Joined 2015
Fujiko M.
Available Areas
Niigata (Living), Sado
Languages
English, Japanese
Response Time
4 hours on average
Availability Updated
5 days ago
About Tour Guide Fujiko M.
Hello! My name is Fujiko Maeda. I'm a national-licensed tour guide. I was born in Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata Prefecture. I once worked in tourism industry for about 10 years when I lived in Tokyo. Now I'm a persimmon farmer but when time permits I'm happy to guide you here in Sado mainly but also other places, too. We have a lot to offer like beautiful nature, historical sites, local specialties, traditional performing arts, festivals, islanders smiles and so on.
If you'd like to know real Japanese lifestyle, please visit Sado.
I'm sure you'll be satisfied.
Let's explore Sado or other wonderful and beautiful places with me!
Also, if you have any questions about Sado or Japan as a whole, please don't hesitate to email me.
Important
Booking should be made 3days in advance.
Tours
All tours can be customized for you. Send me a message with your requests!
Categories
Niigata City one day tour of your choices
Located on the Japan sea side of mainland Honshu, about 2 hours bullet train ride from Tokyo, Niigata city has been flourished as one of the major port towns for centuries. Along with this historical background, Niigata city is now well known for delicious "koshihikari" rice, varieties of tasty sake, fresh products from both land and sea. In this tour, you can choose 3 or 4 places to visit for 7-hour sightseeing tour. We mainly use public transportation networks like Niigata city loopline bus service ( one-day ticket JPY 500 ) and taxi if necessary. The places of choices are as follows: 1. Niigata City Aquarium "Marinepia Nihonkai" Displaying both marine and fresh water fish in the region and aquatic animals. Dolphin shows are performed daily. JPY 1500 Closed from Dec.29-Jan.1, Mar.3,4 2. Pia Bandai Fish and vegatable market with restaurants popular for locals and tourists. 3. "Imayotsukasa" sake brewery There is a guided tour and you can sample tasty sake. 4. The Niigata Saito Villa Built about 100 years ago, this gorgeous villa and Japanese style garden attracts visitors all year round. JPY 300 Closed on Mondays, from Dec.28-Jan.3 5. Minatopia with Former Niigata Customs House There are also Former Daishi Bank building and Niigata City History Museum by the Shinano River. 6. Former Ozawa Family Residence Authentic machiya-style house with beautiful garden from the Meiji Period. JPY 200 Closed on Mondays, from Dec.28-Jan.3 7. Honcho Market Located on the bustling Furumachi ( old town ) district, vendors sell all kinds of food with reasonable prices. * vendors are less on Sundays 8. Strolling Furumachi district for 1 hour Furumachi was once known as geigi (geisha) district like Kyoto and there are many restaurants, temples, old and new buildings in this area. * you can combine this choice with the Saito Villa or/and the Ozawa Residence (both in Furumachi district). Please choose places you'd like to visit and email me. Let's have fun in Niigata city!
Shukunegi - the village of sengokubune, sailingship of Edo era
This small coastal village once prospered as the center of shipbuilding industry during the Edo era. After the Meiji Restoration, the industry fell into decline due to the overall Westernization and the development of other transportation networks like railways. The village was once almost forgotten. However, the descendants stood up to restore the legacy of their ancesters and have been working hard to keep it. Building the exact replica of the old Edo-era sailing ship shows their enthusiasm and solidarity. In this tour, we stroll in the village, visiting one of the ship owner's house called "Seikuro" which is open to the public. You can see the skillfully built houses by ship carpenters. Then we visit Sado-koku Ogi Folk Museum which houses the exact replica of the old sengokubune ship called "Hakusan-maru", thousands of folkcrafts, household utensils, ship carpenters tools and more. Shukunegi was registered as the district of the Groups of Traditional Buildings. Once you step inside, you are in the maze of Edo era. * Special notice: "Seikuro" will be closed until Mar.31 Sado-koku Ogi Folk Museum will be closed on Mondays until March, 2016 Also closed from Dec.29 - Jan.3 for new year holidays. *Special choice: If some of the facilities are closed, we can go to Iwayasan Cove nearby to see 88 stone statues for a short pilgrimage.
Murakami city Sake Sake one day tour
Murakami city is located in the northern part of Niigata Prefecture. The city was flourished during the Edo period as a castle town governed by the Murakami clan. It is famous for "鮭-sake-salmon", "酒-another sake-Japanese sake", "Tsuishu" lacquer ware, Machiya houses, Murakami beef, Murakami green tea, Hina doll festival and more! In this tour we visit several must-see places in this diverse city. 1.Kikkawa: A shop selling salmon products. You will be surprised to see so many dried salmons hung from the ceiling of the shop. 2.Taiyo Sake Brewery: You can sample some of its products like "Taiyozakari". 3.Machiya houses open to the public ( some of them are shops selling salmon products, green tea, blacksmith, restaurant and so on. 4.Iyoboya Kaikan (salmon museum): You can learn why Murakami city became famous for salmon. Murakami city has succeeded in preserving old-style Japanese houses and you can enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere it produces. It is mostly a walking tour(about 3-4 km) and we may use loop bus or taxi accordingly. You can take Uetsuhonsen line from Niigata to Murakami, about 1-hour by local train.
Sado Gold and Silver Mine: Relics tell you 400 years of history
Sado has been well known as one of the major gold and silver production sites in Japan. It has the history of 1000 years. There are four major minig sites in Sado: Nishimikawa alluvial gold mine, Tsurushi silver mine, Niibo silver mine and Sado (Aikawa) gold and silver mine. Sado gold and silver mine was the biggest of all with 400 years of history. Mining in Aikawa started in the late 16th century and was halted in 1989. In this tour, we first visit Sado Gold and Silver Mine Museum, where we enter the Sodayu tunnel which is open to the public. The Sodayu tunnel was dug manually by thousands of mine workers during the Edo period. You can see the whole process of gold and silver production at that time. Then we see some old buildings and a relic built from Meiji to Showa era. These buildings were used to crush, store and smelt ores. Next, we visit the graveyard of Mushuku-nin(people without register) brought in from Edo and Osaka to work as drainage workers. Then, we walk down the street called Kyomachi-dori, once bustled with mine workers, government officials and towns people. Kyomachi-dori street linked Sado Magistrate Office to mining sites. Aikawa town was developed and divided into communities with same occupation. Along the way, we see old buildings, workshops, local grocery store and cafes. We walk past old bell tower, Sado Hanga-mura Museum(print museum) originally built as a district court and Sado Magistrate Office. Finally, we visit Kitazawa area, developed from Meiji to Showa era with modern Western mining technologies to produce gold and silver effectively. Ruined factories, thermal power plant and a 50-meter thickener have remained. Sado Gold and Silver Mine has practiced cutting-edge production methods of each era and you can see the authenticity here in Aikawa. FYI, walking distance is about 3 kilometers.
Hina Doll Festival in Aikawa (seasonal tour in Sado From Mar.3 to Mar.20)
Mar. 3rd is "Girl's day" called Hina Matsuri (dolls festival) in Japan. Households with girls display their Hina Dolls to pray for the happiness and healthy growth of their children. Aikawa town in Sado prospered from the beginning of the 17th century to the late 20th century along with the development of Sado Gold and Silver Mine. People of many kinds of professions moved to Aikawa from many parts of Japan to make a fortune and brought in colorful cultures and traditions which led to create an unique Sado culture and tradition. During this time of year, hotels, sightseeing spots, cafes, shops and even private homes exhibit their Hina Dolls for the public and visitors can enjoy walking in the town admiring dolls from different eras. In this tour, we walk around Aikawa town and visit places where Hina Dolls are displayed. With diverse historical backgrounds, there are many kinds of Hina Dolls in Aikawa, some of them from the Edo period or older, the others are made by modern craftsmen. FYI, No.1 At some hotels and restaurants, you can enjoy special "Hina Doll Festival" lunch. No.2 This is a walking tour in Aikawa, but some of the places are accessible by taxi.
Reviews
Heike E.
“Auf den Spuren den Lachses in Japan”
Es war ein interessanter Ausflug im Zeichen des Lachses. Sehr schön war auch, eine ruhige und nicht so sehr touristische Stadt zu sehen. Fujiko war sehr pünktlich, sowohl sie als auch der Fahrer waren sehr an unserer deutschen Kultur interessiert.
Fujiko M.
Hello Heike san, Thank you very much for writing the review of the tour. I feel happy that you enjoyed the quiet yet history-rich Murakami city. Please explore more about Japan more in the future with your wonderful friends! Best regards, Fujiko
Justin K.
“Customised tour of Sado Island”
Fujiko is an excellent tour guide and we enjoyed ourselves very much as we got to take a deeper look at different parts of Sado island. She has a great command of English, explains the context of Sado's history, development and other interesting tidbits of information very well. She was also accommodating to fit in many places of interest in our day tour of the island. She is friendly and will take on any question you ask her with pleasure. We highly recommend her. (:
Fujiko M.
Hi Justin, Good day to you! Thank you very much for writing such a wonderful review of the tour. It was a cold autumn day but the weather was beautiful and I guess you could visit the places you had in mind in this 6&1/2 hour tour. Sado Island is much different from Singapore even tough the area is about the same. I hope you could refresh yourselves in a tiny still unknown island!! Please stay healthy and happy:) Hope to guide you in the near future. Fujiko
Ann H.
“Niigata Toyr with Fujiko”
I appreciate the time Fujiko took to show me around Niigata-shi. She was accompanied by a friend and fellow tour guide,Taku, who kindly provided the transportation. The tour was informative and entertaining! I was allowed to customize the tour with sites I was interested in seeing, and Fujiko created a wonderful plan for my seven hour tour. After meeting me at my hotel, we visited a Senbei factory, creating our own seasoning for our rice crackers; a Sake brewery tour & sampling; a fish market; a street market where I purcashed the local sweet treat, Sasa Dango; a delicious lunch enjoying Wappameshi; walking the Furumachi area; and ending at the Hakusan Shrine and garden. Taku also helped me purchase my train tickets at the Niigata Station for the next day. I appreciated their patience with all of my questions. They made my first trip to Niigata comfortable with their friendly and experienced guidance and information! I would gladly schedule with them again for future tours. Thank you! Ann
Fujiko M.
Hi Ann san, Thank you very much for writing such a wonderful review for the tour. Taku and I are happy that you enjoyed the tour in Niigata city with us. Niigata is not yet well known for foreign tourists but it has rich history and must-see places. Next time, we may visit the suburbs of Niigata city. So, we are looking forwrard to meeting you again in the near future! Please take care and see you! Fujiko
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Mutsuko W.
Yokoso! Welcome! Hi, I'm Mutsuko, a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter. A true Niigatite, I was born and raised in Niigata City with roots dating back generations. I would be pleased to show you another side of Japan in my beautiful and unique prefecture. The Warm Hospitality: Niigata Prefecture is located on the west coast of the Japanese Archipelago, facing the Sea of Japan and provides a true insider look into the Japanese spirit. Only two hours away from Tokyo by Shinkansen, it has been perfecting the art of casual hospitality through centuries as a culinary hotspot and nature getaway for the those escaping the rat-race. History at your own Pace: Appreciate history and culture at your own pace in Niigata. Yahiko, National Shrine has been soothing souls, and inspiring locals, poets, and travellers for over 2500 years. Historically significant buildings greet seafarers at Niigata Port and the old town area, Furumachi. Cross the symbolic Bandai Bridge to the other side of the Shinano River where we can move from the ancient to the modern in the Bandai area to shop and gather with young and old for entertainment such as movies, music, manga, and anime. Over the Sea, Over the Mountain, Over the Fields: Nature is good to Niigata Prefecture, giving us four clear-cut seasons. People from all over the country, and travellers wanting to experience Japan with the Japanese join us to soak in the sun on our beaches, relax at spa resorts, challenge themselves on world class ski hills, and dance together at festivals that draw world class performers. Travel with Me: With direct trains to and from Tokyo and an international airport, Niigata is just a stone's throw away to have a unique taste of Japan. Whether you're planning a day trip or a longer stay, I invite you to visit Niigata City and other parts of the prefecture, and while here, it would be my pleasure to help you create unique memories during your stay.
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Hello, my name is Yoshiko Khan. I was born and brought up in Niigata. As we have high mountains, plains, clear rivers, the sea of Japan and islands, you can enjoy diversity of nature and its blessings in each season. Dubbed as a snow country, very patient people in this prefecture have produced many high quality specialties in agriculture, fishery, traditional arts and industry. Enjoy delicious, healthy food and sake here in Niigata. It's only two-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo. I am very much looking forward to seeing you!
Keiichi S.
Hello! My name is Keiichi. Please call me Kei. I was born and raised in Joetsu City, located in the southern part of Niigata prefecture. Joetsu was the former capital city of Echigo Province until the mid 19th century. It has a lot of historic sites and scenic spots, and most of all good people. I love my city very much. I worked for the Joetsu City office for over thirty years. During my time there, I was in charge of international relations for about ten years. After retiring from the office, I began working as a licensed tour guide. I am very excited to introduce my city to people all over the world.
