Kahoko led our party through an amazing 7 hour tour of West Tokyo. We could not thank her enough by the end of the day (24,000 steps!). My daughter planned key sites that she thought her 10 year old daughter would appreciate in the Shinjuku district, so we worked with Kahoko to formulate an efficient itinerary for a one day tour. Kahoko has experience in the service industry and is quite comfortable leading adults and children. She spoke clearly and understandably in English, paying attention to our every need, including our 10 year old's, making sure we all felt included and engaged. We met in the Hilton Shinjuku. After she made sure we had all our supplies: a hat, water and suntan lotion, we left for the subway on time. The outside temperature was about 35C (over 95F), with high humidity so we had to be prepared with the right clothing as well. Kahoko brought us ICOCA cards, which are cash cards like SUICA except these have English instructions for reloading money. Getting on and off the subway with these cards is very smooth and efficient. The cards can also be used on trains and in stores, like 7-11. We used over 1000 yen in one day traveling on the subway. Kahoko made us feel very comfortable throughout, herding us into the shade where possible and ensuring we drank enough water. She also watched the clock to keep us on our timetable, with sufficient time to visit each site. She preplanned a Shabu Shabu lunch, which involves cooking thin slices of beef and veggies in a hot pot. Reservations are a must. We hit all the hot spots including Shibuya crossing, Shibuya sky, Shinjuku including the 3D cat billboard, Harajuku, Takeshita street, the statue of Hachiko, the Meiji Jingu shrine and Omotesando street. A few other pointers. Papago is an outstanding app that translates about 20 languages (Japanese too) both in writing and speech. You must bring a garbage bag, toilets are very clean and bring a portable phone charger. Thank you for a great tour, Kahoko!
Yuriko guided myself and my son for a one-day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima and then to sacred island of Miyajima. She is a wonderful guide. Knowledgeable, well organized and good company. Would happily recommend her to anyone thinking about a guide.
Thank you for using your precious time in order to post such a good review and comments! I'm so happy to hear that you and your son enjoyed Hiroshima and Miyajima. I also had a wonderful day with both of you. Please come to Japan again, maybe next destination would be Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture. If so, please drop in my hometown, Gifu! Gifu has lots of sightseeing spots, such as swordsmith town, Seki City, beautiful and nostalgic castle town, Gujo-hachiman and Takayama, and World Heritage Site, Shirakawago. See you again! Yuriko
Had a great day with Prebu as our driver. Booked him just for one day and he planned the day well with the activities we wanted to do. We covered a lot in one day starting the tour in one place and ending in a different place according to our plans. Prebu was so friendly and even brought us some homemade treats from his wife. He was very helpful and offered us advice for the reat of our trip.
A fantastic walk through an area that without Kanae you couldn’t comfortable navigate yourself without experience or knowledge of the area. Kanae was very supportive during the walk, offering cold drinks and towels due to the very hot September weather. She also went out of her way to begin the tour earlier than planned so we could better avoid the hot mid-day. Kanae also accompanied us to a nice café after the walk for some well-needed refreshments, then took us to her son’s favourite ramen bar which is certainly now my favourite too. The hike itself wasn’t too physically challenging provided you have even some basic hiking activity under your belt. The heat was rough, but Kanae’s preparation was invaluable. The iced lychee salt drinks she brought were delicious. She patiently waited with us whilst we enjoyed the many great views and sights or took quick breathers. Thank you for a great hike Kanae!
Tom, thank you so much for your detailed and thoughtful review! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the walk despite the severe heat. I’m happy we could start earlier to avoid the midday heat and that you enjoyed the café stop and my son’s favorite ramen place—it's wonderful to hear it’s now a favorite of yours too! You all handled the hike so well, even in the less-than-ideal heat It was truly a memorable day, and I appreciate your kind words. I hope to see you again for another adventure in Kyoto!
With a real local of your choice
Just contact your favorite local
So no group tours with strangers