Kyoto (Living), Nara, Osaka, Kobe
Japanese (Native), English
5 hours on average
Today
Hi. My name is Yoshihisa. Call me "Yoshie", please. It means good or O.K. in Japanese. I live in Joyo City, Kyoto Prefecture, located just in between Kyoto and Nara. I was born and raised in Iga, Mie Prefecture. Iga is a birthplace of ninja and a renowned haiku poet, Matsuo Basho. I might be a descendant of ninja. I aim at becoming a linguistic ninja, following a part of Basho's lifestyle with the incorporation of seasonal changes into my tours. In addition to visiting famous temples and shrines, I invite you to lesser-known places of historic interest.
Once in a month I go hiking or mountain climbing with some friends mainly in mountains surrounding Kyoto and Nara basins. Recently I have got intrigued by the charms of Buddhist statues, which are manifestations of people's wishes and prayers. I also like izakaya (Japanese-style taverns) hopping, tasting delicious dishes and locally brewed sake at reasonable prices. Especially I like communicating with people from home and abroad, talking face to face. Some of the above-mentioned elements are included in my walking tours. I hope you will discover new aspects of cultural and natural beauty in Kansai area through one of my tours which you could never gain otherwise.
One of my favorite phrases that come from Zen Buddhism is Ichigo Ichie or this meeting-but only once in a lifetime. My interpretation goes this way: This place and this moment never cross again. Each and every good encounter, however, lingers on like the sound of a temple bell. Won't you explore a deeper world of Japanese culture in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka with me?
It is desirable to carry overseas travel insurance because the guide is not liable for any damage or loss incurred during the tour. It is also requested to bring enough Japanese yen with you because some restaurants and taxis do not accept credit cards.
Yoshi was an amazingly patient and kind guide. He brought us a map of Kyoto, helped us plan a trip to Nara (gave us a map of Nara highlighting the nest sites to see) and helped us plan our subsequent days. This one day tour was packed with many of the key sites in Kyoto (including Golden Pavilion, rock garden, bamboo forest and 10000 Tori Gates). He very much looked after our group. He had a fantastic suggestion for lunch and it was delicious but reasonably priced. Our family of 6 ranged in age from 6 to 70. We all enjoyed the day. I would highly recommend Yoshi to anyone visiting Kyoto!
Hi Aidan. I really appreciate your wonderful comment on my tour in Kyoto. I am pleased to learn that you and your family enjoyed my golden route tour a lot. I hope you have returned home safely with lots of nice memory of Japan. I wish you all good health and best of luck. Yoshie
Yoshi-San was an excellent tour guide! We had a very enjoyable day seeing the sights on his Golden Tour of Kyoto. He showed us some of the most well-known temples as well as some that were “hidden gems”. He shared entertaining stories, poems and anecdotes about each of the stops. We had a wonderful day!
Hi Priyanka. Thank you so much for your quick and excellent review for my tour today. I also enjoyed myself guiding and talking with you two since you were listening to my explanation and asked me proper questions in each site. I hope your husband will have a good sleep tonight and continue a pleasant trip during your stay in Japan. Best wishes. Yoshie
Yoshi is amazing! I am not sure I have enough space to describe how great our time and tour was, but I am going to try! He picked us up at Kyoto station and proceeded to spend the day with us showing us the famous temples of Kyoto. Along the way we ate awesome food and learned so much about the beautiful area. Yoshi speaks great English and is so knowledgeable. At the end of our tour, he took us to this amazing Yakitori spot in the station; it was literally some of the best food we ate in our time in Japan. I am so thankful for his kindness, he really set the tone for our time in Japan and we loved the day we spent with him. He is also really great at photos, so make sure you ask him to capture memories for you! Thank you, Yoshi!
Hi Natalie. Thank you so much for your wonderful comment on my tour in Kyoto. I am very pleased to learn that you loved the photos I took and the dishes of Yakitori restaurant. I hope our paths will cross again in the near future. I wish you good health and happiness. Yoshie
Yoshihisa was an excellent guide. His 'My Favorite Golden Route' was a perfect way to see Kyoto and understand it's history. Our day was meaningful history, interesting stories, magnificent scenery, Japanese puns, and even poetry. Yoshihsha showed us few hidden gems of Kyoto and his enthusiasm and energy is palpable. I would highly recommend hiring him as a tour guide.
Hi Natasha. Thank you so much for your wonderful review for my tour in Kyoto. I also had a pleasant time, guiding and talking with you three. I hope you will return home safely with lots of good memories of Japan. Ichigo Ichie The best of luck! Yoshie
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto, Japan