Ontdek het beste van Nijo Castle op de lokale manier

"Where to start? Naoki is smart, knowledgeable, interested, interesting, and cares deeply about his work and providing the best tour experience he can for each group. My group included two young adult children with very different interests, and a husband with limited mobility. Naoki thought about an appropriate itinerary, made helpful suggestions, and was excellent about communicating with me long before we set foot in Japan. He put a great deal of time and planning into our day. Although we were spending 5 days in Tokyo and Hakone before traveling to Kyoto, Naoki reached out to us because he saw there was a typhoon in Tokyo the day after we arrived, and he wanted to offer suggestions for indoor activities in Tokyo! On the day of our tour, Naoki met us at our hotel, with a plan in mind. The day unfolded perfectly, with plenty of time for my husband to rest and for all of us to feel fulfilled by the scope and breadth of places we visited including some "greatest hits" sites and some more off-the-beaten path locations. Naoki has a deep knowledge and interest in history, politics, religion, social movements - he was able to answer questions about the sites we were seeing, as well as the larger social/political/historical context of Shintoism, Buddhism, the Meiji restoration, feudalism, imperialism, the role of Geisha's in Japanese society and many other questions! When you spend time with a tour guide, you are also inviting that person into your family vacation for the day. At its best, a tour guide is a welcome addition to the group. We were all incredibly comfortable with Naoki from the first moment. We loved having him along with us - he was a total addition! We enjoyed his company and his knowledge so much, that when he suggested we could continue the tour the next day, we immediately took him up on his offer. Naoki was truly a highlight of our trip to Japan. My husband and my young adult children felt the same way - it is very rare that we all agree so completely about anything! My children have been checking to make sure that I get this glowing review written ASAP because they were so enthusiastic about Naoki! Normally, they give me hard time for booking tours. Not this time! I hope that my path will cross with Naoki's again. Meanwhile, I will send everyone I know who is considering a trip to Japan to book some time with Naoki. I cannot recommend him enough! Book today - you will be sorry if you don't!"

"For not to be a Japanese guide Sebastian know very well their culture and history. Very friendly and respectful with my family 100% recomended!!"

"Our family of five had an incredible experience with Ryuki as our guide in Kyoto. From the moment we met him, his warm, jovial personality made the day enjoyable and engaging for everyone. Being a Kyoto native and someone who studied Japanese history, Ryuki’s knowledge of the city, its culture, and its historical sites was exceptional. He didn’t just point out landmarks—he brought them to life with fascinating stories and local insights that gave us a much deeper appreciation for Kyoto. What really impressed us was how expertly he managed the day. He adjusted our schedule on the fly to avoid the busiest times and routes, allowing us to experience even Kyoto’s most popular attractions with surprisingly few crowds. It felt like we had insider access to the city. Ryuki also knew all the perfect spots for family photos, helping us capture some of our favorite memories from the trip. His attention to detail and ability to balance history, sightseeing, and fun made the entire experience seamless. By the end of the tour, we felt like we had not only seen Kyoto but truly understood it. We enjoyed our day so much that I’ve already recommended Ryuki to friends who are planning to visit Kyoto. If you’re traveling with family—or really anyone looking for an engaging, knowledgeable, and genuinely fun guide—I highly recommend Ryuki. He was one of the highlights of our time in Japan."

"Naoki was an amazing guide, we covered so much in our 8 hour tour during a rainy day in June. Without Naoki we would not have understood the history behind the sites and got an understanding of Shinto religion and how to pray properly. My son ended up losing his passport and Naoki made calls to follow up afterwards. He is very thoughtful and kind. We used him the following night for a quick city tour of Osaka. Highly recommend! "

"My tour with Guia was memorable in so many ways. Guia was so friendly and easy to get along with- throughout the day. Our conversations about Japanese culture were very enlightening. We visited many iconic sites and Guia provided historical background and context for each. Her knowledge of Japanese history, religion and culture was amazing. The details she pointed out and the historical anecdotes at each of our stops were fascinating. The pace was easy and the day flew by- far too quickly. I was totally satisfied with the content of the tour and the incredible knowledge of my guide. I wholeheartedly recommend that you select Guia to show you Kyoto- she is an amazing woman and an exceptional tour guide. "

"Ryuki was amazing. He’s personable, funny, and planned a really fun day for our family and friends. He was great with both the adults and kids! We felt like we were just spending a day with a very knowledgeable friend. Highly recommend! "

"Naoki-San is an incredible, knowledgeable and entertaining guide! We have a certain knowledge about Japan and we even know bits and pieces about Kyoto. Still, Naoki gave us great additional information, gave us a lot of social-historical background and let us see really hidden gems of Kyoto. Great links from the “past” to the “present”. Yet, his tour is extremely entertaining, he fully caters for the needs of his clients and he does this in an entertaining and witty way. We did not only learn a lot, but we also had a lot of fun a good laugh! The tour was brilliant and we even had an immediate second booking with Naoki (a food tour including an extraordinary bicycle tour) that manifested our extremely positive impression of the first day. I strongly recommend Naoki-san. Naoki: YOU ARE BRILLIANT! "

"We just finished this Kyoto tour with Naoki and had a fantastic experience. What I particularly appreciated was the perspective he brought to Japanese culture and history. Rather than simply explaining dates, temples, and historical events, he helped connect them to the ideas and values that still shape Kyoto today. Our conversations about Zen Buddhism were especially interesting — how its influence can still be seen not only in temples and gardens, but in Japanese aesthetics and attitudes of everyday life. Even as a seasoned traveler who has spent a lot of time exploring the world, I found Naoki’s perspectives refreshing, thought-provoking, and genuinely fun to discuss. I would happily recommend this tour with Naoki to anyone visiting Kyoto, whether it is your first time in the city or you already know Japan quite well. Thank you Naoki for this wonderful experience."

"Naoki has made our first time in Japan as he made it a truly rich and memorable experience! We booked 2 days with Naoki - one in Kyoto and another in Nara. He curated a great itinerary that connected history, culture, nature and food across both cities and was inclusive to my sister who is disabled. We particularly enjoyed seeing the quieter sides of busy tourist sites, and visiting Uji, which we hadn't thought of doing until Naoki had made the suggestion.  His communication was fantastic when organising the tour, even letting us know what the weather would be like on the day! During the tour, he was flexible and adjusted the tour to our pace without it feeling cut short. Even on our days without him, he provided us with amazing recommendations for food, shows and shrines to visit.  Please book with Naoki if you want a guide with great local knowledge and who will go above and beyond! "

"We had a full day of guiding with Naoki and enjoyed every minute of it. We immediately felt a very good rapport with him, got into greate dialogues and learned a lot about history from Japan in general and Kyoto specifically. We also had great discussions on Japan economic situation and politics in general. Really enjoyed the day. Highly recommended!!"