Our first time visiting Japan this summer was an unforgettable experience, and we very much attribute those memories to our time with Keiko as our guide in Tokyo. We got very lucky that Keiko was available when we decided last minute to book a guide for our first time in Tokyo. From the get-go, she was quick to respond on email offering any help all the way up until the moment we met her at our hotel for our first day out on the town where she whipped out a typed-out itinerary. She narrated fun and interesting factoids for each landmark as if she was a relative who was hosting us. We knew right away that we hit the jackpot with such an experienced and professional guide. What we didn't expect was how fondly we would become attached to her. Her warmth, humor and down-to-Earth quality got us bonding through our shared meals and venturing the city. From being our translator to offering advice and tips on navigating the city's public transport, she was always looking out for us like a relative or friend. She literally went the distance in helping out when we sprinted on foot to the JR Station before it closed so she can help with last-minute train tix purchases. Then even after our verklempt goodbye, she continued to be available, checking in to see how were were faring at our next destination and advising on weather-related notices. If it weren't for her, we may have missed our flight and been stuck grounded by the typhoon. We could not have asked for a better, more caring and personable guide. Keiko's lasting impression on a family truly made this a special trip. I'm beyond grateful to have met her and can't wait to go back to see her again!
My family had the pleasure of spending two days with Tomoe where we toured sites in Kyoto and then took a day trip to Nara together. She has a very positive energy, which made my husband, college-age children and I thoroughly enjoy spending these days with her. Tomoe is knowledgeable, warm, kind, thoughtful, and, simply, an outstanding tour guide. When learning that my husband is a vegetarian, she suggested a wonderful Zen vegan restaurant for lunch at Shigetsu at Tenryuji Temple that we all loved. It was a great experience. She took great photos of our family and suggested slightly off- the-beaten path spots in popular sites. When we had a little extra time at the end of our first day, she quickly adapted and added a visit to the Imperial Palace garden. She was responsive and really listened to our preferences, which made these tours and spending two full days together special. Our day in Kyoto included Nijyoyo Castle, Golden Pavilion, lunch at Shigetsu at Tenryuji Temple, Bamboo Forest, and Imperial Palace National garden. Our second day included visiting Nara where we saw the Tōdai-ji Temple, Nara Park, and Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha. We enjoyed a ramen lunch in the park. Then we returned to Kyoto to see the Fushimi Inari Shrine. We highly recommend Tomoe as a tour guide! She is wonderful!
My family thoroughly enjoyed our day with Toshihiro. He provided a wonderfully efficient and full introduction to Tokyo. Toshi was prompt, willing to adapt to our jet lag if needed (we pushed through and stuck with the tour he planned for us), and was a pleasure to spend the day with. He knew the Tokyo subway extremely well (down to which car positioned us best for exiting), and was kind enough to help us book the rest of our train tickets for travel to other cities on our trip. We visited the Hie Shrine, Imperial Palace (park and double bridge), Tsukiji Fish Market, (including a delicious sushi lunch at his suggested restaurant), Uneo Park, Asakusa neighborhood and Sensoji Temple, and the Shibuya neighborhood. We would highly recommend a tour with Toshihiro!
We have a great time taking a full-day walking tour with Toshihiro around Tokyo. He took us to the major sites. He navigated the metro very well, spoke good English, answered our questions and was very friendly. He introduced us to a tasty sushi restaurant. Highly recommend a tour with Toshihiro!
With a real local of your choice
Just contact your favorite local
So no group tours with strangers