Hi, I’m Hiroko
Hi, I’m Hiroko
I’ve lived in Yokohama for 22 years
I speak English, Japanese
I am a tour guide
My name is Hiroko Kitagawa. I was born and raised in Japan and graduated from Keio University. I have experience living in California totally for 11 years because of my husband’s job. Since 2000, I have been teaching English to people from children to business persons. I started my career as a tour guide in 2019. I have guided a lot of foreign tourists around Tokyo areas and also Kamakura, Nikko, Mt.Fuji, etc. I always enjoy meeting and guiding foreign tourists with a smile and would like them to visit fantastic places in the Tokyo area.
My knowledge & interests
Food
Drinks
Arts
History
Shopping
Culture & customs
Street food
Local cuisine
Desserts
Food markets
Fine dining
Unique & unusual foods
Theater
Cinema
Art galleries & museums
Street art
Parks
Gardens
Scenic routes
Political history
Economic history
Social history
Architectural history
Religious history
Cityscape photography
Street photography
Portrait photography
Modern architecture
Classical architecture
Wine
Whiskey
Third wave coffee
Gin
Local beers
Artisanal tea
High-end fashion boutiques
Department stores
Vintage shops
Street markets
Handicrafts & souvenirs
Traditional culture
Popular culture
Religious customs
Lifestyle culture
Rituals & ceremonial customs
Alternative or underground culture
sushi
sake
My reviews
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Before we met Hiroko emailed some additional questions to better understand our interests and objectives for the day. We mentioned I was experiencing some mobility issues, for which she adapted the itinerary. When we met in person, we confirmed a strategy and were able to accomplish everything we intended within my limitations. Since we were planning to use public transit during our stay, she helped us purchase the correct transit cards. Since it was our first time in Japan, she offered a quick history of Japan and its culture; along with lots of other tidbits too numerous to list. She matched her pace to ours. It was a perfect day for us. We would certainly use her services again, and enthusiastically recommend her to others.
February 2025
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친절하고 따스한 환대에 기분 좋은 투어를 했습니다. 개개인에 맞는 맞춤투어와 맛있는 현지음식, 다음에 동경에 갈때에도 꼭 다시 만나고 싶은 가이드님 이셨어요^^ I had a pleasant tour with friendly and warm hospitality. Customized tours tailored to each individual and delicious local food, I definitely want to see you again next time I go to Tokyo. It was a guide^^
November 2024
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Hiroko met us at the Yokohama cruise terminal. We only had one day before flying home and asked that we see some highlights. We used a taxi to drive around Yokohama before boarding a train to Tokyo. We saw the beautiful Tokyo station dome. Upon exiting the station, there was a formal procession in front of the Tokyo station hotel where the South Korean ambassador was arriving. How exciting. As this was a Monday, the Imperial Palace was closed. We went to Nakamise-Dori Street where traditional souvenirs and snacks are sold. This is the main entrance to the beautiful Sensoji Temple. We asked Hiroko to take us to a traditional Japanese restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious lunch. The menus have pictures and in English. This whole area was entertaining and gave us a glimpse of the Japanese culture. We returned to Yokohama by train. We were impressed by the cleanliness of everything. The Japanese people are very polite and well mannered. What a good example for the world. Being that we only had six hours, Hiroko made the most of this short time. She was very friendly, informative and we would highly recommend her services.
November 2024
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Communication was fantastic, planning of itinerary was everything we wanted, very informative, helped with ordering food items and all local travel, was able to experience multiple different types of public transport with ease.
October 2024