Kyoto (Living), Mie, Nara, Osaka, Kobe
Japanese (Native), English
4 hours on average
2 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 were introduced to Kyoto by Yoshi. We loved it from the start. Yoshi made sure are interest were met. We were able to see the fabulous cherry blossoms from great vantage points thanks to our guides efforts. Yoshi was knowledgeable and most of all very pleasant insuring our first trip to Kyoto was memorable.
Hi Lynett. Thank you very much for your quick review for my cherry blossom-viewing tour today. I am pleased that you were able to see cherry blossoms here and there in the eastern part of Kyoto. I hope Charles will get better with his knees and that you will continue a pleasant tour tomorrow, too. Be sure to get in touch next time you visit Kansai area, please. Best wishes, Yoshie
This was my first trip to Japan. I had only one day devoted to Kyoto. I had looked at several youtube videos on things to see in Kyoto and made a list of what interested me the most. I then realized that in order to see these sites, it would be most efficient to have a local guide. I reviewed the many websites having guided tours, but most had fixed itineraries that included some of what I wanted to see, but much of what I was not interested in. Then, I discovered GoWithGuide (GWG). Their guides speak English, have extensive knowledge of the areas visited, but the most important characteristic is that although they offer standard tours, they are willing to modify the tour or create a new tour that allows you to see what you want to see. In this way you are not just shuttled from place to place with a brief stop at each site. As long as you stay within the time established for the tour, you can stop as long as you wish at a particular site, compensated by reducing time at other sites or skipping some completely. In other words, the tours are flexible according to what you want to do and see, and not the on and off the bus for a few photos and then dashing off to the next place. Yoshie-san was our guide for Kyoto. When I sent him an email to enquire about the tour, I was amazed at the prompt reply. Within one hour he responded. I presented my wish list itinerary and with several email exchanges, we shaped my tour into something that could be reasonably achieved. The entire process was like working with a friend to create an itinerary that would be best for all. My “must see” for this tour was the Golden Pavillion, Arashiyama, the Bamboo Forest, Togetsukyō Bridge over the Katsura River, and the Monkey Park. I planned to do the Fushimi Inari-Taisha Gate the following morning on my own. The morning of the tour Yoshie arrived to greet us at our hotel. He presented a map of Kyoto booklet, a map of places to eat and see near our hotel, and beautiful origami ornaments that his wife had made. Then we headed out to discover Kyoto, and actually covered all of the places that I wanted to visit. He even added the Ninna-ji Temple and the Tenryū-ji Temple. Yoshie pointed out several points of historical and tourist interest and translated the signs written in kanji. For lunch we had original Japanese food at a family restaurant that is a favorite of his. The walk down the main street in Arashiyama was interesting, but crowded (Japanese Holiday). Yoshie had warned that the trek to the Monkey Park was uphill, and not for those with heart or lung problems. So, be warned, and skip this if you are not in shape. After a wonderful day, Yoshie guided us back to the train station near our hotel. I believe that we all had a good time. Yoshie is a very good guide and person to work with. The tour was more like a friend taking us taking us around Kyoto. If I return to Japan, I sincerely hope that Yoshie is available in order to see some of the places we missed. I am certain that you will be very pleased with his tours as well. Yoshie, Domo arigato gozaimashita!
Hi Ron. Thank you so much for your wonderful comment on my tour last week. I really appreciate your kind consideration after the tour. I am pleased that you enjoyed every moment of the day, visiting several temples and the Monkey Park in Arashiyama. If you have another chance of visiting Kyoto, be sure to get in touch, please. Thank you again. Yoshie
I and my son came to Kyoto to view the Cherry Blossoms and visit Japan, Yoshi-San was an amazing tour guide, he was punctual, generous, patient, and kind and his knowledge shared with us was fantastic, fun, and in a manner that made sense as we progressed throughout the tour. Kyoto is a beautiful city and the Temples and Gardens are unbelievable, Yoshi-San navigated the whole way, taxis, trains, meals, etc, and reserved a table for a fantastic lunch at a local restaurant. We not only had an amazing tour but we made a friend and he ensured that our experience was fantastic. Thank you Yoshi-San, it was our pleasure to have you as our guide you made a wonderful first impression of Kyoto for us.
Hi Mat and Andrew. I appreciate your excellent review for my tour yesterday. I also thank you two for your kind consideration to me during and after the tour. I am delighted to learn you fully enjoyed the temples, gardens and the beautiful scenery of Arashiyama. I hope you will return home safely with lots of nice memories of Koyoto. Best wishes, Yoshie
Yoshie-san is a professional and attentive guide. From the moment I booked the private tour to the end of the actual tour date, he was a consummate professional who helped us learn more about Kyoto and its history. He has a way to put everyone in the party at ease. I wish I had more time in Kyoto to book additional tours with him, so we can learn more about this beautiful city. Thank you, Yoshie-san, for your consideration, professionalism, and care you have put into this tour. We highly recommend Yoshie-san to anyone interested in genuine connection with a local Kyoto-jin. Regards, Rossa
Good evening, Rossa. I really appreciate such a nice review for my tour today. I am pleased to learn that you have enjoyed every minute of the day from the beginning to the end. All the people around me were very kind and attentive. So I need to give my hearty thanks to them all, too. I had a big pleasure, guiding and talking with you and your family. If you have another chance of visiting Kyoto, be sure to get in touch, please. Best regards, Yoshie