness of what to see, experience, taste and buy, which cannot always be experienced in a group tour.

I believe that participating in my guided tour will bring you a lot of fun. I can help you to explore Japan deeper and to get in touch with the locals, taking you to both popular spots and unbeaten sites where you can see the daily lives of the people.

Let’s share a joy of touring in this lovely country.
Thank you and see you in Japan!
read more

About Tours Reviews Blog

I can guide you in Okinawa and Kagawa including Naoshima and the other venues of Setouchi Triennale.
If you would be interested in being guided by me in those places, please contact me to confirm my availability in advance.

Available
Not Available

Last updated: 3 days ago

Cities where I can guide: Hakone , Kagawa , Kamakura , Kanagawa , Mount Fuji , Nikko , Tokyo , Yokohama

Languages English ( Business ), Japanese ( Native )

Reviews

(49) Reviews

Hourly rate 44 USD Price up to 4 people
( Max : 8 People )

Book now Secure your date, then customize

Send message Get your trip plan & quotation

About

4.7 (49) Reviews

Excellent		82%
Very Good		14%
Good		4%
Poor		0%
Horrible		0%

Delightlful ....

Invaluable

Aki gave us a great opportunity to experience Kama...

Aki provided all we had hoped

Naoshima Island

Price

The prices below are for a private tour for you and your partner, family or friends.

Duration	1 Person	Up to 4 people	For each extra person
Hourly rate	US$43.64	US$43.64	US$4.74
4 Hours	US$174.58	US$174.58	US$18.98
8 Hours	US$349.16	US$349.16	US$37.95

Kamakura is a popular tourist destination about an hour train ride away from Tokyo, having various historical sites such as temples and shrines. It also ha...

4 Hours US$ 184 up to 4 people

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make changes after I book?

Yes! If you need to make changes such as removing or adding someone to your booking or changing the date or time of your tour, contact us by phone or email

Starting and ending points of the tour.

After you secure your booking, the starting and ending points of your tour can be customized to your convenience (ex.: your hotel, nearby stations, etc.). Don't worry, we will take care of you! Some tours may have an extra fee for this service, make sure to check the tour page.

What happens after I book a tour?

After booking a tour, the guide will accept (or decline) your booking within 24 hours. Then you will be noticed by email from GoWithGuide.

Is the price per person or per group?

The price is charged per group. Which means that you make a one-time payment for your entire group and the price will not change if it is less or more people.

Can I add more people to my booking?

Some guides accept extra people (more than the specified number) for an extra charge. Please check for the extras on the tour or booking page, or contact your guide directly to clarify.

Will there be other tourists in my tour?

No. Your tour is private, only for you and your family or friends, there will be no other group of tourists together in your tour.

Can the guide pickup me at the airport?

Yes, but there will be additional charge for that and it is not by car. The guide will go pick you up using public transportations. For further details, please contact your guide directly.

I'm travelling alone. Can I book this tour?

Yes, you can and you may be able to get a discount if you are traveling alone. Price depends on which guide you choose.

View More Frequently Asked Questions read more

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel in the first 14 day(s) before the meeting time, there is a 100% charge.
If you cancel between 15 and 29 day(s) in advance of the meeting time, there is a 50% charge.
If you cancel at least 30 day(s) in advance of the meeting time, there is a 100% refund.

Reviews ( 49 )

Jerome ( Friends ) United States

Jerome United States ( Friends )

Excellent

11 months ago

“ Delightlful .... ”

Aki was very easy to work with and accomodating to our group of 6. As requested, he put together a 3 day itinerary for us based upon our interests and desired activity level. He is quite knowledgeable about "all things Tokyo" as well as the Japanese culture and history. He is a master of the Tokyo transit system and without him we would have had a difficult time navigating around. We asked Aki to join us during our lunches to show our appreciation and to be able to converse with him on a more personal level. He was always early to arrive at our hotel for pick up. I would highly recommend him.

Aki:

Dear Jerry, Thank you so much for giving me such an excellent rating and review! That's very nice of you to say. It was my pleasure to have guided you and your friends. I enjoyed touring and had a wonderful time with you too. Thanks for coming to Tokyo and choosing me as your guide! Sincerely, Aki

Jerry ( Couple ) United States

Jerry United States ( Couple )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ Invaluable ”

We spent three days with Aki, exploring the Setouchi Trienniale , using Takamatsu as a home base. We never could have done this without him. We had a great time. Thanks again Aki.

Aki:

Dear Jerry, Thank you so much for giving me such an excellent rating and review! I enjoyed touring around the Setouchi islands and had a wonderful time with you too. Thanks for coming to Takamatsu and having me as your guide! Sincerely, Akio

Jerome ( Couple ) Israel

Jerome Israel ( Couple )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ Aki gave us a great opportunity to experience Kamakura in a tight schedule ”

We had only 5 hours to visit Kamakura....and gave Aki an almost impossible mission. He succeeded! We saw all of the major sites and enjoyed the wonderful explanations that Aki provided with clear and nuanced English.

Aki:

Dear Jerome, Thank you so much for giving me such an excellent rating and review! That's very nice of you to say. I hope you are all fine after the tour on a hot day. It was my pleasure to have guided you around Kamakura. Thanks for choosing me as your tour guide! Sincerely, Aki

Robin ( Friends ) United States

Robin United States ( Friends )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ Aki provided all we had hoped ”

Aki was a great guide. He took us to all the places we were interested in and was flexible in his plans given our interests and needs. He clearly knew his way around the island and all the museums. Couldn't have asked for more.

Aki:

Dear Robin, Thank you so much for taking the time to give me such an excellent review! It was my pleasure to have guided you around Naoshima. I enjoyed touring with you too. It was fun to bike around the island! I hope you enjoyed your stay on the beautiful island. Thanks for coming to Naoshima and choosing me as your tour guide! Sincerely, Aki

Janis ( Friends ) United States

Janis United States ( Friends )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ Naoshima Island ”

From Osaka, with Aki guiding us, we arrived on Naoshima. If it weren’t for Aki I’m afraid we’d still be wandering aimlessly around. While on the island; Aki’s knowledge of the architect represented here and the designers/artists was great. With his guidance we could just follow as had clear understanding Of how to navigate the island. This provided a pleasureable day. As I got a sense of his services and then began arranging the itinerary, Aki was incredibly quick in his responses to my many online questions. He speaks English very well. One can’t go wrong with Aki’s guidance

Aki:

Dear Janis, Thank you so much for giving me such an excellent review! It's a great pleasure for me to have guided you around a beautiful island, Naoshima. I also enjoyed touring and had a pleasant time with you. It was very nice to meet you! I hope you have a good day and go back to your home safely. Please convey my regards to your husband and friends. Thanks for coming to Naoshima and choosing me as your tour guide! Sincerely, Aki

See all reviews ( 49 )