Ai A.

4.83(30) reviews
 

Available Areas

Hyogo, Kyoto, Mie, Nara, Osaka (Living), Shiga, Wakayama, Mount Koya, Kobe, Himeji

 

Languages

Japanese (Native), English, French

 

Response Time

2 hours on average

 

Availability Updated

Today

 

About Tour Guide Ai A.

I'm in NYC and will return to Japan in mid August. Tour bookings after August 2023 to May 2024 is welcome.

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Ai obtained her MBA from Kyoto University in 2020, major in tourism & hospitality management.

She is currently a graduate student at Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences(GSAS), Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, goes back-and-forth between NYC and Osaka.

She passed a national license of English guide interpreter exam in 2015 and speaks French(DELF B1~B2 level).

In her tour, she offers you free photo taking & sharing digital data by her award-winning + magazine-cover photography skill.

<Awards & Publications>

-cited by Columbia University's Official Instagrams four times during her fist summer at Columbia (2022)

-got interviewed by Nikkei WOMAN, June issue of 2021, a monthly magazine that publishes 150,000 copies nationwide, and two other magazine and book, published in the same year

-won a top prize in Photo Contest at Tourism Expo in Osaka, hosted by SriLanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (in 2019)

-received Gold Award in CONRAD OSAKA opening Art Photo Contest among 367 entries

-coverered "NU7(top 7 national universities)" magazine, 50,000 copies (in 2018)

-2nd Prize in Festival Tower West Opening Photo Contest and her shot became a billboard advertisement

(both in 2017)

She was raised in Kobe, had attended schools and universities in Kyoto for twelve years.

Before enrolling to Columbia, since COVID19 forced her to suspend her vocation, she had served as a contract in-house interpreter at an IT department of SHIMADZU Corporation group(2020-2022), waiting her opportunity to fly to Manhattan.

She resides in her hometown Osaka from late August to next May, and in NYC every summer(June to the first week of August).

Tours in Japan are available in Spring, early summer(May), Autumn, and Winter.

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Feel free to contact me! Just inquiry is totally fine.

Let's have fun together☆★** Ai

Important

【Familiar towns】

My main areas are Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, and Himeji.

Since I used to live in Tokyo and travel around Metropolitan area very often, if you could cover my transportations(+ accomodation if necessary), I can travel(+stay) with you.

【Anyone is welcome!】

If you or your family members/friends are:

Vegetarians/vegans,

LGBTQ,

physically challenged people,

senior citizens and/or babies,

don't hesitate to ask me special requests.

I'm willing to help these guests:)

【Insurance】

Please take out your travel insurance. My insurance will NOT cover your sickness, injury, and/or accident during the tour.

Tours

Kaleidoscopic Kyoto w/Photographer+Private Taxi

Kyoto
6 hours

Ancient Artistic Kyoto Highlights Tour! An award-winning/a magazine-cover photographer & an MBA graduate who majored in tourism & hospitality management at Kyoto U will guide you to iconic places+the off-the-beaten tracks to take fantastic pictures. Knowing the city as a local student, an English teacher, and an in-house interpreter at SHIMADZU Corp Group for than fifteen years in total, made me a bonna-fide professional guide in one of the most popular travel destinations around the globe.

FROM$1,424/ per group

Outstanding Osaka w/Award-winning Photographer

Osaka
6 hours

One-day Osaka highlights tour! Guests will be able to visit major landmarks and enjoy local foods with an award-winning photographer! Since I have lived & worked in Osaka for more than ten years, I know my hometown very well, so I can take fantastic photos for you!! (My picture won the Gold Award of CONRAD Osaka Art Photo Contest among 367 entries, & Second Prize of Festival City Photo Contest, both works are used on their billboard, official websites, and SNSs.)

FROM$1,424/ per group

Himeji Castle w/Award-winning Photographer+taxi

Himeji
6 hours

We will go to Himeji Castle, KOUKOEN Garden(next to the castle), and Enjyoji Temple. Himeji Castle is also called White Heron/Eagret Castle. As its name signifies, the palace's white plaster walls beautifully mixed with four seasons-Cherry Blossoms in spring,-summer greens, -autumn foliage,-fresh snow in winter.

FROM$1,424/ per group

Healing Hiroshima fr Kyoto/Osaka w/Photographer+taxi

Kyoto
9 hours

A daytrip from KANSAI(Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara) to HIROSHIMA!First, we will eat HIROSHIMA-YAKI, a local pancake for lunch. After the lunch, I will show you around Peace Memorial Park, where former US Present Obama gave a great address. Last but not least, we will visit HIROSHIMA Castle to enjoy the beautiful sunset. 【Tour Highlights】 1. Behind-the-scene stories of diplomatic issues between Japan & US 2. Fantastic shots by award-winnig photographer!

FROM$2,136/ per group

Magical UNIVERSAL STUDIO Surprise☆** w/Former Crew

Osaka
6 hours

FROM$934/ per group

Nara & Kyoto-Animals in Ancient Capitals w/Photographer

Nara
6 hours

This tour is focusing on animals in ancient capitals. 1. Nara Park to meet deer. Deer has been regarded as a messenger of god. You can touch, feed, & take a picture w/them. Visit Todaiji Temple to see the largest Budda statue. 2. KYOTO Fushimi Inari Shrine, Monkey Park, or Kyoto Aquarium to enjoy many cute & unique animals, such as penguins, dolphins, & salamanders! Arashiyama is famous for its scenic beauty.

FROM$1,424/ per group

Reviews

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Zain G.

5.00
May 19, 2023

100% Would Recommend and Use Again

The highlight of our trip. We had an amazing time working with Ai to create a custom trip for our group for 3 days. The photos she took were such high quality which was a great perk of booking with her. She showed us places and gave us the history, as well as helped us book private taxis to make it easier to keep the whole group together. We 100% recommend working with her!

Z

Zain G.

5.00
May 19, 2023

Amazing Tour Guide and Excellent Photos!

The highlight of our trip. We had an amazing time working with Ai to create a custom trip for our group for 3 days. The photos she took were such high quality which was a great perk of booking with her. She showed us places and gave us the history, as well as helped us book private taxis to make it easier to keep the whole group together. We 100% recommend working with her!

Ai A.

Dear Zain,  Thanks for having me three days! I really enjoyed the trip very much. This is because all the guests are professionals in their fields(former lawyer, flight attendant, consultant, accountant etc.), everybody came from the cities where I've been to(three of them are my neighborhood in Manhattan lol), and we are around the same generation; that made us share the same values and beliefs in life. The highlights of Kyoto was not only visited iconic spots, such as Golden Pavilion and vermillion Torii Gates Fushimi Inari Shrine; but also we enjoyed tea ceremony experience, Gekkeikan Sake Brewery and Museum, and high-end Tempura Endo Restaurant in Gion in just a day. Yes, we'll definitely work together in the future. If you enjoy your hobby, that could be your job, and, if you work hard, that could be your vocation. Ai

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Zain G.

5.00
May 19, 2023

AMAZING TOUR GUIDE

The highlight of our trip. We had an amazing time working with Ai to create a custom trip for our group for 3 days. The photos she took were such high quality which was a great perk of booking with her. She showed us places and gave us the history, as well as helped us book private taxis to make it easier to keep the whole group together. We 100% recommend working with her!

A

Andy T.

5.00
Apr 24, 2023

Osaka downtown tour

Ai is definitely a professional tour guide as she explain and bring you to those highlights in a chill and relax vibe. She can agree to certain request such as bringing you to local hidden gems or local marketplace than regular sight-seeing. Ai can take pictures for you while explaining the history and places around at the same time. Thank you Ai !

Ai A.

Thanks for having me. Since we both love taking pictures and have MBA, I enjoyed talking while traveling with Andy very much. Please let me know if you ever have a chance to come back to Japan as your business trip, honeymoon, or just a vacation with your family and friends. I appreciate this serendipity. your guide, photographer, and new friend, Ai