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Tour guide in Kyoto Koichi W.
I'm Koichi W., your private tour guide in Kyoto
Guide #30642
Hi ! I'm Koichi. I was born in Osaka, I studied in Kyoto when I was a university student. Now I live in Shiga which is famous for the biggest lake in Japan. I am a national government licensed tour guide. I do this job as a freelance tour guide. I have been guiding about 160 groups over the past twelve months. I'm also a member of Kyoto City Bus & Subway Information Center. I usually guide my customers mainly in Kansai region including Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kobe and Shiga by public transportation systems. But If you need a private car please feel free to contact me. Well, I am curious about Japanese history, especially the history of Japan's ancient times since I was raised next to the world biggest mausoleum of the ancient Emperor called "Nintoku" in Sakai-city Osaka which has just become the one of world cultural heritage sites. I dug out some ancient earthen ware when I was a primary school student. I felt I was like the adventure archaeologist "Indiana Jones" (It's our secret!!). That was my hobby. Now, one of my hobbies is outdoor activity such as mountaineering, kayaking, skiing and so on. So I can also take you to some good places where you can enjoy Japanese unique nature. I love to guide foreign visitors from all over the world. I think it is my calling, heavenly given job! Let's go and enjoy together. I hope to see you soon. National Government Licensed Guide Government Licensed General Travel Supervisor Certificate of Kyoto Sightseeing & Culture Examination Certificate of Home Care Worker Guide Helper Certification for the Visually Impaired Education Bachelor of Laws from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto
Delivers tours starting at
Kyoto
Tours by Koichi W.
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Traveller reviews for this guide
177 reviews
- Helena L.May 2026
Amazing experience , it was just the beg because we had 2 amazing tours with Koichi ! Highly recommend !
- Helena L.May 2026
Koichi made our 2 day tour a lot of fun . He is extremely knowledgeable , comes prepared with a lot of printed material about the history of each point of interest and answers all the questions . He has a great sense of humor and keeps you entertained at all times . We learned lot , tried local food and finished with a sake testing per his recommendations . Highly...
Replied from Koichi W.
Hi! Helena san, Thank you so much for your prompt review and comment. I was a little worried because you seemed tired on the first day of our tour, but I was relieved to see you walking around energetically on the second day. I am truly grateful that I was able to do the tour thanks to your cooperation. Please be sure to contact me the next time you visit. Let's enjoy a...
- Jane D.May 2026
What a wonderful tour we had with our guide Koichi W. We would highly recommend him for your tour of Kyoto, Japan! He gave us such a knowledge experience of this beautiful city! Taught us how to travel and use the exceptional, large train system and which neighborhoods to walk through for a unique and speclized tour experience! He also provided travel instruction for...
Replied from Koichi W.
Hi! Jane san Thank you for giving me such a great rating and wonderful comment. I am so happy to have shared a windrful time with you. If your ever have a chance to visit Japan again, please be sure to let me know. It would also be enjoyable to savor okonomiyaki pancakes and other unique Japanese delicacies, just like we did on our last tour. Arigato-gozaimasu!!
- Neal J.May 2026
Best tour ever. Our guide Koichi was just the nicest guy. Took us everywhere we had planned. Efficient and organized. Had interesting materials to share with us at all our stops. He never missed a beat. Along the way he would pop into a shop and buy us a local treat: cookies, ice cream, drinks. At the end of the tour he gave us a gift to take home that had a message...
Replied from Koichi W.
Hi! Neal san, Thank you so much for your wonderful rating and comment. Japan has many local treats, but since they are unfamiliar to travelers, they can seem a bit unidentifiable. There's a Japanese saying. "Don't judge a book by its cover (Kuwazu-Girai)," and I think it's a shame to miss out on the chance to discover something delicious without even trying them. I hope...