英語観光タクシー

“Fantastic experience”

Today we took a 7-hour tour with Mr. Nobu Nagata.

I cannot say enough about what a great experience it was for my family (me, wife, daughters (17, 18) and mother. Worth every penny.

Mr. Nagata was very professional, yet down-to-earth. He was extremely knowledgeable and helpful.

We had been to Kyoto before, but the kids had not.

While we had full control of the itinerary and wanted the kids to see some of the well-known sights (Golden Pavilion, Sanjusangendo, Fushimi Inari), the best spots were the ones we allowed Mr. Nagata to choice. For example, he steered us away (no pun intended) from Ryoan-ji, to another temple with better Zen gardens and almost no people.

He also knew the best times to bit the popular sights to minimize the crowd.

Will definitely hire him again, if I come back, and let him do all the selections!

                           From Mr. Richard Ohye

Dear Nobuaki-san, 

Thank you for the tour yesterday.
We enjoyed our experience and your company very much.
I have posted a review like I promised. Best regards.
If we come back to the city, we will look to book with you again to visit the other sites which we did not get to yesterday. 

Masaaki.

Wonderful Visit in Kyoto with Nobu

We booked a private tour a family of 4. Nobu greeted us at the station with a sign like a Limo driver.
He took us a tour through Kyoto based on an itinerary of our choosing, which included:
Fushimi Shrine, Kinkakujo, Nishiki Market, Gion (where we happened to see an apprentice Geisha (not a tourist dressed up like one), as well as a very serene less known and way less crowded Buddhist temple.
He also knows where to take the best pictures for each attraction.
He spoke great English and has a great sense of humor.
Even though I speak Japanese, my family does not. So he was perfect.
He is also a licensed tour guide by the central government.

So he is very knowledgeable about the city and the surrounding attractions, as well as the entire history and culture of Japan.
We would highly recommend this tour for anyone, especially if you are considering a tour for your small group.
For us, it was more economical than booking a bus tour for a family of 4. And we got our own personal driver and tour guide, customized to our needs.
　　　　　　　　　　　　From Mr. Masaaki Uchida

　We did a full day tour with Nobuaki Nagata in Kyoto in March, 2018 and we couldn’t have been more pleased.  He picked us up at the port in Kobe, drove to Kyoto for the day and returned us to the ship that evening.   

　We had been to Kyoto several times before, so we asked to go to places that he would recommend that were not the usual tourist spots (all of which are wonderful as well) and we were not disappointed.  Everything we saw and did was wonderful, his English is very good, his vehicle is very clean and well cared for and his driving is very safe. 

　We could not have asked for a better day and we will certainly contact him again if we are back in Kyoto.  He is also very good at confirming everything by email in a very timely manner. 

　We would absolutely recommend Mr. Nagata as your tour guide in Kyoto. 

Sincerely,
Diane Peets

“Beyond our wildest expectations! Perfect, private tour of Kyoto with Nobu.” 

I contacted Nagata (Nobu).  For months prior to our arrival I worked with Nobu to set an itinerary that would ensure we'd see everything my husband and I wanted in the amazingly beautiful city of Kyoto.

We were on a tour (that started three days later) so it was important to NOT duplicate any of the things we'd see on the tour.

Nobu put together a perfect itinerary ensuring we'd see everything we wanted, but also finding surprises that aligned with our preferences and interests.

I didn't want to deal with other forms of transportation (after a long trip from California) so we arranged for Nobu to pick us up at the airport and tour us for three days.

Even on our way into Kyoto the first night he showed us the Gion (Geisha) district and we saw a beautiful geisha (a rare treat!).

We met for the next tow days -- and they were unbelievable.

Nobu could answer all of our questions, brought sites to life with history and contemporary information.

And when he found out we loved the quiet of temples he took us to two that had NO people in them.

They were favorites of his and ended up being our favorites, too.

He knew when to arrive to beat the crowds and guided us to places within each sight where we could take the best pictures, have the best views and avoid the larger tour groups.

Seeing the cherry blossoms was at the top of my list, but by the time we arrived many had dropped their petals.

Nobu worked hard to find the places where there were late-blooming trees (including taking us to a landscape garden where there were some of the most beautiful cherry blossom trees).

Nobu was kind, thoughtful, gracious and truly one of the best guides we have had in all of our years of travel.

He takes amazing pride in his work and care in meeting (and exceeding) his client's expectations.

He even found reasonably priced restaurants near our hotel, took the initiative to book us reservations and the food was spectacular (for a fraction of what the hotel recommendations charges -- and so much more authentic).

He has a very spacious and comfortable touring van (brand new) and drives with great caution and care.

We HIGHLY recommend Nobu if you are going to Kyoto and want to see both the top sights and some off the beaten path.

Your memories will be imprinted by his kind, generous, warm care and guidance.

Be sure to book him early!

　　　　　From Ms. Stacey Paynter

This review is for Nobuaki Nagata. My girlfriend and I were touring Japan for the first time in December 2016 and Kyoto was our first stop.

Given the thousands of sites and only being in Kyoto for a few days, we thought a private tour was the optimal choice to be efficient with our time and get the most of our experience.

We did a day tour (6 hours) with Mr. Nagata on our first day. We highly recommend Mr. Nagata.

From the moment we started emailing Mr. Nagata about our trip, we were in good hands.

He was very polite, prompt, and detailed with initial emails.

He proposed a day of sites for the tour and also recommended sites for our second and third day to do on our own.

Mr. Nagata arrived early, was extremely professional, and has a very comfortable car.

He really takes the stress out of trying to figure out where to go, how to get there, what's the most important things to see, etc.

We saw the main attractions but even off the beaten path sites which were some of my favorite. 

Above all, Mr. Nagata is such an honorable man. He practices excellence in everything he does and you can sense his passion for the job.

He is a government certified tour guide and while he is constantly booked, when he does have free time, he spends it visiting new sites and learning more to further perfect his craft. His hard work and passion even gave me motivation for my own life and job.

He also has a great sense of humor and it was fun to converse with him.

While we only spent a day with Mr. Nagata, by the end of the tour, we felt like he was a long time friend and we instantly missed him when we parted ways.

While seeing sites is important, I appreciated the little things and spontaneous moments a personal tour with Mr. Nagata provided, such as my favorite moment when we were in a small temple and he was sitting cross-legged in his suit with such flexibility and teaching us a few things about zen meditation.

He also gave us restaurant recommendations and told us the best time and place to see geisha (we saw 10!). 

While we only did a day tour, you could easily book additional time/days with him. I have never written a review before, but felt so compelled to as Mr. Nagata's excellence should be recognized and appreciated. I recommend emailing Mr. Nagata as soon as you know your trip details as he books up quickly.

From Mr. Marcos Garcia.   

Dear Mr. Marcos Garcia,

Thank you very much for your great review.

I was surprised your review, it is really beyond my expectations.

Your review is surely helpful for my business.

I really appreciate your kind approval to put your wonderful review on my website as your testimonial.

I hope I will be able to meet you again in the near future.

Please give my best regards to your beautiful girlfriend.

Sincerely Regards,

Nobuaki Nagata

Dear Nobu-san,

　Thank you so much for showing us your beautiful city today.
　We both had a great time! Thinking back, our favourites were the former emperors' living place at the Ninna-ji temple, and learning about the blending of many religions into Japanese Buddhism. But it is very hard to pick as so much of what you showed us was simply incredible (the bullet marks and archery competition also come to mind).
　Your kindness and knowledge were admirable, and it was our pleasure to spend the day learning from you. We would be happy to write a testimonial for your website! Thanks again and take good care, 

Ray and Marjorie Bombeo

Dear Nobu-san,

　Now that we've returned to Tokyo and I finally have a bit of time to rest and reflect, I am very grateful that it is the magnificent day spent in your company that is freshest in my mind; we certainly saved the best for last.
　Although our time in Kyoto up until your tour was great deal of fun--if in a slightly haphazard kind of way--I couldn't help but feel a lingering sense that maybe we'd missed out on some of Kyoto's profound depth. After your tour, these worries were put to rest.
　Your knowledge of Japanese culture bridged painting, literary, culinary, and religious traditions which expand over a millennium or more. Suffice it to say that you are the only taxi driver I've ever had who could both recite poetry, teach meditation, and recommend good sake! For those looking for a custom-tailored and comprehensive Kyoto experience, I can't recommend Mr. Nagata enough.

Best wishes,
Elliot Wright

Dear Nagata-san,

　Visiting Kyoto, my guide for the whole day was Mr. Nagata. It was an extraordinary experience for me to spend this time with him, profiting from his deep knowledge about the cultural treasures in the city. We visited the main places, among them the Nijo Castle of the Shoguns, the Golden Pavilion and the Ryoanji temple and garden. Mr. Nagata gave me abundant information about all these buildings and their history and background. I learned a lot about Japanese history and thinking, about Shintoism and Buddhism in this country. An extraordinary part of this day was the visit of one temple with interesting paintings and the visit of the Sanjusangen-do Buddhist site. We had also very good talks and an exchange about the cultural heritage.
　Mr. Nagata had his car in excellent shape, he drove in a cautious and comfortable manner. He was very much engaged and answered to all my questions and wishes. I can recommend Mr. Nagata warmly for his knowledge and highly professional performance.

Arnd Bäucker, Corporate Communication, Bosch

　We had the pleasure of having Mr. Nobu Nagata as a guide in Kyoto, Japan.  We have traveled all over the world and utilized guides in every country.  Mr. Nobu Nagata is one of the best and most informative guides we have ever had,  He is knowledgeable and informative and shared the essence  of the culture as well as the  points of interest in Kyoto.   He has a wonderful sense of humor as well as an an esthetic  sense  that that he imparts.  He is truly a find for anyone who wants to experience the best of Kyoto. We will always remember and cherish our trip because of Nobu.

Patricia Driscoll

Nagata-san,

　I wish to drop you this quick email to thank you for a totally enjoyable tour of Kyoto. While I have been there before, your tour was most excellent and memorable. Your English ability is very good, and I cannot think of any moment during our tour where I was confused or failed to understand your point. My French manager was very impressed with not only the beauty and culture of Kyoto, but also your performance as a certified guide.

　While my time in Japan is now very short, I have passed on your business card to my manager with a very warm recommendation for your service in the future. My company is totally international, and there will be future visits by others with no previous touch of the Nippon Culture. My wish is that he will reach out to you to be the “Kyoto Ambassador” in the future.

　Please feel free to use this email as reference for others who may consider your excellent service.

Paul OSTERMAN

Training School Project Manager

Operational Division

Mr. and Ms. B

　Thank you for making our visit to Kyoto so enjoyable.  We cannot predict the weather.  I think we tried our best even though we did get soaked.  You will always remember us because of the weather.  I will be in touch with anyone I may know that may be inteested in traveling to Kyoto.  In fact, I let Bobbie know.  I will also give your name to our friend, who is a travel agent.

Ms.S

Dear Nobu san,
　Thank you very much for another very good tour.
　We all enjoyed the tour and had a great time in Kyoto.I will let you know if I end up taking any more customers to Kyoto as I have been very happy with the results on both occasions I have had  tours with you.

Mr. B

Dear Mr. Nagata,

　Thank you for serving as our guide and mentor during our recent visit to Kyoto!  We had a wonderful time and your skills exceeded our expectations on every dimension.  You have an impressive knowledge of Japanese history and culture, your language skills are excellent, you have a beautiful and comfortable car, and (most importantly) your humor and hospitality made our family feel very welcome! 
　My children commented on how much they enjoyed your explanations, which greatly enhanced their understanding of the various cultural sights we visited.  Lunch was also a real treat for everyone.

Thanks again for a very special day of sightseeing!

Mr. and Ms. R

Good evening Nagata,

　We enjoyed our tour very much, especially getting to see some of the areas and places that we would not see by ourselves. We will certainly recommend you to any of our friends who may travel to Kyoto, and I'm sure we will return ourselves in a few years of time as we are enjoying Japan immensely. 

Many thanks for your professional, friendly and knowledgable time today

永田様
　昨日は大変お世話になりました。
　他の観光客が行かない(行けない)素晴らしい所ばかりで、静かな京都を堪能させていただきました。Grahamも非常に喜んでおりました。
　今度はいつか秋に参りますので、またご案内頂ければ幸いです。
　毎日働き詰めで大変だとは存じますが、お身体を壊さないようどうかご自愛下さい。
　ではまたいつかお会いできることを楽しみにしております。
　黒川

永田様
　今回の旅行中も、色々なところへの心配り有難うございました。
　松本明慶さんの工房に伺えるとは思っても見ませんでしたので永田さんのお顔の広さにはいつもながらにびっくり致しました。
　大原野神社も好きですし、額縁の庭や大きなお釈迦様も良かったですし・・・マイナーなところ大好きです。お陰様で三人とも非常に楽しく過ごさせて頂きました。
　「はふう」のカツサンドもあっさりとしていながら肉の良さが際だっていてとても美味しかったです。5千円は悩みどころですがまた食べたくなってしまうかもしれません（笑）。
　これからもよろしくお願い致します。

永田様
　昨日はお世話になりました。
　今回は桜限定という希望でしたので、遠くまでわざわざ下見に行って頂きまして申し訳ありませんでした。主人共々、いつもながらたいへん満足しております。　永田さんには毎回感謝の一言です。ありがとうございます。今後ともよろしくお願いいたします。　
　たいへんお忙しいようなので、くれぐれもお体に気をつけてください。　
　御礼まで。

永田様
　昨日は本当にありがとうございました。
　永田さんの知識と京都に対するパッションに感動しました。その上、永田さん自身のお人柄と温かいハートがとってもステキだと思いました。
　次回京都へ行く時も永田さんに案内して頂きたいです。
　お忙しい時期だと思いますがお体にはお気をつけて下さいね。
　又お会い出来る日を楽しみにしています。

永田さま
　こちらこそこの度はジョセフ一家が大変お世話になりました。
　２日間の京都および奈良観光、両日ともに本人はもちろんの事、ご家族皆さんも大変満足した旨を本人から聞いております。本当にありがとうございました。
　これからも私の知人友人が京都を訪問する際は、是非永田さんの観光案内を勧めさせて頂きます。
　私事ですが、アメリカでアート関係のオンラインストアを運営しており、その関係で京都に触れる機会も多く、また、京都に関して問い合わせを受ける事も今後さらに増えると思います。英語によるタクシーツアーの素晴らしさもそこで宣伝させて頂きたいと思います。
今後とも宜しくお願い申し上げます。