Tour guide in Kyoto Noe A.

Kyoto, Japan

English, Japanese

Tours Delivered,
Since Feb 3, 2026

7.0

Hours, Avg. response time

I'm Noe A., your private tour guide in Kyoto

Guide #73253

5.0 (6)

Dear Travelers, Thank you for visiting my page, and I look forward to guiding you into the deeper side of Kyoto! I was born and raised in Tokyo and have lived in Kyoto for over ten years. After graduating from university, I began my career in the pharmaceutical industry, working for international pharmaceutical companies. I currently work for an American pharmaceutical company, where I gained extensive experience in global communication and cross-cultural collaboration. Since becoming a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter in 2019, I have led several hundred private tours, primarily for guests seeking a deeper understanding of Japanese history and culture. My guiding style focuses on interpretation rather than sightseeing alone—uncovering subtle details such as symbolic paintings, architectural intentions, and historical narratives often missed by guidebooks. I also offer refined, slow-paced experiences at lesser-known temples and gardens, where guests can enjoy the atmosphere in silence and explore Japanese values, ways of thinking, and aesthetics through calm observation. I offer flexible scheduling and destinations throughout your stay, and welcome any requests regarding what you wish to see and experience in Kyoto and surrounding cities. At present, weekday evenings are dedicated to a Gion walking tour. On weekends, I design fully customized itineraries, ranging from visits to Kyoto’s renowned landmarks to explorations of tranquil, lesser-known sites, or a carefully curated combination of both. Beyond visiting temples and shrines, there are many experiences to choose from, such as Japanese sweets making, enjoying matcha, and hands-on traditional crafts. My goal is not only to show you Kyoto, but to help you truly understand what Kyoto — and Japan — are about, and to support you in creating a meaningful day. I very much look forward to helping make your stay comfortable and rewarding. Noe

Delivers tours starting at

  • Kyoto

  • Osaka

  • Nara

Tours by Noe A.

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5.0

Traveller reviews for this guide

6 reviews

  • Bl H.
    May 2026

    Noe-san is knowlegeable about the local history about the temples, shrine and the bamboo forest. She has good command of the english language and was able to engage us throughout the full day tour. Thank you Noe-san

    Replied from Noe A.

    Thank you very much for your kind and warm review! It was truly a pleasure meeting both of you- I feel very grateful that our paths cossed. I hope you are not feeling too tired after traveling in the heat. Thank you as well for sharing so much about your beautiful country, which I am longing to visit! When our family visit there, I'd love to see you both again. Thank you...

  • Chelin S.
    May 2026

    From the moment we met Noe we knew we were in for a wonderful tour. She is extremely pleasant and very knowledgeable about Kyoto and its history. She was willing to incorporate specific things we were interested in for the tour. She was very accommodating and did not make us feel rushed. She wanted to make sure we enjoyed all the places we visited peacefully. Never felt...

    Replied from Noe A.

    What a wonderful message…Thank you very much for your kind and heartfelt review. I truly appreciate it! From the moment I met you and your family, I was turly impressed - I kept thinking what a beautiful and intelligent family you are! Your children listened so attentively(which is actually quite rare for young people!)and asked thoughtful questions with genuine...

  • Tom B.
    May 2026

    We were a small group, 6 people, looking for an introduction level walking tour around the Gion district of Kyoto. Noe was fantastic! She shared stories, explained the history of geishas and maiko, as well as how this all fits in to today's Kyoto. She is an intelligent and well-prepared guide who also happens to be charming and funny. Our group felt a genuine...

    Replied from Noe A.

    Tom-san!! Thank you so much for your wonderful review—even though you must have been tired after your trip. It truly means a great deal to me, and I’m so happy to hear your kind words. I only wish we had had more time so I could have heard more stories from you and everyone. The next time you visit Japan, I would love to go to an izakaya together and enjoy sushi and...

  • Elisabeth S.
    April 2026

    Truly off the beaten path - in so many great ways! Noe provided tips and tricks to enjoy a quieter side of an otherwise bustling city. We saw a few different areas of town, enjoyed the history of places along the path & she was so knowledgeable about culture that we got to deep dive into a lot of interesting topics. Thank you for such a wonderful tour! Highly...

    Replied from Noe A.

    Your words almost brought tears to my eyes… thank you so much for such warm and kind messages. Knowing that you enjoyed the experience makes me truly happy as a guide. I feel incredibly fortunate to have met you, and especially your children who showed such genuine interest in Japan. I will never forget the three of you enjoying the freshly made, piping‑hot takoyaki with...