Joined 2018
Shoji K.
Available Areas
Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Yokohama
Languages
English
Response Time
5 hours on average
Availability Updated
1 day ago
About Tour Guide Shoji K.
Hi! Welcome to Japan. My name is Shoji Kitamura, a licensed English-speaking tour guide. Please call me Shoji that is the same sound as a sliding screen made of wood and paper you may have seen in a traditional Japanese room.
I was born and raised in Yokohama next to Tokyo but lived for work in several beautiful and historical cities such as Nikko, Hiroshima, and Ise which have world heritage sites and/or national park. I fully enjoyed the nature, culture and lives in each city where I lived.
I retired after 36 years with a national research institute of fisheries in 2016.
During my career, I visited 5 continents except Antarctica, more than 20 nations for attending international scientific conferences, conducting collaborative research or teaching some technologies, etc. In Japan, I often took foreign scientists and government officers sightseeing. I had great times in these opportunities.
Such experiences made me decide to become a licensed English-speaking guide interpreter after retirement to introduce Japanese nature, culture, foods, etc. properly to many tourists coming to Japan from all over the world.
For more than 20 years I’ve been living in Nikko, which is located about 150km north of Tokyo, and designated as a World Heritage site and a National Park. If you consider a day trip from Tokyo, I strongly recommend coming to Nikko by 2-hour train ride from Tokyo. I am looking forward to showing you around in this historical and beautiful town.
Besides Nikko, I can also guide you in Yokohama, my home town, and in neighboring city such as Tokyo and Kamakura.
Important
I can guide you in Hiroshima if you pay my transportation fee.
Tours
All tours can be customized for you. Send me a message with your requests!
Categories
Your Best Choice of Tokyo One-day Tour
Your Best Choice of Tokyo One-day Tour
Must-see in Nikko One-day Tour
Must-see in Nikko One-day Tour
Must-sees in Kamakura One-day Tour
Must-sees in Kamakura One-day Tour
Must-see in Hakone One-day Tour
Must-see in Hakone One-day Tour
Nikko World Heritage One-day Tour
Nikko World Heritage One-day Tour
Highland Nikko Hiking and Cruising One-day Tour (May to Oct.)
Highland Nikko Hiking and Cruising One-day Tour (May to Oct.)
Reviews
Ceci G.
“Lackluster tour with almost no information given”
I have taken several tours around the world, and this one by far was my least favorite. I booked this tour for our first full day of Tokyo to learn about 5 of the major sites. Not only did Shoji barely share information about the sites, he was so soft spoken that when we would ask questions, we could barely hear him. Half way through our tour, he put on a mask and we couldn’t hear anything when he did talk. I kept leaning in and asking what he said. We took the tour on a Wednesday and several of the places in the fish market were closed. He didn’t tell us until we arrived at the fish market. The website said 2,000-3,000¥ ($13-$20) per person for lunch, and you pay for his meal. He took us to a sushi restaurant and that was our most expensive meal ($98/14,700 ¥) in Tokyo ($32/per person). It kept getting worse as the day progressed. Shoji would not talk to us. We kept constantly asking for more information of the area, site, or just about Tokyo. He said a couple sentences then was silent again as he power walked ahead. The River Cruise was complete silence. There was a tour guide with guests sitting behind us, and we learned so much by listening to her. The Imperial Palace, Asakusa-Sensoji Temple, and Meiji Temple were all the same. He barely said a word to us. I had to ask him to tell us the procedures on entering the temples/shrines because I had read there’s a process. I have never had a tour guide that barely talked. We went on other tours in Tokyo with phenomenal tour guides so it’s not that the Japanese are quiet and shy. To end the tour, Shoji told us we still owed him 3,000¥ (1,000¥ per person) for the River Cruise. You have to pay for his ticket. His tour info said 750¥ was the entry fee for the cruise, so I don’t know if we overpaid. He didn’t show us the receipt, he just told us we owed him that. Shoji has no enthusiasm and for a tour guide - that is key for me. Writing an honest review so that others do not have the same experience.
Peter B.
“Excellent introductory day in Tokyo”
Excellent full first day, 5 top but very varied places to go, super lunch, smooth travelling and understanding of metro system, all on time, and with history, culture and knowledge all added in. Recommended!
Beryn H.
“Don't miss the view from the observatory, the Tsukiji Outer Market or the Shiboya crossing”
My husband and I recently spent four days touring in Japan with Shoji. He patiently and expertly steered us through a very confusing combination of multiple subways rides, regular trains, tramways and cable cars, as required each day, including obtaining the requisite tickets. He is knowledgeable about a great many different areas of Japan, so he was able to guide us to Nikko, Hakone, and Kamakura - as well as multiple locations within the metro-Tokyo area. It was a pleasure to be able to explore with the same well-educated guide for all four days, and his English fluency was perfect for us as we speak no Japanese.
Other Popular Tour Guides in Kanagawa
Sumita Y.
I have been involved in international affairs in my career, and I got qualified as a national guided interpreter in 2016. Since then, I have guided tourists from various countries such as US, Holland, Canada, France, Spain, Singapore, Mexico, China and Australia. Places I have guided are major tourist spots such as Asakusa, Ueno, Yanaka, Imperial Palace, Meiji-Jingu Shrine, Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji Outer Market, Harajuku, Shibuya, Ginza and more. I will do my best to make your trip be more impressive and memorable.
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.
Hiroshi S.
Hello, I'm Hiroshi. I am a National Government Licensed Tour Guide Interpreter in English. I have got a master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the U.S. I have been living in a city of Fujisawa, which is the city next to Kamakura, for more than 20 years, and also lived in Kamakura for more than 10 years. So far, I have visited almost all the temples and shrines in Kamakura. So I am sure I can offer you a pleasant trip to the historical city, Kamakura. In addition to Kamakura, I can also guide Tokyo, Yokohama, Hakone, Nikko, etc. because I have visited many places in Kanto area. For example, in Tokyo I can show you around the sightseeing spots such as Asakusa, Tsukiji, Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Skytree, etc. I like baseball and used to play baseball, but now enjoy watching professional baseball games. And I like watching Rakugo, Japanese traditional story-telling performance. Of course, I also like travelling very much, and am interested in Japanese culture and history. So I would like to show you Japanese tradition and culture. Let’s enjoy a trip in Japan together. I am looking forward to seeing you soon.
