Hyogo prefecture is about 150km long in north-south direction. There are many sight seeing spots, not only Kobe, Himeji but also Izush-Toyooka, Tanba-Sasayama Awaji island. So Hyogo government decleared "Hyogo Golden Route" as recommended tours. I would like to guide those areas where tourists do not know well. Each area is one day tour. You can have a different experience from Kyoto or Osaka.
At the lobby of your Hotel in Osaka or Kobe
It has a 3500m2 size Japanese garden and has nine different gardens. It named after Kouko-dou which was a school of local lord in this area.
If possible, we will have a lunch in Kassuki- Ken. (In high season there would be long cue. So it is difficult to get the seats.)
Himeji castle has a lot of mysteries like a female ghost story or a cross mark on the stonewall which could mean Christianity and etc.
This area Himeji is famous for good rice for making sake and sake brewery. And this brewery's family had a father of French Judo.
Your Hotel in Osaka or Kobe
Himeji used to be bigger city than Kobe 160 years ago before Kobe opened the port to outside of Japan. It was the center of this reigon, Harima. The size of this city is not big but not small (the population is around 500000). So Himeji's atmospher is different from Kobe.
The most famous rice for making sake,"Yamada Nishiki" is produced mainly in this region (more than 80% in total production) and Yamada Nishiki is used most of best brewery in Japan and there are many good breweries in Himeji. You can enjoy good local foods (Himeji Oden, local sea food etc.) and sake.
Guide fee, Transportation fee between guide's house and start place of this tour
-Admission fee (you and guide) :
Himeji castle and the garden : 1050yen for each.
-Transportation fee (you and guide) :
About 5000yen for each
-Lunch, Dinner, drinks,
I can guide you from Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Nara if you pay the pick up fee.
Please ask the fee.
1) You can start this tour other than from Osaka or Kobe. Please ask me the tour fee.
I had the luck and pleasure of spending a day exploring Osaka with Yoshi, and he is an absolute legend. From the moment we met (exactly on time), Yoshi impressed me with his preparation. He provided a document he made, containing all the information about our daily tour as well as historical and cultural insights about Japan. Yoshi's knowledge of the area is exceptional, and he's incredibly adaptable, tailoring the tour to match personal interests. As a fellow engineer with a passion for technology, I was thrilled that Yoshi shared this enthusiasm. He guided me to amazing hidden gems like local component stores and geek shops, making the experience even more special. Despite the scorching heat and long day, Yoshi showed remarkable endurance, even though it was clearly challenging for the both of us. His dedication and professionalism are truly commendable. Yoshi is one of the most likable, polite, and kind people I've ever met. I'm honored to have had the chance to spend time with him and benefit from his expertise. For anyone visiting Osaka, especially those with a passion for technology, the Yoshi guiding experience is a must. Everyone should try it at least once in a lifetime! Yoshi is the funniest, kindest and overall best guide in Osaka.
Dear Marco Thank you for your evaluation. I am happy to hear you enjoyed the tour. The area used to be for warehouses of electronics and electric appliance. But some old style electronics shops are remained, even vacuum tube shop. Next time you visit in Osaka, I guess you should bring a big suitcase to put many parts in. (^-^) Anyway thank you! Yours sincerely, Yoshi
Amazing guide with huge wealth of knowledge. Warmly recommended
Dear Stefan Thank you for your evaluation. I am sorry I stop working in Kyoto this summer because of the heat. But I have tours in other areas and I will start to work in Kyoto from next fall. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
We had a very pleasant time being led around the city with Yoshi. He had an extensive 2 day itinerary and we could not have seen as much without his guidance.
Dear Zeynep Thank you for your evaluation. And I am glad you accepted my proposal and it did well. I hope you will travel to Japan again. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
Yoshi showed us not only the sights but all the transportation modes in Kyoto. He was very well prepared, handing us printed information on different topics such as different eras and religions. He adapted the tour to our needs. The only negative comment is that his English is sometimes difficult to understand. We had a great day!
Dear Guylaine Thank you for your evaluation. I think you were very good company. So I also enjoyed the tour. When you come to Japan next time, I will guide you in many Japanese cooking knife shops. Yours sincerely, Yoshi