Kyoto (Living), Mie, Nara, Osaka, Kobe
English, Japanese (Native)
5 hours on average
3 days ago
Hi. My name is Yoshihisa. Call me "Yoshie", please. It means good or O.K. in Japanese. I live in Joyo City, Kyoto Prefecture, located just in between Kyoto and Nara. I was born and raised in Iga, Mie Prefecture. Iga is a birthplace of ninja and a renowned haiku poet, Matsuo Basho. I might be a descendant of ninja. I aim at becoming a linguistic ninja, following a part of Basho's lifestyle with the incorporation of seasonal changes into my tours. In addition to visiting famous temples and shrines, I invite you to lesser-known places of historic interest.
Once in a month I go hiking or mountain climbing with some friends mainly in mountains surrounding Kyoto and Nara basins. Recently I have got intrigued by the charms of Buddhist statues, which are manifestations of people's wishes and prayers. I also like izakaya (Japanese-style taverns) hopping, tasting delicious dishes and locally brewed sake at reasonable prices. Especially I like communicating with people from home and abroad, talking face to face. Some of the above-mentioned elements are included in my walking tours. I hope you will discover new aspects of cultural and natural beauty in Kansai area through one of my tours which you could never gain otherwise.
One of my favorite phrases that come from Zen Buddhism is Ichigo Ichie or this meeting-but only once in a lifetime. My interpretation goes this way: This place and this moment never cross again. Each and every good encounter, however, lingers on like the sound of a temple bell. Won't you explore a deeper world of Japanese culture in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka with me?
It is desirable to carry overseas travel insurance because the guide is not liable for any damage or loss incurred during the tour. It is also requested to bring enough Japanese yen with you because some restaurants and taxis do not accept credit cards.
We had a great day seeing the sites of Kyoto with Yoshie. We saw many of the highlights and learned far more about them than if we had gone without a tour guide. Yoshie was very funny and his English is great. Highly recommend!
Good evening, Michelle. Thank you so much for writing me a heart-warming review. I also had a nice time guiding and talking with you and your husband. I hope you will continue a pleasant trip and return home safely. If you have another chance of visiting Kyoto, be sure to get in touch, please. With best wishes, Yoshie
Our tour guide, Yoshie, has tremendous amounts of information and knowledge of the various sights visited. His experience allowed for us to learn about the places we visited . His ability to communicate in English was excellent. We highly recommend touring with Yoshie !! Thank you (Arigato Gozaimus)!! Michael & Mindy from the USA
Hi Michael and Mindy, Thank you so much for your kind review. I was a bit nervous before the tour started because you were the first customers for the past two and a half years. However, a few minutes after the self-introduction, such an anxiety blew away instantly. And I had a comfortable time with you two, guiding and dining together. When you have another chance of visiting Japan, be sure to get in touch, please. I hope you will return home safely with a lot of nice memories and souvenirs for your daughters. Best wishes, Yoshie
We had some trouble finding Yoshie to begin with, but we quickly made up for lost time and after that it was a great experience! With his insider knowledge we had a really smooth trip and learned a lot, and he saved me a lot of trouble in trying to find my way around sale breweries in an unfamiliar city. He managed to find us the best steak we've ever had too! I'd highly recommend Yoshie :)
Hi Shannon. Thank you very much for your nice review and the souvenir. I was inside of the west gate of the station, just in case you would be at the west side of the central gate. Anyway I am pleased that you all liked the Kobe beef steak lunch and the visit to the two sake breweries in Nada. I hope you will have lots of fun during your stay in Kyoto and return home safely. With warmest regards, Yoshie
Our U.S. family of 5, including 3 teenagers, spent 3 days touring Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Miyajima with Yoshie. He was fabulous! His English is impeccable. He was gracious and welcoming, kind, and extremely knowledgeable. He planned our days at a nice active and efficient pace. My teenagers voted him our “best guide ever.”
Hi Diane. I really appreciate your kind words of gratitude for my three-day tour in Kyoto and Hiroshima. I am very pleased to learn that your children, too, enjoyed it a lot. I hope you will return home safely with lots of nice memories and souvenirs of Japan. Next time you have another chance of visiting Kansai region, be sure to get in touch, please. With the best wishes, Yoshie.