Hello, I am Keiko. I have a national qualification as a English-speaking guide. I was brought up in Kyoto, among a lot of old Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.(ex. Kiyomizu Temple, Toji Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Heian Shrine, Fushimi Inari Shrine and so on) Some of them are now famous worldwide and on the UNESCO World Heritage List. From childhood, a daily sight with a lot of tourists from abroad has been quite normal for me. I had already been thinking,"What can I do for them?" (Of course, I'm thinking of it today, too.) And the answer was,"I would be a guide, to make their time in Kyoto much more wonderful". At last, the time has come! There are uncountable sightseeing spots in Kyoto, so you will need some help, if you want to see and get around the city efficiently. It is much better with a guide who knows Kyoto very well, just like me! And furthermore, it will lead you to a better understanding of Japanese culture. Don't hesitate to ask me, I can arrange the best trip for you, with a lot of choices and something to fit your taste.
read moreYes! If you need to make changes such as removing or adding someone to your booking or changing the date or time of your tour, contact us by phone or email
After you secure your booking, the starting and ending points of your tour can be customized to your convenience (ex.: your hotel, nearby stations, etc.). Don't worry, we will take care of you! Some tours may have an extra fee for this service, make sure to check the tour page.
After booking a tour, the guide will accept (or decline) your booking within 24 hours. Then you will be noticed by email from Triplelights.
The price is charged per group. Which means that you make a one-time payment for your entire group and the price will not change if it is less or more people.
Some guides accept extra people (more than the specified number) for an extra charge. Please check for the extras on the tour or booking page, or contact your guide directly to clarify.
No. Your tour is private, only for you and your family or friends, there will be no other group of tourists together in your tour.
Yes, but there will be additional charge for that and it is not by car. The guide will go pick you up using public transportations. For further details, please contact your guide directly.
Yes, you can and you may be able to get a discount if you are traveling alone. Price depends on which guide you choose.
We have had a wonderful time at Arashimaya with Keiko. Her command of English is excellent and easy to understand. We were tired of visiting Shrines and temples and requested a last minute change to the itinerary. Keiko accommodated to our request and changed our trip to a natural focus with river boat rafting as a surprise highlight. Thank you Keiko!
Keiko planned an incredible day for my group of 10 (my family of 4, my sister's family of 4, and my parents). Due to my mother's limited mobility, we also hired a van (Japan Van) for transportation. Keiko is very knowledgeable in Japanese history and culture, and she speaks excellent English and gave us a good understanding of the background of the sites we visited, which included Arashiyama, Golden temple, Ryoan-ji temple, and a tea ceremony. We even managed to squeeze in an impromptu hike to the monkey mountain at Arashiyama. At every site, Keiko showed us the best photo spot. Thank you Keiko for a most memorable day in Kyoto for my family!
Keiko was a very friendly and helpful guide. We had a great time seeing many temples and shrines in Arashiyama — we covered a lot of ground and the fall colors were incredible. Thanks, Keiko!
The cycling tour with Keiko at arashiyama was indeed very nice. She brought us to local temples which are as interesting as the more popular ones. We wouldn't have covered as many places if it weren't for her. I will definitely recommend her tour !
Keiko was very accommodating, always arrived at the meet up locations early and was extremely knowledgeable about each site we visited. She promptly responded to all of my emails prior to our tour and addressed all of my questions. My brothers are planning to visit Kyoto next year. I have advised them to hire Keiko for their trip as well. Thanks Keiko!