WaRaiDo Guide Networks Co., Ltd. is situated in Kyoto, an ancient capital of Japan with a history covering 1200 years, and from which remain 2000 shrines and temples in the city to this day. However, unlike ultra-luxurious destinations such as Las Vegas in the U.S., Kyoto’s enchantment is hard to grasp since it consists of such simple, profound and subtle nuances as Geisha tradition, Zen philosophy, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, seasonal festive events and so on, which could be overlooked without the right guide to tell guests what this city is really about. That is why our company has been established by yours truly, Ted Ueno, myself officially licensed as an English speaking guide by the government. Our guide service covers not only Kyoto but also Japan in its entirety, mobilizing our own “network” as well. We certainly hope to see you soon in Japan! Yokoso! Japan.
Last but not least, I don't like gambling personally...]]>
Kyoto is the original place where the Geisha tradition has started, and such a graceful tradition remains unchanged even today. Hanamachi literally translated as “flower town” is the Kyoto word meaning Geisha District, and we have five different Hanamachi in Kyoto City, represented by the Gion district. Our Geisha walking tour covers Gion for just 1,000 yen to know the background of Geisha conducted by a professional guide with the right knowledge of this hidden world. After enjoying our “Geisha Walking Tour,” you must be more interested in the secrets.
This special event has been designed to create more chances to have a closer look at Geisha, who will be dancing right in front of you or occasionally accompany your table to talk during the event, while enjoying a fine Kyoto Kaiseki Cuisine course at an extraordinary reasonable price.
To take part in this fabulous event, you will have two different choices for service. One is just making a reservation through this website to attend by yourself, while the other choice is with pick-up service at your staying hotels to be accompanied by a professional guide interpreter. With the latter choice, the interpreter will be always stand-by especially for your family or group to explain about the cuisine and show, and to serve as an interpreter when you talk to Geisha as well. The simple reservation of the Geisha show and Kaiseki cuisine only is ¥18,000 per one person, while the pick-up service with a guide interpreter, additional ¥10,000 “per group” will be asked.
During your stay in Japan, this great opportunity should not be missed. This new event starts today. For more in-details, click “Private Events” page.]]>
The tour is called “Walk in Kyoto, Talk in English.” You can easily guess from the name what kind of attraction it is. However, the uniqueness of this tour is that tourists will not visit a single “must see” sightseeing spot according to the guide books on Japan. Instead, they will be introduced to small shrines, a factory of Japanese handicrafts, hidden streets, a spine-chilling graveyard and other attractive spots. Even without visiting a well-known sightseeing spot, participants seem to be deeply satisfied with this five hour walking tour experiencing the everyday life of Kyotoites.
Though 3000 customers take part in his tour yearly, he did not achieve this great success over night. A lady who has been working for an information desk located close to JR Kyoto station mentioned to me that she used to have the habit of counting the number of participants for his tour looking out of the window from her desk. For the first few years, counting the number was a very easy task since the tourists were just a few or so each day. As the years went by, she one day found a huge group marching in the street. She thought it might be a group boarding a sightseeing coach. However, in front of the long line, she located a hat, Johnnie’s trademark, proudly leading the group. With great joy and in tribute to him, she stopped her long-lasting habit of counting the number of tourists.
In Japan, such a great person like him should be called “sensei.” When I started my WaRaiDo Guide Networks business, I visited him to learn and tried calling him “sensei” but he refused this title simply saying “I am a tour guide.” Since then I do not call him “sensei” in person, but when I talk about him with someone else, I cannot help saying “sensei.” And he has long been a de facto advisor especially for our walking tour service.
When you find a major free paper about Kyoto, the “Kyoto Visitors Guide,” just open the front page, and you will find a picture of “sensei” and me. I am so happy every time I look at the pictures of two men who are coincidently from the same high school.
For more in-details, visit the website of “Walk in Kyoto, Talk in English” through our LINK page. ]]>
On the other hand, in his daily life, Mr. Okada is a professional interpreter and a guide qualified by the Japanese government. He passed the very tough national examination whose pass rate was as low as 2% at the time. He is also an entrepreneur having started his own travel company in 1968, and has entertained 130,000 guests with his unique tours and another 140,000 by his Samurai show.
Imagine how challenging these tasks were for him: Japanese people had been strictly forbidden to speak English during the last World War, and he spent his junior high school life as a mobilized factory worker making propellers for “zero” fighter planes. He additionally received training to be a kamikaze pilot, resulting in only two years limited experience of English education at school.
As a Samurai, he has fought numerous times in his past life, but has not cut a single human being or animal with his sword. However, he has fought against almost everything - but what he has fought for? It was against former bureaucratic regulations trying to block his business, tough competition with huge enterprises copying his epoch-making ideas without his permission, and against rising yen beating rising sun in the early 1990s, just to name a few.
Eight years ago, Mr. Okada was invited as the first Samurai to visit an Aegis warship of the Self Defense Force. On the deck equipped with cutting-edge missile launchers and fire arms, he told the captain “I wish a sword will always be kept in its scabbard.” His remarks remind me of the legendary swordsman, Musashi Miyamoto, from the 16th century. It is said that Musashi had a philosophy believing that strong Samurai could win a series of victories even crossing swords with 100 enemies, but a truly strong Samurai was a man who did not have to use his sword even on a single occasion.
Mr. Joe Okada’s sword can instead cut apples in mid air and his achievement was once registered in the Guinness Book of World Records. Now he is ready to teach his secret technique for those who wish to learn. ]]>
Whether you believe this story or not, this is one of the major spots to encounter Maiko or Geiko, since it is now believed to be a deity for entertainment skills such as singing and dancing.
If you would like to see the best evening spots for finding Maiko or Geiko, come and join our walking tour described in the “Walk Tours” page of this website. In November, the tour starts at 6:00pm while in December and January, it starts at 5:00pm led by our member guides. No reservation is required. ]]>
The advantage is not only its extremely reasonable price, but you can also experience the unforgettable social times with other international tourists. Sometimes staff familiar with the latest hot spots also in other cities like Tokyo or Osaka accompany the guests. Currently “J-Hoppers” has two branches: J-Hoppers Kyoto and J-Hoppers Hiroshima, both of which are conveniently located close to the city centers. You can visit the Kyoto branch from JR Kyoto Station on foot and the Hiroshima branch is located close to Peace Memorial Park.
If you want to know more, visit our LINK page and hit the “J-Hoppers” website or directly ask the owner on the left who has amazing worldwide travel experience.]]>
What is the problem this year? The problem is that it is becoming difficult to judge when the blossoms will be due to the inconvenient global warming. Many say the timing will be much earlier than usual this year by one week or more. If the widespread prediction comes into being, it will be really inconvenient for a large number of people. For examples, caterers will have to change their delivery plans, and the events in Kyoto targeting the blossoms might be without Sakura after everything turns green - which is the perfect bed for sleeping worms, or entrance ceremonies of primary schools or kindergartens that are not accompanied by the flower way. .
In any event, please make sure not to miss the chance for cherry blossom viewing especially in Kyoto and Osaka. You will be guided to the perfect spot by taking part in our “Open Tours.” When you need someone to ask about the cherry blossom front, you can see the “what’s new” page on our website. Updated information about the “cherry blossom front” will be conveniently listed. ]]>
In one week, central Japan will enjoy cherry blossom viewing, while we can still enjoy skiing in the northern part of Japan due to the long archipelago extending from north to south. And in Okinawa, we can enjoy diving in another one or two months. In a country whose land area is rather limited and almost equivalent to that of California in the USA, it is as if we have both the weather of Canada and Hawaii at the same time.
In fact, this photo was taken on the very same day when Tokyo found the first cherry tree in bloom. Seasonal transition and variation will be a great joy for you on your visit to Japan.]]>