DorisG

Any recommendation for a tour guide to explore Kyoto & Nara. I mean a person not a tour company. Are there 2 different tour guides? A licended (I guess by the government) & an unlicensed. Is it safe to hire the unlicensed one? I read about a Sunrise Tour Company that carries many tours around tha area, but reviews were not that great. The main complain was the "rush" of the tours, with few photo stops. Will tour the area on our own for a couple of days but will love the in depth knowledge of a tour guide.

KimJapan

Licensed tour guides that speak decent English are few, and most will work for a tour company, of which Sunrise is the biggest. What you have heard about Sunrise tours is correct and typical of Japanese tours in general...they move at a very rapid pace and pack a lot in a short time but don't go in depth into anything. Mostly they are transportation with commentary, and quite a few things are seen from the bus window.

MK Taxi has a guide service with a fantastic reputation (and a price to match). http://www.mk-group.co.jp/english/index.html

In many cities, including Kyoto, you can arrange to have a Goodwill Guide, which is free of charge. They are all volunteer and unlicensed, many of whom are retirees who want to practice English. Although they all have training and some English, some are better than others, and some are no good at all...if you use one, you just take the risk. You need to book in advance, and if Kyoto is like Kanazawa, you do it through the tourist information office.

http://www.kyotoguide.com/ver2/guide/tours-.htm

http://kyoto-taxitour.com/

I don't know a thing about the last two. I just found them by using google.

I really don't think safety is an issue with any guide, whether they are licensed or not.

Cilla_Tey

There are volunteer guides in some (most?) Japanese cities. Last year when we were in Kyoto we emailed the club (Kyoto SGG) and was very happy with the volunteer service. Being shown around by a local is very special. We only had to pay Y500 to reimburse transport costs of teh volunteer but we only did a walking tour.
http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~kyotosgg/bodyE.html

glorialf

Chizuko Waller is fabulous. She lived in America for 10 years so her english is perfect. She was one of the best guides I have ever had anywhere and a LOT of fun.

http://japaneseguesthouses.com/chizuko/index.htm

http://japaneseguesthouses.com/chizuko/background.htm

emd

Since you asked about guides in Kyoto (and Nara): I have been watching this board (and participating) for 3 yrs now. I have never seen a recommendation for a paid private tour guide whom someone had actually used for Kyoto (not volunteer guides, but a professional paid private guide).

I have seen two of them on my own web searches and have corresponded with them by email. They are both expensive, have excellent reputations, and I did not end up using them.

1) Masa Fujiwara

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/masa/

2) Judith Clancey, who literally "wrote the book" on visiting Kyoto. this website is about her cultural workshops, but she also does private touring if you email her.

http://www.kyotoworkshops.com/contactus.html

If you find a private professional guide who has a lower price, please post the info here.

There are taxi companies who also do private touring. I have seen good reviews on the web for MK. Here is an excerpt from a fodors guide on this.

Many taxi companies provide guided tours of the city, priced per hour or per route. Keihan Taxi has four-hour tours from ¥14,600 per car; MK Taxi runs similar tours for ¥16,600. There are fixed fares for some sightseeing services that start and end at Kyoto Station. A 7½-hour tour of the city's major sights will cost ¥26,000 with any of 17 taxi companies, including Keihan Taxi and MK Taxi.

See here:

http://www.japanfile.com/business/fe...K_Taxi-2.shtml

I also had bookmarked these sites for private tour guides; as you can see, also fairly expensive.

http://www.kyoto-tokyo-private-tours.com/costs.html

https://www.infohub.com/tour_guides/kyoto_1958.html

http://www.chrisrowthorn.com/walk_fees.html
(also see: https://www.infohub.com/tour_guides/109.html)

BTW, while I was searching for Clancey's info for you, I came across this nice piece she has written about the month of May in Kyoto and the carp flags that you see at that time. I have a carp flag I got in Kyoto, and I never knew the significance of it.

http://www.geocities.jp/kamigyoclancy/new/spring.html

This is the kind of real insight into the culture that she has. Her book,"Kyoto: On Foot in the Ancient Capitol" has led me on many great walks and cultural expeditions in Kyoto. I highly recommend the book. I would not go to Kyoto without it. It holds a wealth of information about what you will be seeing.

glorialf

I know several people who have used Masa and have raved about him.

DorisG

Thanks so much for the wealth of information, I'll look further into it. Already emailed the MK services for info about a week ago, no response yet. Also contacted a private tour guide (recommended by a friend) via emails, a bit pricey, but OK.
My main concern was with the payment & cancellation policy. Wanted a 50% deposit of the full tour, deposited in a US based bank account with check no credit card accepted, non refundable, if cancelled within 45 days of the trip. I do understand a deposit is needed to hold any reservation. But 50%?.... How about if the guide doesn't show? I have no physical address or phone to make a claim # & IMO 45 days is a long way to have that much money tied up. I have used many private tour guides in my trips, recently in Spain a 2 week van with chaeuffer/guide & last September in Athens for 3 days. Never gave a deposit. Am I missing something here or this is the normal practice in Japan?

KimJapan

I've never booked a guide in Japan before so I'm not sure of procedure. I do know, though, that I've booked top level ryokan with my name only, no credit card, no deposit...for places that cost over $800/night for 2. So I wouldn't expect that a guide would ask for 50% with such a strict cancellation policy...was it MK Taxi or someone else who has asked for this?