Tour guide in Hiroshima Tetsuo H.
Hiroshima, Japan
Japanese, English
170
Tours Delivered,
Since Sep 3, 2023
8.0
Hours, Avg. response time
I'm Tetsuo H., your private tour guide in Hiroshima
Guide #61244
I'm Pancho (Tetsuo Hamano), a licensed English-speaking private tour guide born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan. I guide private walks and days in Hiroshima and Miyajima: Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, Itsukushima Shrine and the Great Torii, evening food walks, and custom time around what you want to see. I'm a second-generation A-bomb survivor: my father and grandparents survived 1945, and I am here. If you ask, I share those family stories as accounts of survival and ordinary life afterward—not as a horror lecture. My tours are two-way conversations about peace history when it matters, plus modern Hiroshima, Japanese culture, and food. Before this work, I spent years at a global heavy-equipment dealership in Japan. I lived apart from my family for about 10 years, returned to Hiroshima in 2018, and left a local company during Covid in my fifties to do what I actually wanted. I started as a virtual tour guide in 2021, then moved to in-person guiding when Japan reopened to individual travelers. I have led 600+ private tours since October 2022. My style is a flexible tour. We follow what you are curious about, at your walking pace. I can arrange vegan and halal-friendly restaurants, shorter distances, souvenir shops, and after-tour ideas (food, bars, anime shops, and more). I am not a driver. I can join you in your vehicle, or arrange a separate car and driver. I look forward to walking my hometown with you. Selected as one of the Best Guides by a Japanese travel agency.
Delivers tours starting at
- Hiroshima
- Miyajima
Tours by Tetsuo H.
Customize your tour
Contact your local guide to know more!!
Traveller reviews
- Tricia B.United States20 hours ago
Loved the tour and loved Pancho. He helped us experience Miyajima in ways we wouldn't have done in our own. Highly recommend him!!
Replied from the guide, Tetsuo H.
October 2026Hi Tricia, Thank you so much! I loved exploring Miyajima with you and your family too! I'm really happy that I could show you a different side o the island and help you experience thisgs you might not have disocovered on your own. It was a pleasure speding time with you and your family. Thanks again for your lovely words and recommendation! Pancho
- Jeffery H.United States1 week ago
Although he goes by the nickname Pancho, Tetsuo has deep roots in Hiroshima and did a very good job of guiding my wife and I around the city. We talked a lot about the city and its A-bomb heritage and we thought he brought a lot of wisdom and personal family stories to our discussion which we greatly appreciated. Hiroshima today is a beautiful city and the nearby island...
Replied from the guide, Tetsuo H.
October 2026Thank you so much Jeffrey! I really enjoyed spending the day with you and your wife and, especually our conversations about Hiroshima. Sharing my family's stories(with a positive perspectives) is very personal to me, so I'm glad they added something meaningful to your understanding of the city and its history. I also enjoyed exploring Miyajima together. Thank you for your...
- James M.Australia1 week ago
Pancho was awesome. Knew his stuff, really flexible to take my family around and share his stories and knowledge. Was great with my three teenage boys and kept them engaged the whole time. Highly recommended.
Replied from the guide, Tetsuo H.
October 2026Hi James, Thank you so much! I had a great time exploring Hiroshima with you and your family. I especially enjoyed spending time with your three boys and our conversations along the way. Knowing that they stayed engaged throughout the tour makes me very happy! I also really appreciated the chance to share some of my own stories and perspectives on Hiroshima with your...
- Abigale L.United StatesAugust 2026
Tesuto ( Pancho) was great - very engaging and well spoken - we really enjoyed our tour with him and learned a lot
Replied from the guide, Tetsuo H.
August 2026Hi Abigale, Thank you so much for your kind review! It was a pleasure spending the time with you, and I'm really happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour and our conversations along the way. Thank you again for choosing me as your guide in Hiroshima. I truly appreciate your recommendation! Warm regards, Pancho

