Nori I.
Available Areas
Kyoto, Mie, Shiga (Living)
Languages
English, Japanese (Native)
Response Time
5 hours on average
Availability Updated
1 day ago
Tour Categories
About Tour Guide Nori I.
I have lived in the US, UK, and India for approximately 20 years, and I’ve also traveled to many other countries. Living abroad for such a long time made me realize Japan’s value and sparked my interest in working as a translator/guide for foreigners. I’m truly passionate about introducing people to historical sites, authentic Japanese culture, and stunning natural spots that may not be widely known to people outside of Japan. There are countless places that I believe people would love.
Originally from Nagoya, I cover areas around the city and the Kansai region including Kyoto, Shiga and Mie. I’m here to ensure your trip to Japan becomes an unforgettable memory. Looking forward to meeting you!
Important
For some tours I can not guide everyday due to store closings. Please check my availability on each tour page. Thank you!
Tours
Fully customizable your own private tour in Kyoto
There are so many great places in Kyoto that you probably want to visit but perhaps not enough time. Also, Kyoto is getting very crowded due to a lot of foreigners visiting there. It is best to have a local person guiding you to come up with a plan that suits your preference. I can create a tour with you which includes not only popular places like the Golden Pavilion and Fushimi Inari but small temples with Wabi Sabi such as those in Sagano and the oldest Japanese sweet shop in Murasakino.
Fully customizable private half day tour in Kyoto
There are so many great places in Kyoto that you probably want to visit but perhaps not enough time. Also, Kyoto is getting very crowded due to a lot of foreigners visiting there. It is best to have a local person guiding you to come up with a plan that suits your preference. I can create a tour with you which includes not only popular places like the Golden Pavilion and Fushimi Inari but small temples with Wabi Sabi such as those in Sagano and the oldest Japanese sweet shop in Murasakino.
Enjoy the authentic castle town and famous Oumi beef just outside Kyoto
Oumihachiman was once very flourished town under Hachimanyama castle back in the 16th century. Still you see a beautiful town with traditional style houses as well as the moat used for the castle. The area is also famous for Oumi beef which is one of the 3 best beefs in Japan similar to the famous Kobe beef. We will go up the mountain by the cable car. Will see the beautiful view of Lake Biwa, the biggest lake in Japan together with the rice paddies.
Serene zen gardens and the oldest sweets in Kyoto
First we will go to Daitokuji which is a collection of small zen temples. We will visit three temples there. Each one has its own uniqueness with differently designed stone gardens. We go early in the morning, so you can feel the serenity and authenticity without too much crowd. After that we go to a store which was established in the year 1000. There you will have aburimochi which is known as the origin of all the Japanese sweets. After the break, we will visit Imamiya Shrine.
Private Car Tour - Enjoy the authentic castle towns and famous Oumi beef just outside Kyoto
First, while it is early enough, we will drive and hike a little bit on the ancient steps to one of the oldest temples in Kyoto and Shiga called Hyakusaiji. After that, we will explore a castle that has a tower that is one of the five originals remaining in Japan, Hikone Castle. We will enjoy Oumi beef for lunch. Oumi beef is if not better, as good as Kobe beef known as one of the three best beefs in Japan. We will enjoy the scenery in Oumihachiman from the mountain top and the old moat.
Nori I. Japan Tour Reviews
“Wonderful day in Kyoto ”
We had a very Nice day with Nori as guide in Kyoto. A Nice mixture of culture, nature and city life. He was very accomodating to our suggestions. Maria and Igor
Nori I.
(16 reviews)Thanks guys! It was a real fun day for me as well!! I hope you will continue to have a safe and exciting trip! Will go to your country someday to try the best chocolate in the world!
Jeannie F.
Fully customizable your own private tour in Kyoto
“Wonderful Day in Kyoto!”
We had a wonderful first day exploring Kyoto with Nori! He took us to the sites we wanted to see while providing information and fun on our tour! Nori tailored the tour so we explored everything we wanted to and he provided information on other in Kyoto that we were curious about. Nori arrived on time and is a fabulous tour guide!
Nori I.
(16 reviews)Thanks so much for your kind words. I really appreciate it. It was really hot that day but you two had enough energy and stamina to go around the places we planned. Please come back sometime to see other beautiful places in Kyoto someday!
Killian R.
Fully customizable your own private tour in Kyoto
“If we could give Nori 10 stars we would!!! ”
Perfect English. Amazing knowledge of history. We had just a grand time with Nori. We went to the best places and he really spent the time prior to our meet up date getting to know what we wanted out of the tour. Picked a great place for lunch and just had such patience with us. If you are traveling to Kyoto I totally recommend Nori. Our whole family agree he made our trip to Kyoto very memorable!
Nori I.
(16 reviews)Thank you for your very kind comments. I really appreciate it. The change of plan in the morning made me panic a little bit but still I guess I passed your test! I am really glad that you all enjoyed the tour. Two things I need to remember for my future tours. One is the toilet at Imamiya shrine and the other is where to find a nice snow globe…. LOL Enjoy the rest of your trip. If you need my help, don’t hesitate to contact me anytime. Thanks again!