Takuya Yanagisawa

You will not regret it let me first off by saying, Japan was never on my bucket list.
The first time I went was filled with anxiety.
i am not good with crowds, all the technology and public tranportations.
I am also one of the few people who don't like raw sashimi or most sushi.
First time I met Takuya was given as a gift from a family who has used him before and raves and sang his accolades about their experience with him as their tour guide.
One of the best gift ever.
a gift given for our travels to japan for a day.
we learned so much more than we thought we wanted to know or knew exisited.
he always met us at where we stayed and brought us back to the doors of our hotel.
Takuya, is a wealth of knowledge of histories and even with some of the smallest details .
when i first met him, he said you can ask me anything. and anything i sure did.
we learned about him and how he came to where he is and about the personal cultures of Japan. he is a very likable guy.
he is extremeluy easy-going, personable and very professional yet mindful of each indivual needs and limitations.
First time was getting to know place and history that he took us to, but yet able to tell us all the little extra details that we would've never known if we went by ourselves.
he made me see japan in a different positive light and appreciate the culture.
because of experiences, it made me fall in love with Japan.
Now approaching the third, fourth time with Takuya , he isn't just a tour guy anymore.
It was like reuniting and returning to a friend or a relative in Japan.
it is never a disappointment.
we get to learned new things, and see different parts of Japan that maybe we wouldnt have known about..
we got excited about all the different sights, drinks and food.
Most importantly, I have to say he is very good at what he does.
he works well with very different people and different surrounding. he's inclusive to each individuals and their needs.
You won't regret it having him to show you his "home". japan.
he is the best.
he is the best tour guide we have ever had used.
so accommodating, very flexible and considerate but most of all very kind and thoughtful.
would we hire him again?
yes! a 1000% again and again to visit "our friend" and the courty we admire.
sadly, my last memories of takuya was at the end the tour, he was tipping his hat waving and bowing with reverence up to when our hotels doors closed. it was like saying good bye to our friend.
- thank you thank you always!
Catherine
San Francisco

The Best Guide and Investment for your Japan Trip! My husband and I traveled to Japan with our son and daughter-in-law, guided by Takuya, and it was truly a trip of a lifetime. We timed our visit perfectly for fall foliage, and the scenery was absolutely jaw-dropping. Having traveled extensively around the world—primarily as independent travelers—this journey now firmly ranks in our top five.

Without question, the best decision we made was hiring Takuya as our private guide for ten days. Our pre-trip email exchanges were thoughtful and informative, allowing us to create a beautifully balanced itinerary enriched by his insider knowledge. He took us to remarkable places well off the beaten path—locations most tourists never see and many guidebooks don’t even mention—places that would have been complicated or impossible to navigate on our own given that figuring out the transfers would have been mind-boggling.

Takuya’s language skills, sense of humor, and deep cultural knowledge made the experience both educational and genuinely immersive, all in a completely stress-free environment. We felt free to relax and truly absorb Japan. He introduced us to wonderful local eateries frequented almost exclusively by Japanese diners, where we enjoyed authentic, traditional fare. Not having to worry about logistics—while seamlessly using local trains, buses, and bullet trains—felt like a true luxury. Yes, you can navigate Japan with your phone, but even experienced travelers get turned around. Following Takuya allowed us to simply enjoy the journey (and we got so many steps in every day!!).

Most importantly, Takuya took the time to get to know each of us individually. He effortlessly adjusted plans to accommodate our varied interests and modified the itinerary in response to changing weather—flexibility that even seasoned independent travelers like ourselves would struggle with. Above all, he is an exceptionally kind and empathic person. Traveling with him felt less like hiring a guide and more like traveling with a trusted and knowledgable family member who genuinely cared about our well-being.

When I developed a migraine, Takuya—also a fellow migraine sufferer—miraculously had medication in his pack. When my husband fell in love with a particular tea, Takuya showed up the next day with several packages for us to take home. He helped us track down essentials at a drugstore when we ran out. If anything were to go awry in a foreign country, he is exactly the person you would want by your side.

We are already planning our next trip to Japan and cannot wait to travel with Takuya again. You will not regret hiring him—we cannot recommend a guide more highly. Thank you, Takuya!

Takuya: A Truly Exceptional Guide – Made Japan Feel Magical We had the privilege of hiring Takuya as our private guide in Japan, and he made our holiday unforgettable. Right from the start, he took care of us like a family member—making sure we were comfortable, well looked after, and able to enjoy every moment without stress.

What makes Takuya outstanding is his deep knowledge and perfect planning. He knew the right timings for every place, which meant we avoided both the worst of the heat and the tourist crowds. For example, while we had planned to visit the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, he instead took us to a quieter, equally stunning bamboo forest where we could truly soak in the beauty without distraction.

He also guided us to the Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji) instead of the more crowded Golden Pavilion.

His insights into the palace’s history, along with hidden gems like the tea houses within the grounds, gave us a much deeper appreciation of the place. Later, he ensured we caught the Geiko and Maiko performance right on time, so not a moment of our day was wasted.

Another highlight was shopping—while social media suggests tourist-heavy souvenir spots, Takuya took us to local shops with authentic items at excellent value, places we would never have discovered ourselves.

His practical touches—like carrying bug spray and other little comforts—showed just how thoughtful and prepared he is.

Above all, his enthusiasm and storytelling brought every place alive. Whether it was history, culture, or nature, he shared it with passion and warmth. For travelers from India (and anywhere else) looking for a high-end, exclusive experience, I cannot recommend Takuya enough. He made our Japan trip richer, smoother, and far more memorable than we ever imagined.

Solo Touring in Japan Made Perfect Just returned from my adventure in Japan which included four spectacular 7-hour days with my private tour guide Takuya-san. Thanks to my foresight in throwing 'caution to the wind' and just trusting a ton of positive Tripadvisor reviews, I had an extraordinary experience and a lot of fun one-on-one with Takuya. His extensive knowledge, patience, flexibility and sense-of-humor combined with a mastery of the English language made this trip all that I'd hoped it could be.

The booking process was excellent including thorough e-mail correspondence in advance so that he could taylor our tour-days to my interests and agree on our destinations. He was able to assist me with hotel recommendations as well and helped me book my rail tickets before and during the trip.

As my husband couldn't get away from work, this trip was to be the first time I traveled so extensively solo. Takuya made me feel completely comfortable with him the entire time. On each of the tour days he picked me up and dropped me off at my hotel lobby unless we had planned to meetup at the local train station. As I am quite active he and I kept a pretty 'fast pace'. However, I am certain he would be able to accommodate any level of activity you present with.

As I mentioned, I hired Takuya-san for four days (6 days were spent with my daughter who is attending university in Tokyo). With Takuya we visited Kobe, Nara, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Himeji, Okayama and Kurashiki. If anyone has any specific questions about these you are welcome to message me.

I sincerely hope I will have the opportunity to visit the beautiful country of Japan again. And the first person I'll contact when I make those plans will be Takuya Yanagisawa.

Energy and enthusiasm for an excellent tour Thanks to Takuya our trip to Kyoto was the highlight of our trip to Japan, nothing was too much trouble and questions and answers flowed freely. Takuya provided advice beforehand on what was achievable in a day based on what we wanted to see, (we had one long day in port at Osaka on a cruise ship), Takuya helped to navigate the trains to Kyoto, provided cometary on the sights, took photos, answered any questions, (not always related to what we were looking at), and joined us for a beer and bbq before we re-joined our boat
Takuya’s energy and enthusiasm was maintained throughout what was a very pleasant day

We spent a fantastic day in Kyoto with Takuya who was very flexible to our needs. A very comprehensive overview of Kyoto Great way to see as much as possible in a short time we had only 8 hours in port yet with Takuya as our guide we were able to see several of the major iconic sites in Kyoto.

Knowledgeable, professional and fun Excellent customer service. Very flexible but with great suggestions on what to do and see. Knowledge of the the area is beyond expectation. Loved it.

Excellent guide for amazing places providing a memorable experience. We arranged a private tour with Takuya for Osaka and Kyoto. He picked us up and took us on an excellent tour. He arranged just the right amount of tourism but not too much. His knowledge of the city, its sights and its sounds, is off the charts. We enjoyed it so much and found such value that we commissioned him for another day to see Haneda Castle and Kobe. In Kobe he took us to get Kobe beef then we did a Cocktail and Whiskey tour. Thank goodness we made the last train back to Osaka with a huge smile on our faces.
Takuya is a wonderful guide. He even brings this gigantic backpack with supplies in case of emergency.
Takuya helped to make our trip to Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Haneda just wonderful. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Takuya Yanagisawa is 5 Star - New Fish Market is 0 Stars Takuya Yanagisawa was a great tour guide - I have been to the old fishmarket prior to it getting moved to the new location. My advice to you is skip the new fishmarket observation decks - it's a waste of time - and go with Takuya Yanagisawa to the old market area and outdoor market that has all the food stalls - go early with him whent he outer market is open while everyone else is still look down from the observation deck. If you can get tickets for the lottery of the lower observation deck in advance (look it up online) it MIGHT be worth going to the new fish market - but there are better fishmarkets in Asia and even in Japan - go to Osaka fish market for a better experience. Takuya Yanagisawa knows the area well and just tell him what you want. He gets 5 stars - the new fish market gets 0 stars, and the outer market gets 3-1/2 for good food if you go early.