Joined 2018
Available Areas
Kanagawa, Saitama, Tokyo (Living), Kamakura, Hakone, Nikko, Yokohama, Mount Fuji
Languages
English, Japanese (Native)
Response Time
5 hours on average
Availability Updated
4 days ago
Hi everyone! Hearty welcome to Japan.
I’m Tomoko.
I am an English-speaking licensed tour guide, and a registered nurse as well.
“Fun Discovering Experience Walking like a Local!” – F-D-E-W-L!
That’s what I suggest.
【Experiences】
My work history is as follows.
1) high school teacher ---12 years
2) nurse--8 years + 2 years as operational manager for Kamakura city vaccination team (during COVID period)
3) tourism related jobs such as tour conducting, guiding, and backyard supporting---10 years
As a tour conductor, I’ve visited about 20 foreign countries (possibly yours?) as well as countless number of towns and villages in Japan.
I’ve enjoyed these jobs while being a mother.
Through these experiences with lots of people from different backgrounds, I've found it a great pleasure to share the joy of learning and experiencing something new!
【Guiding Areas】
<Basic> Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Fuji, Yokohama, Nikko, and other neighboring areas from Tokyo
I’m a specialist in Tokyo and Kamakura as I have lived and enjoyed walking a lot in those cities for decades. To be honest, even after all my years here, I still enjoy exploring like a tourist as Tokyo is such an enormous city with great diversity and is constantly changing.
Kamakura is a historical small city with nice beaches and hills and lots of hidden spots of beauty. Almost every time I go out, I feel I’m still making new discoveries. That’s why I cannot stop exploring.
I would take you to some neighboring areas like Hakone, Yokohama, Nikko, and Mt. Fuji area (Lake Kawaguchiko), etc.
<Based on Requests > *if my transportation & accommodation are covered
Nagoya, Kyoto, Nagano(Nagano city, Snow Monkey park, Kisoji trail, etc.), Hida (Takayama, Shirakawa-go), Kanazawa, Oita, Yamagata, Akita, etc.
My original family is from Nagoya, so I know their culture and even their language(dialect) well. Later in my life, I have lived in Oita, Kyushu(far south west of Tokyo) for nearly 10 years and traveled a lot in Kyushu. I love traveling Tohoku, the northern Japan area, too. I’ve planned and enjoyed visiting many of those local areas in the north, too. So, I could share those experiences with you even while having tours in Tokyo or online.
【Personality and others】
- I love meeting people, listening and talking to them.
- I'm friendly and caring, I hope:)
- I love nature and enjoy hiking and skiing.
- I love seasonal flowers and good local food.
- You will see a lot about Japanese culture, nature, and lifestyle with me.
What has made you decide to come to Japan, by the way? Is it its scenic beauties, exotic culture, history, food, anime, or what else? Is it your business that has brought (or will bring) you here? Let me have a clue and customize your tour. I will make the best tour suggestion for you.
Why don’t you contact me now? I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!
Thank you! Arigato-gozaimas!
All tours can be customized for you. Send me a message with your requests!
Amanda P.
“Memorable day in Tokyo”
Choosing Tomoko as our guide was the best decision. She quickly went from guide to cherished friend. The whole tour felt like meeting up with an old friend that was showing us around. Prior to the tour she listened and understood what we were hoping to get out of the tour. Tomoko put together a great itinerary and had wonderful insights on everything. Her instincts about when we needed a break were great. This was our first trip to Japan and Tomoko helped us feel at ease. We learned so much and will remember our time with her forever. I have already recommended her to friends.
Tomoko H.
Thank you for the wonderful review, Amanda. The day spent with you and Mike was very relaxing and memorable. Since you're interested in local Japanese foods, I really enjoyed taking you around places like Tsukiji, the basement food hall at Ginza Mitsukoshi, and the local grocery store in Yanaka that I often use. It was also a pleasure to walk with you from Ueno Hirokoji to Ueno Park, Kan'ei-ji Temple, and Yanaka Cemetery, sharing stories about the various histories of the Tokugawa shogunate era and seeing your interest in them. Since you had just returned from Nikko, it felt like the fun of fitting puzzle pieces together as we went. I'm grateful to have spent time with two such gentle young people who are open to different cultures and foods. And if you get the chance, try nattō and umeboshi again sometime. Best wishes to you! Tomoko H
Ana H.
“A wonderful day”
We are a group of 6, with 2 young adults. Tomoko was wonderful in every aspect. She made things more than just enjoyable for all of us, young and young at hearts. We visited shrines that were meaningful but not so crowded, made last minutes changes and enjoyed everything very much. I hope to meet her again sometime! All the best and thank you, Tomoko!
Tomoko H.
Thank you very much for your prompt review. It was an extremely hot day, but we enjoyed the cool breeze at the café next to the giant bell at Engakuji Temple, met Enma, the king of hell, drew a lucky fortune at Hachimangu Shrine, and walked a lot despite the heat. You are amazing walkers! The Great Buddha was waiting for us patiently under the blazing sun. At Hase-dera, we enjoyed the breathtaking views, and walked along Zaimokuza seashore. We also indulged in special chocolate, traditional Japanese sweets from a shop celebrating its 250th anniversary, and had a delightful dinner at a traditional Japanese-style room in Enoshima. Laughter really is contagious. It was a really fun day filled with laughter. I hope you keep having fun on your trip. I look forward to seeing you again in Osaka, and someday in Romania, Ana, Sorin, Sofia, Petru, Manuela, and Marius - Ne vedem, mulțumesc.
Haley F.
“Don't know what we would have done without her! ”
Hiring Tomoko was the best decision I made for my entire 17-day trip across Japan. I messaged several tour guides before messaging her, with a list of unique things I wanted to see in Tokyo off the beaten path and they did not want to do much else than their normal tours. I only had weeks to go before my arrival, and Tomoko worked very hard to get an itinerary that worked for us in a short time. Her communication was amazing. During our time with her, she helped me find FUGU (blow fish) which has been on my bucket list for 20 years. I had a request for live music and she took us to an unforgettable Shamisen performance in a small local restaurant. I requested to see some local artists, and we went to the neatest place which reminded me of Austin, Texas. We found a dog cafe for my boyfriend, played in the photo booths, got some amazing sushi, and so much more. We also saw the bigger attractions and really got a feel for the different neighborhoods in Japan. She is a perfect tour guide for any walk of life as she is very adaptable and organized. Thank you so much Tomoko. I wish I would have had you for the rest of my trip!
Tomoko H.
Thank you, Haley, for broadening my horizon and experience while having fun together. Sure, your initial list of things you wanted to do and places you wanted to go was enough to make my head spin. This may have been your first trip to Japan, but I could sense that your list included places that held memories for your father and grandfather, things you had been thinking about for decades, and consideration for your kind boyfriend who was accompanying you. If you didn't understand my schedule and my relationships with the local shops that are important to me, things might not have gone so smoothly. I appreciate your cooperation. I will never forget Jeremy's sparkling eyes and happy smile when we came across the Snoopy anniversary corner in Ginza.:) If there is one thing I regret, it is that I was distracted by an appointment with a friend and was not on the platform when the Narita Express arrived and you boarded. I was relieved that you'd safely caught your flight after the last adventure in Japan. I learned a lesson. It goes without saying, but “what is usual for you is not usual for others.” I look forward to seeing you again. Best wishes to you all, Haley, Jeremy, families, neighbors and doggies!