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Takano Y.

Shibata castle in Niigata prefecture.

Mt.Fuji and shiba-zakura flowers in May.

Narabi Jizo in Nikko.

Tulip field in Niigata. Niigata is the number one producer of cut tulips and the number two producer of tulip bulbs in Japan.

Tokyo Private Tour - Young Ladies in Traditional Kimono shopping in Asakusa, Tokyo. You do not have to go to Kyoto or Nara to see women in colorful kimono costumes.

Young Ladies in Traditional Kimono shopping in Asakusa, Tokyo. You do not have to go to Kyoto or Nara to see women in colorful kimono costumes.

Tokyo Private Tour - Weeping Cherry Blossoms in Nikko. The blooming time of weeping cherry trees is usually later than other cherry, and therefore, you can enjoy various cherry blossoms for a long time in Spring.
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Weeping Cherry Blossoms in Nikko. The blooming time of weeping cherry trees is usually later than other cherry, and therefore, you can enjoy various cherry blossoms for a long time in Spring. .

Lake Ashi in Haknoe, close to Mt. Fuji. A suspension cable car is also shown on the right side bottom corner.

Tokyo Private Tour - Rice Terrace view from Hoshitoge (literally means Star Pass), Tokamachi-city in Niigata prefecture. It is the #1 ranked most popular rice terrace spot for foreign travelers to visit in Japan.

Rice Terrace view from Hoshitoge (literally means Star Pass), Tokamachi-city in Niigata prefecture. It is the #1 ranked most popular rice terrace spot for foreign travelers to visit in Japan.

Tokyo Private Tour - In front of Aokigahara Forest and Mt. Fuji. Aokigahara Forest is an ancient forest on a lava plateau stretching over the northwest base of Mount Fuji. It is best to go inside with a guide as it is very easy to get lost among trees.

In front of Aokigahara Forest and Mt. Fuji. Aokigahara Forest is an ancient forest on a lava plateau stretching over the northwest base of Mount Fuji. It is best to go inside with a guide as it is very easy to get lost among trees.

This mirror is one of the art objects at Hakone Open Air Museum.

Joined 2017

Takano Y.

4.93 / 5

(44 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Date

People

Available Areas

Tokyo (Living), Kamakura, Mount Fuji

Languages

English

Response Time

4 hours on average

Availability Updated

About Tour Guide Takano Y.

Obtained my National Guide License (English) in 2010 and my MBA from University of Michigan's Ross School of Business decades ago, when I had more hairs to allow me to choose variety of hair styles.

In the past, have lived outside Japan for the total of 12 years in such cities as Boulder, CO; Ann Arbor, MI; Washington DC (USA); Manila (PHI), Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Bishkek (Kyrgyz) and visited 40 countries----I stayed in Kyrgyz Republic between October 2018 and Feb. 2019 as my 40th country.

Examples of my tour destinations are Tokyo where I live, Nikko, Mt. Fuji 5th station, Lake Kawaguchiko, Aokigahara Forest, Hakone, Kamakura, Mt. Takao, Tateyama Kurobe Alpine route, Kanazawa, Gokayama, Shirakawa-go, Takayama and Niigata prefecture.

Foreign tourists/media who visited Tomioka Silk Mill (World heritage site) with me were interviewed by NHK TV crews at Tomioka, and my guests and I appeared on NHK Greater Tokyo Area evening TV news.

Since foreign travelers enjoy talking to local people who live in the areas, travelers are welcome to go out of their comfort zone and try to talk to local students on the street, housewives with shopping bags and small shop owners.

Currently live in Suginami-ku, western side of residential area in Tokyo with my wife and a Norfolk terrier. Able to reach Shinjuku or Shibuya areas in less than 30 minutes, Tokyo station area in 45 minutes, door to door from my residence by train.

Tours will be conducted using public transportations or taxis or private cars in some cases as needed. According to your interests, physical/health conditions and duration of your tour, I will tailor-made your tour and arrange destinations. I can meet you at your hotel and take you back when the tour concludes.

Consider myself as one of the most experienced travelers who have survived many difficult situations without getting into any serious trouble. Can be a good tour guide for business persons or retired business persons or travelers who like walking/outdoor activities/taking photos/wine or sake tasting/finding healthy food ---fresh seafood such as sushi, sashimi--soba or buckwheat noodles. Also, at the end of tours, travelers will be bringing home their photos taken by my CANON R6 camera during the tour.

Important

Born and raised in Niigata prefecture, visit my mother and sister who live in Niigata city every month from Tokyo. Niigata has lots of attractions for tourists, including Yahiko Shrine/suspension cable car ride to the top of Mt. Yahiko, Northern Culture Museum where you can see the richest farmer's residence and garden, sake breweries with free sake tasting, castle towns like Shibata city or Murakami city, winter ski resorts with four meters of snow, delicious local sea food from Sea of Japan or from Sado Island/ fruits and brown edamame. It takes only two hours by Shinkansen train to reach Niigata from Tokyo.

Niigata prefecture and Niigata city each has a population of 2.3 Million and 0.8 Million, good sizes but much smaller than Tokyo, the biggest city area in the world. By experiencing both Tokyo on the Pacific Ocean side and Niigata on the Sea of Japan side, you can taste both modern gigantic city life/culture and traditional city/rural life/culture in Japan.

In addition to Greater Tokyo Area where I live, I will be happy to be your guide in any cities/areas on the Sea of Japan side as well.

My tour destinations outside Greater Tokyo area include Niigata-city, Nagaoka -city, Itoigawa-city, Sado island, Nagano city, Snow Resorts in Niigata and Nagano mountain areas, Yamagata city, Tsuruoka city, Sakata city, Kanazawa city, Oono city, Echizen city, Tsuruga city, Fukui city, Gokayama and Shirakawago which are World Heritage sites famous for Gassho-zukuri and Kyoto/Nara.

Tours

All tours can be customized for you. Send me a message with your requests!

Best of Tokyo in one or two day(s)

One or two-day tour which covers best part of Tokyo with your personal guide. Even if you are a first timer in Tokyo, you can visit three to four locations per day of your choice; Asakusa, Tsukiji fish market, Kagurazaka Geisha District, Shinjuku Gyoen, Hamarikyu garden, Imperial Palace East Garden, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku / Omote-Sando, Shibuya crossing, Yanaka, teamLab, Ghibli Museum (advance ticket reservation by travelers required), National Museum, Edo-Tokyo Architectural Museum, Mt. Takao.

Best of Tokyo in one or two day(s)

FROM$393/ per group

Tokyo

9 hours

Day Trip to Nikko World-Heritage Site from Tokyo

Will take train from Shinjuku JR railway station or other station in the morning and stay in Nikko for five hours and come back to Shinjuku JR railway station in the evening. Even though Shinjuku is the most commonly used station because of the convenient train schedules to and from Nikko, any other JR or Metro stations instead of Shinjuku station can be chosen with an additonal hour or two.

Day Trip to Nikko World-Heritage Site from Tokyo

FROM$434/ per group

A Day Trip to Fuji National Park (Lake Kawaguchiko)

Tokyo

8 hours

A Day Trip to Fuji National Park (Lake Kawaguchiko)

Explore part of the Fuji National Park via highway bus with guide. You will visit lakeside town of Kawaguchiko, known for its panoramic views of Mt. Fuji and the mountain's symmetrical reflection in the lake. First stop will be a visit to the Saiko Iyashino-Sato Nemba with twenty thached roof houses standing on the shores of Lake Saiko. Next visit is to Oishi park on the north shore of Kawaguchiko with a superb view Mt.Fuji. However please keep in mind that she is a notoriously shy mountain.

A Day Trip to Fuji National Park (Lake Kawaguchiko)

FROM$412/ per group

Sake Brewery Visit/Tasting Tour to Niigata Prefecture

Tokyo

9 hours

Sake Brewery Visit/Tasting Tour to Niigata Prefecture

Walking through old traditional streets in Niigata will bring you back in time where you will be able to feel the sense of the past times combined with modern. Niigata is famous for its beautiful coastal and mountainous sceneries but Niigata prefecture is also well known for the brewing of "miso" "soy sauce" "sake" which have been carried out for centuries. Day Trip from Toky Tour will start 8:00am at your hotel and take Shinkansen to Niigata prefecture where you spend half day.

Sake Brewery Visit/Tasting Tour to Niigata Prefecture

FROM$434/ per group

Tokyo

7 hours

Best of Tokyo in one or two day(s)

One or two-day tour which covers best part of Tokyo with your personal guide. Even if you are a first timer in Tokyo, you can visit three to four locations per day of your choice; Asakusa, Tsukiji fish market, Kagurazaka Geisha District, Shinjuku Gyoen, Hamarikyu garden, Imperial Palace East Garden, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku / Omote-Sando, Shibuya crossing, Yanaka, teamLab, Ghibli Museum (advance ticket reservation by travelers required), National Museum, Edo-Tokyo Architectural Museum, Mt. Takao.

Best of Tokyo in one or two day(s)

FROM$393/ per group

Tokyo

9 hours

Day Trip to Nikko World-Heritage Site from Tokyo

Will take train from Shinjuku JR railway station or other station in the morning and stay in Nikko for five hours and come back to Shinjuku JR railway station in the evening. Even though Shinjuku is the most commonly used station because of the convenient train schedules to and from Nikko, any other JR or Metro stations instead of Shinjuku station can be chosen with an additonal hour or two.

Day Trip to Nikko World-Heritage Site from Tokyo

FROM$434/ per group

Tokyo

8 hours

A Day Trip to Fuji National Park (Lake Kawaguchiko)

Explore part of the Fuji National Park via highway bus with guide. You will visit lakeside town of Kawaguchiko, known for its panoramic views of Mt. Fuji and the mountain's symmetrical reflection in the lake. First stop will be a visit to the Saiko Iyashino-Sato Nemba with twenty thached roof houses standing on the shores of Lake Saiko. Next visit is to Oishi park on the north shore of Kawaguchiko with a superb view Mt.Fuji. However please keep in mind that she is a notoriously shy mountain.

A Day Trip to Fuji National Park (Lake Kawaguchiko)

FROM$412/ per group

Tokyo

9 hours

Sake Brewery Visit/Tasting Tour to Niigata Prefecture

Walking through old traditional streets in Niigata will bring you back in time where you will be able to feel the sense of the past times combined with modern. Niigata is famous for its beautiful coastal and mountainous sceneries but Niigata prefecture is also well known for the brewing of "miso" "soy sauce" "sake" which have been carried out for centuries. Day Trip from Toky Tour will start 8:00am at your hotel and take Shinkansen to Niigata prefecture where you spend half day.

Sake Brewery Visit/Tasting Tour to Niigata Prefecture

FROM$434/ per group

Reviews

Carsten H.

3 / 5

Oct 9, 2026

Best of Tokyo in one or two day(s)

Oct 9, 2026

Tokyo

7 hours

“Not worth the money”

We booked a 6h trip in Tokyo costing more than 380 USD altogether. While Takano Y was a good guide, and reliably took us to the pre agreed sightseeing’s, our overall summary of that day is mixed. All of the spots could have been visited by ourselves easily and without delays. We were most impressed, how easy it has become to navigate in Tokyo, how many English speaking people would support you, thus recommend to save your money for more value add activities rather than wasting for a totally overpriced escort.

Takano Y.

Thank you for your feedback, and for choosing to spend your first day in Tokyo with me. It was a pleasure to guide you both, and I was impressed that, in addition to Swiss German, you speak French, Italian and English! For clarity, the tour you booked was a 7-hour tour, not 6. We met at your hotel at 8:50 a.m. and parted ways at 4:20 p.m., so we actually spent about 7.5 hours together. We covered every stop we had agreed on during our detailed planning beforehand. You’re right that Tokyo has become very easy to navigate. My hope was that exploring together would give you a head start with the subway system, such as using station exits and transferring between lines, so you could confidently get around on your own for the rest of your trip. Thank you again, and I hope you have a wonderful time during the rest of your Japan journey.

Ann M.

5 / 5

May 1, 2026

Best of Tokyo in one or two day(s)

May 1, 2026

Tokyo

7 hours

“Excellent Guide!”

Takano was absolutely a fantastic guide, funny, knowledgeable, easy going and made sure I got to see everything I wanted. He can definitely out-hike me with ease. Highly recommend him if you want a fun and smooth experience. One of the best guides we’ve had in Japan.

Takano Y.

Thank you so much for your kind review! I’m glad we switched our Tokyo tour to Kamakura tour. It was a pleasure hiking from Engakuji Temple to Hasedera Temple with you and your husband while enjoying such great conversation.

Beth H.

5 / 5

Jul 17, 2025

Best of Tokyo in one or two day(s)

Jul 17, 2025

Tokyo

7 hours

“Great Last-Minute Guide”

Yoshi communicated well from the very beginning when I realized I would appreciate having someone to guide me. He was kind, easy to be with, and made meeting up convenient. I didn’t have much of an idea what I wanted to see, and the tour ended up different than I expected. I thought we’d see things around Tokyo and before I knew it we were headed on a train an hour each way to Mt Takao. It was beautiful there and I’m glad we did it but wished I’d been given a little more information on cost and time, as I might not have chosen to spend so much time this way. It got more expensive once his lift ticket, lunch, and train fares were included. I’d recommend Yoshi for sure! Just know what you want to do and have an itinerary in mind.

Takano Y.

Beth came to Tokyo all the way from Indianapolis, US to meet her bright son who is a freshman at Waseda University where I also spent four years. Our tour started from JR Takadanobaba station and after visiting Mt Takao and other two locations in Tokyo, ended at Waseda University campus. Since she can use her son as a free English-speaking guide in the city of Tokyo, we decided to spend a half day going to 599-meter-high Mt. Takao in the suburb of Tokyo. My apology to let her spend 860-yen roundtrip ticket on railway to and from Shinjuku to the foot of Mt. Takao and another 950-yen roundtrip ticket for chair lift at the mountain without explaining the cost in advance. I enjoyed talking with her as we have had covered every topic from US big ten sports to the difference in college life, cultures, religion and food between US and Japan.