Kyoto (Living), Nara, Osaka, Kobe
Japanese (Native), English
5 hours on average
2 days ago
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.
We had a wonderful day with Toshi. He took us to see the most interesting and famous places in Kyoto, and he also explained the cultural and historical aspects of what he was showing us, as well as aspects of life in general in Japan.
Hi Devi. Thank you so much for your nice review for my tour yesterday. I also had a great time, explaining historical back grounds of each site we visited. Especially I was pleased that Matteo enjoyed my silly jokes and Japanese puns. I hope he will continue learning basic Japanese phrases. Best wishes. Yoshie
I am so pleased we booked this tour for our short stay in Kyoto Yoshi was incredible he was knowledgeable, friendly and very professional and the Golden tour was just magical. If you are ever in Kyoto you should book this tour
Hi Gerry. Thank you so much for your superb review for my tour yesterday. It was very nice meeting and talking with you two. I hope you will return home safe with lots of good memories of Japan. With best wishes. Yoshie
There cannot possibly be a better, more gracious, helpful guide in Kyoto than Yoshihisa. We had an amazing, busy day, seeing exactly what we wanted to see (we don’t like too many temples but he chose ones we adored) and helped us learn the train and purchase IC cards. Highly recommend. From a family of four Canadians, including two adult children
Hi Kim. I appreciate your superb comment on my tour today. I had a very pleasant time, guiding and talking with you all. I hope our paths will cross again someday soon during the cherry blossom or autumn foliage season. Would you give my best regards to Richard, please? Best wishes. Yoshie
As a guide, Yoshie is an excellent and knowledgeable guide, able to handle subject regarding the tour and general Japanese history and culture. As a person, he is extremely personable, allowing us into his daily life that provided us with an intimate view into the real Japanese culture. We could not have had a better day than the one we had today. Arigato gozaimasu!
Hi Mike. Thank you so much for your excellent review for my tour today. I had a very pleasant time guiding and talking with you two. I am glad that you tried to learn Japanese phrases and our culture, including our dishes and ways of having nice time in the evening. I hope you will have a nice time in Japan and return home safely with lots of nice memories of Japan. Ichigo Ichie Yoshie