Hiro is my Hero ❤️ - At first I wasn’t really looking forward to the tour, I had done one with a different company earlier in the week and overall it was “eh”. When the tour started it was totally different, it was a really small group, just 6 of us, and our guide Hiro was honestly just amazing. He was so friendly and funny, and with such a small group we were able to really make a connection not only with each other, but with the shrines and Japan itself. Not only was Hiro incredibly knowledgeable about Kyoto he made the tour just very fun. He even went out of his way to take us to his favorite Ramen spot after the tour so we were able to eat. I could not recommend this tour more, I’ve been in Japan for about a week now and this is by far my favorite day and overall experience.

An experience of a lifetime - If you are going to go with ANY tour group in Japan, please choose GuideMe Japan. We did several tour excursions while in Japan, and nothing compared to the level of knowledge, professionalism, and energy that this business has. We were only able to spend a day in Kyoto, and the early morning tour allowed us to see the major sites through the eyes of locals without the afternoon crowds and without the stress of having to navigate on your own. It is one thing to see these sites and another thing entirely to understand the rich history behind them. Our tour guide, Hiro, was exceptional. I cannot say enough good things about him. He was knowledgeable, passionate, sincere, and so, so kind. He answered all of our questions and allowed us to partake respectfully in the Japanese culture. He knew all of the best spots to take pictures and always stopped to ask us if we wanted to take one. I also deeply appreciated that Hiro took an intrinsic interest in us and our lives. He even recommended a lunch spot after the tour and was willing to take us to the nearest subway stop! It is so clear that this company prides themselves on creating memories for their clients and sharing the richness of their culture. 10/10 please book this tour.

Kanji was the perfect guide to see awesome sites. - This was an incredible tour. Our guide, Kanji, was very knowledgeable and funny and made sure to engage with all of us as a group and one on one. Because it was so early, we got to the most viewed sites before everyone else and took fantastic pictures. It is worth waking up early and you'll be in great hands if you get Kanji as your guide.

Kanji's tour brought sunshine through the rain - Kanji was the most energetic, funny, and intelligent tour guide I've had since I've been to japan. He was able to engage in equal conversations with 4 different groups so well that it started to feel like we all came as one collective group of friends instead of 4 different group of strangers. Kanji took care to not only show us the wonderful sites but he also took as many photos as we requested with a smile and plenty of enthusiasm. During the tour, he made sure all of our needs were being met from education to hydration to saving us from the rain. Going early in the morning was perfect, we beat the crowds and was able to really get a great deal for the money. Thank you Kanji!!!

Beat the crowds in Kyoto! - Wonderful tour to 3 Kyoto sites. It was nice to start early and beat the crowds to some of the most iconic sites, although it was raining during our excursion. Our tour guide, Shizuka, was very knowledgeable and gave us good recommendations for what to do at the Temple and Shrine. We really enjoyed the time on our tour!

Great tour, great guide! - Haruka is a phenomenal guide. She is personable, deeply knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and fun. She puts in the effort to get to know every member of her group, and her positive spirit is infectious. Beyond the tour, she is a true expert on Kyoto and cheerfully provides suggestions on places to eat, things to see, and various insider tips. Highly recommended!

Great introduction to Kyoto - I would highly recommend this tour. Took in lots of amazing sites and it was a great introduction to Kyoto. Our guide, Vincent was so helpful and full of great information. He was a delight to spend time with. I loved that we used public transport to get to different locations. Helped me to understand how the system worked in Kyoto. Thanks for a great tour.

Haruka nailed it! Friendly, Fun & efficient - My daughter & I took a small group tour with Haruka today to Fukushima Shrine, Golden Pavillion & Bamboo Forest. She was amazing! On point w/just enough interesting history & info & great answering random questions & flexible w/route to accommodate the final interests of the group as we departed. Lived it! Haruka was warm & engaging w/the whole group! Thank you so much

The guide made the experience so fun - Our guide was Haru and she was FANTASTIC. Not only was she knowledgeable, friendly and approachable but also incredibly patient and helped us out of sticky situations.

Great Early Morning Tour - Tomo was an outstanding guide who took us (3 couples) on a half day tour of Kyoto. We started early to avoid the crowds and used trains and buses to get around. Tomo gave us the history and facts of all the sites and took a bunch of photos. There is a lot of walking, around 12000 steps but plenty of time to rest up on the trains between sites. Highly recommend!