If you want a tour guide who will provide a catered, thoughtful, intentional, experience then I recommend Takuya. He is fluent in English, but what is most special is his open mindedness and intelligence. He is comfortable discussing complex issues of culture and history and receives questions with grace. He has a good sense of what locations, including (and especially!) if they are off “the beaten path”.
Premium & Private Day Trips Across Japan
Explore Japan with Expertly Guided Private Day Tours
I offer a wide range of expertly-guided Japan day tours in the Kansai region and beyond. Whether you’re exploring the historical wonders of Kyoto, the ancient temples of Nara, or the vibrant cities of Osaka, Kobe, Himeji, Hiroshima, and even Tokyo area, I guarantee a flexible and fun private tour tailored to your interests.
As a National Licensed Tour Guide, I can provide multiple-day tours throughout Japan, offering you authentic cultural experiences that go beyond typical guidebooks. From must-see locations to hidden gems, I’ll combine your list of must-visit places with my own unique recommendations.
Get ready to gain insight into Japanese life, experience the beauty of the Japanese countryside, and enjoy an evening of foodie adventures with bar hopping through traditional Japanese neighborhoods. Whether you’re looking for a day trip or a longer journey, I’m here to ensure your experience in Japan is unforgettable.
Feature Destinations
Private Tours
Informed & Entertaining Experiences
Expertly Guided Premium Tours
Customizable Itineraries
TAKE MY GUESTS’ WORD FOR IT
Takuya was an excellent tour guide! He was recommended by our aunt and did not disappoint. We had a tour of Kyoto, he took us off the beaten path ( hardly any tourists!) and we had a history lesson that was informative and so interesting. Being a 4th generation Japanese American it was truly appreciated. If we do go back to Japan we would definitely hire Takuya again!!
Do yourself a favor when visiting Japan and hire Takuya as a personal guide. We visited Japan on three occasions and every time we hired Takuya and had a wonderful time. We visited beautilful places off the beaten path, away from the very touristic areas. He really takes into account your personal interests when organising a trip and comes up with great ideas himself at the same time. Do not hesitate to hire him, you will not regret it!
Having Takuya recommended to us by Osaka locals was a highlight of our trip. Professional, knowledgeable of both historical fact and current affairs , combined with his ability to fine tune his tours to our special interests maximized our time in both Osaka and Kyoto.
Our trip was supposed to end with Takuya dropping us off at our restaurant, but we invited him to join us and he graciously did. Having him there made a great deal of difference as he order off of the Japanese menu and not the “Tourist English” menu.
My parents and I were so incredibly fortunate to discover Takuya-san here on TripAdvisor. We spent four wonderful days with him in Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka last year where he served as our guide, companion, and — unexpectedly — photographer!
We had a wonderful day visiting Shoguns palace, blossom covered canal area, shrines,temple, authentic lunch, Japanese tea garden and Geisha area. Takuya gave us an insight into real Japan. It was the highlight of our 18 days in Japan.
If you are traveling to Japan and are looking for a local that is fluent in English and that will be able to give you an inside look to amazing food, culture, history plus anything else you may want to know about the country, look no further. Takuya is the one for you.
Experience Japanese Culture and Traditions
Seek out the true Japanese traditions with my carefully selected range of experiences. From relaxing in hot springs and taking part in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony to going on a pub crawl in Osaka, there is something for everyone with my specially selected experiences.
Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony
Onsen (Hot Springs)
Sake Brewery and Japanese Whisky Distilleries
Check Out My Instagram!
After all the programs of India Mela was over, those girls enjoyed the Mela by themselves. #indiamela2024 #dancing #kobetour #japan #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya
サニー・フランシスは、関西弁がホンマに上手い‼️India Mela at the Meriken Park of Kobe. 3-day-long Indian festival offered a lot of delicious Indian foods as well as the unique ethnic goods. Some Japanese women even performed the Indian dancing, dressed up with traditional sari. And a band with dancers from Rajasthan performed the regional folklore. I have to come back to this festival next year. #indiamela2024 #kobetour #japan #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya
Festival at my secret bamboo walk. You have to enjoy the real Japan with the independent national licensed tour guide interpreter for your private tour in the popular destinations so you can see the real Japan, not the heads of other foreign tourists!! You hire me, I guide you!! #kyototour #bambooforest #muko #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya #竹の径・かぐやの夕べ
胸騒ぎ‼️#kyototour #サザンオールスターズ #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya #skipbeats #竹結びフェスタ2024
Nostalgic Osaka downtown still in hyper vibe!! #osakatour #japan #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya #昭和の町 #千林商店街 #今市商店街
Bamboo farm and walk festival at my special place. I hate the overtourism in Kyoto. And whenever my guests want to visit the bamboo forest or walk without people, I do take them here. And this weekend, there is an award winning festivals. As I am fully independent national licensed tour guide interpreter, I do tailor-made your private tour for your comfort rather than follow the itinerary made by the travel agencies. And I am always looking for much better places even in the popular destinations like Kyoto for your memorable journey in Japan. You hire me, I guide you!! #kyotoprivatetour #kyototour #japan #bamboo #japanfestival #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya #竹の径かぐやの夕べ #手づくり郷土賞
300-year-old sake brewery tour in Kyoto. When I visited this sake brewery for the first time, it was 2013. I came here straight after I had the lunch at Micheline start Kappo. I had their sake there and really liked it. Then, after I became a professional licensed tour guide, I took a few guests for the brewery tour before this brewery became too popular. A huge change inside the brewery since then@as the brewing facilities seem fully upgraded and expanded. You hire me, I guide you!! #kyototour #sake #sakebrewery #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya
Yeah, sure, my guests are all happy when I took them to a kind of hidden izakaya. And they can pick whatever they have never even imagine at the Japanese restaurants back home with numbers of fine sake to choose from. I go out with my guests if I got no guiding in the following day, and I always choose excellent place only Japanese usually hung around. #foodietour #japanfoodietour #japanfoodie #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya
Scotch means this song. Whenever I go to the whisky festival, this gentleman plays the bagpipes. #scotch #bagpipes #whiskyhistoryosaka2024 #osakatour #japan #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya
あー、飲んだ‼️The oldest whisky tasting festival in Japan is back. And I was lucky enough that I got invited for this special once a year event. I met the bar owner of Tokushima who told me he has almost 1,600 bottles of whisky at his bar. As I do guide my guests to Tokushima, I have to think of dropping by there next time. Most of my guests claim they are the foodies and love the bar hopping in Japan. You hire me, I guide you!! #whiskyhistoryosaka2024 #whisky #osaka #japan #privatetourconcierge #privatetourjapan #japanprivatetour #tour_guide_takuya #tourjapan #japantour #japantravel #traveljapan @tour_guide_takuya