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Joined 2017
Takano Y.
Available Areas
Tokyo (Living), Kamakura, Mount Fuji
Languages
English
Response Time
5 hours on average
Availability Updated
Today
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!
Categories
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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)
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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
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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)
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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
Reviews
Beth H.
“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.
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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.
Rick R.
“Even with a rainy day this was a bright spot of our vacation!”
Our time with Yoshi was one of the highlights of our time in Japan. Aside from the tour, which was wonderful, he really helped me feel comfortable with using the rail system to get around Tokyo for the rest of our stay. He took us to lunch at this little out of the way place that was so cozy and welcoming, it was a delight. Thank you Yoshi for a great day.
Takano Y.
Thank you for your review. Despite a cold rainy weather, I have enjoyed spending a whole day with Rick and his young adult son walking around Tokyo. Next time, please bring the whole family with you to Japan during the cherry blossom season.
John W.
“With Takano Yoshi, We Felt Japanese”
My wife and I spent our first two days in Tokyo with Takano Yoshi. Having lived in the US, India and other countries, Yoshi is sensitive to the intimidation of being a stranger in a strange land. Spending time with Yoshi is more than a tour, it is a cultural revelation, replete with insights and suggestions that will enrich your further travels in Japan and beyond. Yoshi's guidance enhanced our entire two-weeks in Japan. We will introduce Yoshi to everyone we know going to Japan and will re-engage him when we return. Takano Yoshi surpassed our expectations. Arigato gozaimasu Yoshi!!!
Takano Y.
It is good to hear from you, John san. You must have returned safely to your residence in Virginia Beach by now. I enjoyed walking with and eating lunch with Kim san John san who can appreciate the real Japanese food such as Sushi and Japanese eels. Please visit Japan again during cherry blossom season.
Other Popular Tour Guides in Tokyo
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Kaneo U.
I’m so excited to have a chance to show you around my favorite spots in Kanagawa prefecture. I was born in Kanagawa. I spent my whole school life, including university, here in Kanagawa. I worked as a high school English teacher here for more than 40 years. I love Kanagawa so much. We have many interesting tourist spots, like Hakone, Kamakura, Enoshima and Yokohama. I got my tour guide license in English in 2009. I am still an English teacher. To give an interesting and impressive lesson to young high school students, I’ve learnt and gathered many kinds of information. I also have a license to teach social studies, so I have a wide range of knowledge about Japanese culture and history. I’m sure to provide you an interesting tour.
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Grant A.
Hello! My name is Grant, and I’ve spent over a decade living and exploring Japan. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, I first came to Japan as a high school exchange student in Inuyama, a historic castle town in Aichi. My love for Japan began early—sparked by childhood games like Pokémon that were released in Japanese before English. That early curiosity grew into a lifelong passion for Japanese language, culture, and history. I hold an N2 on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, a degree in Asian Studies from a Tokyo university, and I graduated from the Japan Visual Media Translation Academy. I’ve visited all 47 prefectures and explored a wide range of historical sites, shrines, and castles throughout the country. My background in Japanese history helps me provide context that brings depth and meaning to the places we visit—whether it's understanding a centuries-old temple in Kyoto, the story behind a castle ruin, or uncovering the historical layers of a Tokyo neighborhood. If you’re planning to explore Tokyo, here are some tour options to consider: One day in Tokyo? The Ginza Line Tour offers a great introduction to the city’s highlights. Two days? Pair the East Tokyo Tour and West Tokyo Tour to get a well-rounded experience. Interested in anime? The Anime Tour is flexible and can be tailored to match your specific interests. For those looking to go beyond the city, I also offer day trips to Nikko, Kamakura, and other nearby destinations. While most guests book Tokyo-based tours, I also guide in other regions—especially Kyoto, where I’ve visited every World Heritage Site. I regularly lead tours in Osaka, Nara, Nagoya, Hikone, and other locations easily reached by rail. Multi-day and custom tours are available on request. Full-Day Tour: 40,000 yen (8 hours) Full-Day Tour Outside of Tokyo: 40,000 yen + transportation Feel free to get in touch to plan a tour that fits your interests and travel plans.
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Tak Y.
Hi, my name is Tak. I have seen travelers. And, I found they got tired of typical sightseeing spots, like crowded temples and shrines. There must be spots fit to your feeling and interests, more in Japan. Then, I’d like to propose. Why don’t you start unique and original tour, only your hearts bring to yourselves? . I had guided Pokemon tour Ghost story tour Inari Shrines tour Live house tour Bento (lunchbox) tour Textile tour Papermaking tour I’ll search the site you want to see and create your unique itinerary. First, could you give your message about things you want to do and see in Japan? Let’s make great time you can’t never forget. Thank you so much. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. I live in SHITAMACHI, Tokyo, or old residential town near ASAKUSA and UENO. My hobby is strolling and I walk about this area almost every day. I know even the smallest path, big and small museums, workshops of artisans, an impressive view of gigantic tree, a beer bar in an impressive old house, unique souvenir shops, cats living in Yanaka and many, many other attractive spots in this area. You can expect a day that nobody read in guide books. So! I hope you name me as the navigator of your fantastic memory-making-tour!!!! I’m 61-year-old and I still love rock’n roll music. If you want to enjoy live music in Tokyo, I can also arrange the location and occasion according to your mood and boom.
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