TESTIMONIALS
We had a great time on the Gion evening tour with Takakaai. It was so much more than just Geisha chasing , which in itself is a bit like going whale watching, a bit hit and miss. We learnt a lot about Kyoto and Japan and got to see so much in a short space of time. What is really good is his immense well spring of knowledge and the ability the guide has to impart that and also to contextualise and debate as well. Something for everyone and next time we’re in Kyoto hopefully it won’t rain all the time and we can take the bike tour too! Thanks for a great tour.
TK was an amazing tour guide, he was kind, friendly, approachable and knowledgeable. Throughout the entire tour he made sure we were enjoying ourselves and safe. He tailored the tours to our requests and ensured they were all met. TK’s English is outstanding and to top it off his wife’s a kiwi so he knows the ins and outs about New Zealand so that was a big plus from us!
I did a six hour cycling tour throughout Northern Kyoto with Yamatora tours, it was a wonderful experience I could have never created on my own. The day was well planned and included both top attractions and some that were off the beaten path. We also took a lot of side streets that provided a glimpse of Kyoto life sans the mass tourist crowds. I highly recommend hiring Takaaki (owner) for a guided tour, the investment is well worth it!
My husband and I went on the six hour bike tour with Takaaki in November and it was excellent! When we reserved the day long tour, my husband was a little nervous about spending six hours on a bike. However, it turned out to be the perfect combination of riding through the beautiful streets of Kyoto and spending time at some truly spectacular sites. We were interested in visiting one well known site (the Golden Pavilion), so on the way there and back we visited several hidden gems that one might never see on a larger or more commercial tour. Takaaki speaks excellent English and his knowledge about Kyoto history is top notch! We loved learning about Kyoto life from a local and appreciated the customization of a private tour. He was absolutely delightful to spend a day with and a highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to escape the tourist crowds and see the true beauty of Kyoto!
We booked in Takaaki for a two day tour, 6 hours on day 1 and 4 hours on day 2.
We have an 18 month old daughter and Takaaki was great at adjusting the pace of the tour to suit us.
He is very knowledgeable, has great stories to tell at the sites and in between, and also gave us an insight into Japanese culture and religion.
He was also very helpful at providing us directions and tips to our post tour trip to Nara.
If you are looking for a private guide to give you context in your tour, and show you the real Kyoto, Yamatora is for you !
The perfect way to visit the temples and shrines of Kyoto
Takaaki was a friendly and earnest guide to both famous and little-known temples and shrines around Kuramaguchi, Kyoto. The cycling was a great way to get around Kyoto where you can pop in to a temple or shrine virtually every hundred metres. Takaaki is very knowledgeable about Japanese religions, their structures, teachings and customs: he has a great feeling for religious history. We had a great day.
Takaaki was a wonderful guide and biking around Kyoto was so fun. It is so beautiful and you can cover so much more on a bicycle. Warning- you should definitely be in decent shape, it’s light exercise but you’re riding for hours.
**HIGHLY RECOMMENDED **
Takaaki was an amazing host who tailored the whole day to whatever we wanted, even when this changed a few times throughout the day due to the heat. He also made sure to fit in all the places we wanted to see within a 6 hour tour. His knowledge of the history of every place we visited was also fantastic. We had such a great day, thank you Takaaki.
