About Tour Guide Megumi Y.

“Obama Highlights Tour”

A perfect day with Megumi san guiding me to many amazing locations in and around Obama. I had been planning to visit Fukui for a while and having seen a couple of youtube videos about the Obama area, when I then saw Megumi san’s tour I knew that it was exactly the tour I wanted to do ! We quickly agreed on a schedule, and I booked asap to reserve my place ! Great communication from Megumi san from beginning to end ! Everything on the day went according to plan, from initial collection at the train station, to visiting everywhere on our itinerary. I have to say though that the sites we visited in the countryside were even more amazing than I’d anticipated - they were all set in amazingly beautiful locations and really have to be seen in person ! On top of our planned itinerary, Megumi san was also able to include some extra stops on the tour based on my specific interests. I’d like to thank Megumi san for going the extra mile and arranging these extra visits which I really really appreciated. Throughout the day, I benefitted enormously by having Megumi san as my guide. She has an incredible amount of local knowledge, as well as detailed knowledge on the temples and shrines in the area. Amongst other things, she was able to tell me about festivals and ceremonies (some going back over a thousand years), guided me into areas of temples that I would otherwise have assumed were prohibited (but which are allowed in the temples we visited), and recommended a great place for lunch ! The tour definitely made me want to revisit Obama in the future. So much so, that next time I’d love to stay in Obama for a few days to see even more of what the city has to offer. In summary, this tour was a fantastic introduction to the city of Obama, and Megumi san was an amazing guide. Megumi san, thank you for making it such a wonderful day, and I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone !

“A papermakers dream day”

Megumi san is a wonderful guide. She is friendly and personable. As a papermaker this tour was perfect for me and Megumi san ensured we packed in as much as possible in the time we had together, including bringing me to different papermaker studios that I would otherwise not have found myself. The highlights included the Rakusui making experience at Ryozo and visiting the Okamoto Otaki Shrine to pay my respects to the Paper Goddess. Along the way we had a wonderful lunch at a local restaurant. However, the highlight was the privilege and honour of meeting Aki san at Iwano Heizaburou who gave the factory tour. She extremely knowledgeable and just a delight to be around. Seeing all the craftspeople in studio at work was very inspiring. I truly enjoyed my day and Megumi san. I highly recommend this tour or any tour Megumi san puts together for you!

Megumi Y.

(6 reviews)

Thank you so much for your incredibly kind review. It was such a pleasure spending time together and sharing Echizen papermaking culture with someone who understands and appreciates handmade paper so deeply. Thank you again for your warmth, curiosity, and enthusiasm throughout the day. It was an honor for me to guide you. Wishing you all the best in your own papermaking journey!

“A Memorable Day Exploring Fukui with Megumi-san”

Megumi-san responded quickly and efficiently to my enquiry and customized a one-day tour. She picked me up at my hotel and took me through the beautiful inland hills of Fukui. We started at the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum — an incredible experience that truly feels like stepping back in time and is an absolute must-visit in Fukui. Another highlight was Eiheiji Temple, the heart of Sōtō Zen Buddhism since the 13th century — peaceful, spiritual, and stunning. Nearby, we visited Echizen Daibutsu, home to Japan’s largest seated Buddha (it’s truly massive!), and the mystical Heisenji Hakusan Shrine, founded over 1,300 years ago and open to the public only once every 33 years. Throughout the day, Megumi-san was patient, knowledgeable, and took time to explain the history and cultural background of each site. It was a wonderful and memorable day — I highly recommend Megumi-san to anyone planning a tour in Fukui.

Megumi Y.

(6 reviews)

Thank you very much for coming all the way to Fukui. I believe there was heavy snow on your way back, and I hope you were able to return home smoothly. Fukui may seem quiet or modest at first glance, but it holds wonderful treasures that reveal themselves to those who take the time to see them. I’m very happy that I could share some of those special places with Kevin san. I would be delighted if you have the chance to visit Fukui again someday. Until then, I wish you all the best and good health. Thank you once again!