Steve (from Tennessee, U.S.A.)
I had planned early in the year for an exciting week and a half
vacation in Japan starting in September 2015. However, I had found it fairly
challenging to find a good tour guide to help me explore the areas of Tokyo I desperately
wanted to visit. I wouldn’t call them off the
beaten path types of places but some had proven difficult to find a guide to
accompany me on a visit to some of them.
Luckily for me, Yuko has made a great reputation for herself as a
quality tour guide in Japan. I stumbled upon one of her colleagues on YouTube
when I was trying to learn more about customs and daily life to prepare for my
trip and in a last ditch effort I reached out for a recommendation. They didn’t
hesitate to recommend Yuko as a great tour guide and even though it was all
very last minute Yuko accepted my request for helping me put together an itinerary
for my visit. We started out by chatting about what we should go see and then
mapped out our destinations. We decided to visited several places that would
really highlight not just Japans attractions but also its history, culture, and
landscape.
I was really impressed with her breadth as well as depth of
knowledge in the history of Japan as well as all the places we visited. This
really came through when we walked around as she pointed out all kinds of
wonderful things and explained their meaning in a very easy to understand
manner. There were plenty of opportunities for pictures and I never felt rushed
when I stopped to take a few pictures (or was told about a good photo
opportunity).
All in all, Yuko was a pleasure to enjoy Japan with. She was very
careful to help me through conversations with vendors, restaurant staff and the
train stations. As I think about the days I spent my time sightseeing with
Yuko, what really stood out was how much she did to make the tour go smoothly.
It makes me wish I could’ve had her around every day of my trip!
If you have the opportunity to come visit this great country and its
people, do yourself a favor and book your first day (or several days) with
Yuko, you won't regret it. Very pleasant to be around, organized and patient.
The only regret I have is I didn’t book more time with her :) She's great!!!
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Sharon
(from Washington, U.S.A.)
Japan has many historical, musical,
beautiful, delightful experiences for you when you travel there. Sometimes, it
is necessary to have a local professional tour guide help you. It does not have
to be for a particularly traditional tour. One day while visiting my daughter
and son-in-law, I noticed in the newspaper an Ad for a "Cat Cafe". I
love cats and thought it would be an interesting thing to see. They were busy
working so unavailable that day. My daughter suggested Yuko.
I contacted Yuko and asked her if she would
help me find the place, accompany me and spend the morning guiding me around,
have lunch and return home. She said yes. This was a relief for me. I began to
get excited and to look forward to the experience.
Without Yuko I would not have even found
the "Cat Cafe" located down a side street from the train station of a
busy City. With much anticipation we rode the train to the near by City and
began the search. Because she came well prepared with directions it was easy
for her to help me negotiate the streets amongst the shoppers/venders buying
and selling their wares.
Upon entering the Cafe we were asked to
remove our shoes, wash and disinfect our hands and store our jackets, in the
arranged cubicles. Then we entered the main show area where about twelve cats
were having a lovely time playing and frolicking around the visitors and with
each other. This is the "cats" life entertaining themselves as well
as us. There were many different breeds of cats. Yuko asked the cat "care
givers" there for the cats, questions that were on my mind such as how old
are they, how long have they been in residence, do they rotate the cats in and
out for them to rest, etc., She guided me through ordering tea and kept track
of time spent. You are charged by the hour as to the time spent there. It is
easy to forget how long you are playing with the cats. With her help I asked
several visitors how often they came by the "Cafe". Some said quite
often as they cannot have a cat of their own where they live.
I have included some adorable pictures
taken that day. If you ever have the opportunity to visit a "Cat
Cafe" plan to spend at least an hour or so there to watch them in their
little world. It was very relaxing, informative and fun to play and be apart of
their world. I could not have experienced this side trip without Yuko. She was
cheerful, fun and organized. We stopped by a restaurant on the way back to the
train station for lunch. We shared our individual experience there and promised
to share pictures with each other when home.
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I have lived in Japan for a few months and
with no language skill and knowledge of the Japanese culture, Yuko had been my
guide to explore Tokyo.
I initially met Yuko in the USA. She has been my teacher for a short course of
Japanese that I have taken before going to Japan, and with big joy I found that
she would have moved back to Tokyo just a couple of months before me going
there.
As soon as I settled in Tokyo (to which she
majorly contributed to) we started the
habit of Saturday afternoons together.
She took me to the most hidden and memorable Japanese places that I
wouldn't have never known without her.
If you have a bit of extra time and you'd like to visit something
unique, ask Yuko to take you to drink a cup of macha tea in the oldest tea shop
that still exists in Tokyo! Or to that
traditional Japanese shop where they still make filo pastry fishes filled with
red beans!
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Margaret (from Indiana, U.S.A.)
I hold many wonderful memories from touring
Tokyo and Kyoto for nine days with Yuko Takayama as my guide. The itinerary she
so meticulously planned was packed with fun sights to see, new foods to eat,
and interesting things to do, but there was also time for unplanned excursions
and unexpected surprises. With Yuko's help, I became acquainted with the
prefectures of Tokyo and was introduced to amazing Japanese cuisine. I visited
castles, temples, museums, and Mt. Fuji. I rode the shinkansen (bullet train)
to Kyoto and stayed in a traditional ryokan. I saw geishas-in-training and the
bamboo forest. I ate sashimi and handmade ramen noodles, and drank delicate
plum wine and an array of sakes. I browsed the textile district and saw local
festivals ~ even a traditional Japanese temple wedding. I learned so much about
the history and cultural ways of Japan. Whatever I had interest in, Yuko
pleasantly supplied the directions and lent so much context to every
activity...she was literally there every step of the way.
