Yoko M.
Available Areas
Okayama (Living)
Languages
English, Japanese
Response Time
1 day on average
Availability Updated
5 days ago
About Tour Guide Yoko M.
Hello. I'm Yoko Miyake. Please call me Yoko. I'm a licensed guide. I love travelling. I have visited all the prefectures in Japan. Though Japan has many good places to visit, I hope many foreign travellers will visit my hometown Kurashiki and enjoy their stay there. Because I was born in Kurashiki, and I have lived there since then, I know a lot about Kurashiki. Of course I can show you other good places in Okayama Prefecture and near Okayama Prefecture.
Important
I can guide you according to your request.
Tours
Art Island "Naoshima” one day trip
Naoshima is an art island. There are good art museums in this island, Chichu Art Museum, Benesse House Museum, Valley Gallery, Lee Ufan Museum, and so on. Art House Project in Honmura Area is also interesting. Some of them are made by a Japanese architect, Tadao Ando. They are very wonderful. You can enjoy outside works in the island. The most famous outside works are two red and yellow pumpkins by Yayoi Kusama.
Quiet one day trip of Kurashiki Bikan historical area
Kurashiki was a center of trades in Edo Period. And some warehouses and many houses in those days are left here now . When you walk along the stream , you will feel that you travel into the town in Edo Period. You can ride a small boat rowed with paddles along the stream , and you can also ride the rickshaw. You can visit old merchant's house, Ohara Museum , and Kurashiki Folkcraft Museum.
Kurashiki Bikan historical area and Korakuen Park and Okayama Castle in Okayama
We visit Kurashiki Bikan historical area and walk along the stream with willows beside it. You see old houses and rice warehouses. Now they are used as a museum or shops. After that we visit Korakuen Park. It was one of three most famous parks in Japan. It was created for Tsunamasa Ikeda , the lord of Okayama Han in Edo Period. We also visit Okayama Castle.
Kurashiki Bikan historical area and Seto Inland Sea and Seto Ohashi Bridge from Washuzan Hill
First we will go to Kurashiki Bikan historical area. We will walk along the stream called Kurashiki River. We will see big and old merchants' houses and old warehouses. We will watch and buy Japanese folkcraft there. We will go to Ivy Square and eat lunch. After that we will go to Washuzan in Kojima by bus and taxi. We will see many small islands and Seto Ohashi Bridge in Seto Inland Sea.
Traditional Bizen ware and Kurashiki Bikan historical area
Bizen ware is one of six most popular potteries in Japan. Superior clay is used and put in the tunnel kiln unglazed and fired with pine wood at 1250°C for 20 days . It acquires various subdued colors. You visit the potteries and learn the process of Bizen ware. You can make your own china with the help of the potter. You also visit Kurashiki Bikan historical area.
Reviews
Jon H.
“ Above and Way Beyond Expectations, Yoko! ”
Yoko was tremendously helpful both long before our custom tour and even after! She patiently answered so many questions I had as a first time visitor to Soja City/Kurashiki, Okayama in the weeks before our tour. She set up a taxi driver and helped me navigate Japanese gravesite customs. Someone in the taxi compoany even happened to know my family and where my family's grave was located! Her English is excellent and she is a caring and capable guide that w connected with so easily. Our visit to my family's grave in Soja City was magical for me, my wife, and our daughter and granddaughter. Our granddaughter asked me if she could meet a relative her age. Yoko and the ancestors made that happen. (See picture with two happy 10 year olds, one from the US, one from Soja CIty, Japan). We bid our newly found relatives goodbye and returned to Kurashiki. After a refreshing lunch, we had a wonderful (and cooling!) visit to the Ohara Art Museum and Ohara houses. After our tour, Yoko was once again such a star! My cousin wanted to visit our family grave a couple days after us. Yoko helped arrange a taxi for them and my cousin got to spend additional time with our Soja City relatives! Yoko is such a caring, generous, knowledgable and helpful guide! Words cannot express our deep gratitude to her. Our request was complex and she delivered! We cannot recommend her to you enough!
Yoko M.
Thank you for a nice review. I also had a nice time with you and your family. I appreciate you.
Aidan C.
“ A wonderful day in Okayama! ”
We saw a lot on this tour. Important to have an umbrella on hand if touring in June as it rained a bit. Yoko packed a lot into this day which was good. Because it rained the river boats were not operating. We instead walked along the beautiful river bank. Yoko understood and spoke good English.
Yoko M.
Thank you for your nice review. I am very happy to read it. Is your leg all right? We walked long. So I am worried about that. I wish you can get Nintendo tickets. Yoko
Aidan C.
“ Naoshima Art Island! ”
This is an interesting island to visit. Yoko helped us navigate transportation. It does take a fair bit of time to get to the island including a train from Okayama (which can require a transfer), a ferry and local buses on the island. We enjoyed seeing the red and yellow pumpkins. Yoko knows the island well and was able to highlight key sites and told us about the artworks.
Yoko M.
Thank you for your nice review. June is a rainy season in Japan. This year we had a lot of rain. You had a lot of luck. Though the weather forecast said it would rain a lot on both days , we had a little rain and could enjoy the sightseeing in almost all the places without an umbrella. Yoko
Kichi J.
“ A beautiful time in Naoshima ”
We had a wonderful time exploring Naoshima and Teshima with Yoko. Highly recommended!
Yoko M.
Thank you so much for good evaluation.