Joined 2019
William P.
Available Areas
Takayama, Shirakawago
Languages
English
Response Time
3 hours on average
Availability Updated
2 days ago
Tour Categories
About Tour Guide William P.
I was born and raised in the USA, but have lived and worked in Japan for more than half my life. I am a naturalized citizen, and have made my home in Hida Takayama for more than fifteen years now.
Pairing the knowledge of a local with the perspective of an outsider, my tours focus on places and insights that nobody else will show you.
Feel free to contact me for custom tours at any time of the year. In addition to standard walking tours, I do night-time, food and sake-tasting tours.
Tours
All tours can be customized for you. Send me a message with your requests!
Multi-Brewery Sake Tasting Tour
Your guide, an experienced brewery worker, will introduce you to sake, and help you to discover the varieties that you like best. A complete explanation of the production process and the various flavor elements will help you to understand what you are tasting. Starting with some standard varieties, we will guide you toward the kinds that you will enjoy the most. There are seven sake breweries to visit, but the full circuit is not for the faint of heart.
Night-time Tour of Takayama
At night when the shops have closed is the perfect time to tell some classic Japanese ghost stories and local legends. The second half of the tour will introduce you to some places to eat and drink, and even enjoy some games. Having introduced you to some cozy watering holes, we will leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening.
Food Tour in Takayama
On this short tour, we will introduce you to some of the local food and drink. You can sample savory snacks, handmade sweets, sake from centuries-old local breweries, and tea and coffee in local cafes. With seasonal delicacies in addition to the year-round standards, you are bound to find something new.
Reviews
“Sake Tour at Takayama ”
William is attentive and knowledgeable. The tour was well curated and smooth. He was quick to pick up our preferences and chose good sakes for us to enjoy. He was accommodating and attentive and leniently answered my curious daughter’s questions.
“Knowledgeable, flexible plus very nice to travel with.”
We very much appreciated William. Like traveling with a good friend with a wonderful knowledge of Takayama and surrounding areas. The plans was to see the twice yearly festival, but weather kept inferrring - William redirected us to lots more activities as a partial replacement plus found some places where we could see floats in their respective “garages” plus more. Also great communicator and found interesting restaurants for us.
“Unique experience ”
A unique example of professionalism combined with a warm personality, an American that fall in love with the Japanese tradition and culture, transferred himself many years ago to this wonderful part of the country and created here his family. He speaks like a japani and feels like a japani , he can be a title for a nice “ American Hollywood “ film. We were lucky to meet this guy to guide us through the streets of Takayama.
Other Popular Tour Guides in Gifu
Akiko W.
Hello! My name is Akiko from Gifu prefecture. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter. I like going out with my family, talking with my friends over coffee at a cozy cafe, reading books, baking bread and cake when I have time. I passed the national tour guide test in 2017 and have worked as a guide since then. I have guided in Gifu city, Seki city, Takayama city, Shirakawago , Mino city and Nagoya city. I have lived in Gifu for more than forty years. Gifu prefecture is rich in nature so you can enjoy the rural atmosphere. Gifu city has a beautiful river 'Nagara river' and Mt.Kinka which has Gifu castle on the top. You can go up the mountain on foot or use a ropeway. The view from Gifu castle is so fantastic. At the foot of the mountain , there are many places to visit such as parks, a temple having a big image of Buddha, and a street preserving the historic atmosphere. At Nagara River, you can enjoy seeing a traditional way of fishing ‘cormorant fishing’ which is thought to have started 1300 years ago. Many cafes have unique service called 'morning service' in Gifu along with Aichi In the morning (until about ten thirty or eleven) when you order a cup of tea or coffee, they serve toast and salad ! Near Gifu park , you can find a nice Japanese style cafe where you enjoy good coffee and seeing a Japanese style garden. Seki city is a small city but so famous for its cutlery. At Japanese sword museum in Seki, you can see authentic Japanese swords! Mino city next to Seki city is well known for its hand made Japanese paper 'Hon minoshi' designated as intangible cultural asset by UNESCO . Until recently it was not easy to guide guests because of COVID-19 pandemic; however the situation is getting better. Some strict rules about COVID-19 have been lifted. Please visit Gifu. I am looking forward to seeing you. Please feel free to ask me when you need information about Gifu. Thank you for reading my introduction.
Yuichi W.
Hello, I'm Yuichi, an English tour guide in Hokuriku region. If you are thinking about traveling to historical places such as Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go and Takayama, I am willing to offer a tour. I can bring you to those popular destinations from my base, Toyama city. These are the examples of my tour: Kanazawa - Shirakawago - Takayama Takaoka - Gokayama - Shirakawago - Takayama Toyama - Tateyama Kurobe Alipne Route - Omachi (Nagano Pref.) During the tour I like to provide simple explanations about Japanese history, and small tips for using the Japanese language on your request. My interests are food, cooking, sake and wine as well as Japanese novels and movies. It would be possible to add those tastes to our tour including a visit to local wineries, movie scenes, etc... Finally, I will do my best to give you a pleasant stay. Looking forward to seeing you in Hokuriku!
Hirohiko S.
Hello! I’m Hiro, and I’m excited to share my love for Japan with travelers worldwide. I have a passion for anime and the peaceful beauty of the Japanese countryside. Born in Japan, I’ve also lived in the U.S. and India, giving me a broad cultural perspective. While I have a reserved and easygoing nature, I enjoy meeting new people and building genuine connections. I’m a car enthusiast and love exploring rural roads, though I’ve also worked in Japan’s bustling cities like Tokyo and Osaka. Whether you want a relaxed countryside tour or to discover hidden gems, I’ll help make your journey memorable. I look forward to guiding you on an unforgettable adventure in Japan!
