
Kyoto Local Artist will guide you to the best of Kyoto.
Highlights, Off-the-beaten path, Atelier, Studio, Gallery and more.
This Is Our Story
Dear Guests,
I am thrilled to be meeting with you and sharing the inspiring moments together. Thank you for walking into my life
I am a Kyoto local. I have over 15 years of experience in global companies in guiding people to amazing moments and in helping the business succeed and grow. Mainly worked as a bilingual specialist acting as a liaison between people and companies.
I would now like the opportunity to apply my high level and professional skills and strengths in event coordination, planning, and communications with my extensive understanding and network. It would be a privilege to be exploring with you in a true happy environment.
Born, raised and educated in Kyoto. Lived in Vail, Colorado in my high school days. Graduated from the national Osaka university majoring language.
For my art history, I was taught by my father and a memory of my grandfather, both great artists in Kyoto painting. As one of the giving projects, I offer cultural events, introducing Kyoto style in quality, tradition and design, connecting everyone to the pleasure of artistic and deeper cultural scenes. I regularly exhibit my art pieces at gallery and museum.
It will be my honor to share the inspiring moments with you. I am flexible in scheduling the destination during your stay upon your preference. I will try my best to offer the possible best solutions.
In addition to visiting hidden alleys and places, there are many options to meet with genuine Kyoto Artisans.
I feel grateful when I see people happy. I very much look forward to assisting your stay more comfortable and enjoyable.
My best regards,
CHERISH

This Is Our Story
Full Day 6 hours
55,000 JPY per tour

Meet local artisans and learn real local things at their ateliers. Hidden fun and special experience? 100% custom-made. Explore your own moments and the best of Kyoto with Kyoto local & art and architecture oriented artist guide!
Half Day 3 hours
33,000 JPY per tour

Want to avoid crowd? Especially for those who also like to explore the night scene or quieter earlier morning view in Kyoto.
Feel the deeper insights of Kyoto on your own way.
View some
sample tours

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What’s included:
My services as your personal tour guide.
Contact
For planning and booking your art & architecture tours,
Feedback
D.S.
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Multiple days_Kyoto & Ot,…
DATE: Dec 28, 2019
LOCATION: Kyoto, Japan
Thank you Ayumi for a trip of a lifetime! There were too many highlights to list, but our visit to the Nanzen-ji Temple, where the rain clouds parted into a rainbow, followed by a walk along the philosophers path, was sublime. And we will long remember our
visit to the Celli Atelier. You greatly enhanced our time in Kyoto – we are so grateful!
R.L
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Tailored Deep Kyoto (1day)
DATE: Dec 24, 2019
Ayumi was a great tour guide for us.
She took us to unique places and provided opportunities for us to do things that we never would have been able to do on our own,
including a private lesson with a local artist,
who engaged even the non-artistic (that would be me) among us.
Ayumi really heard what we wanted and tailored two exceptional days for my family,
from visiting an incense company and museum,
to exploring off the beaten path temples and gorgeous local fabric and clothing shops.
J.H.
United States
RATING ★★★★★
DATE: Dec 7/19
What a perfect way to get to know this city! We had a lovely time walking and chatting with Ayumi and truly getting to see Kyoto’s best kept secrets.
I told Ayumi that I was interested in architecture when she met us and she took us not only to several gorgeous temples off of the regular tourist circuit but also shared several other places with us that we loved. Ayumi’ is one of the best guides I have met. Highly recommend.
F.F.
United States
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Half Day/Night_4 hours
DATE: Nov 26/19
We were fortunate that Ayumi was available to guide us only a few hours after we requested a tour.
She met our group of 4 at our hotel in Gion and put together a fine walking tour of spectacular temples and temple gardens,
then led us personally to the Kyoto station and saw us onto the correct train for our journey onward.
Ayumi is a wonderful personal guide and we are very happy to recommend her!
J. S.
Australia
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Tailored Day-time Kyoto (0.5 day_Daytime), Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Oct 30/19
Ayumi was an excellent guide and great company.
Her English is excellent and knowledge strong. Highly recommended.
K. J. R.
Netherlands
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Tailored Deep Kyoto (1day_Day), Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Oct 29/19
we had a great day with Ayumi,
taking us on many local venues and places you could not find as a tourist, adapting to our wish to go off the regular trail in Kyoto.
M. R.
United States
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Tailored Deep Kyoto (1day_Day), Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Oct 28/19
Ayumi-san did a great job finding an artist and class experience for us that we will never forget.
She understood exactly what we hoped for and took great care in finding this class and this was our favorite part of the day.
O.S.
Israel
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Inspiring Private full-day tour of West Kyoto Highlights, Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Oct 16/19
it was great! Ayumi knew the answers to all our questions and we had a lot of them.
After the tour we understood much more about Kyoto,
shrines and temples.
She speaks fluent English so we understood every word.
It was very intresting talking with her and learning about life in Kyoto.
I hope she visits us one day.
We highly recommend a tour with Ayumi.
K. K.
United States
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Tailored Deep Kyoto (1.5 days), Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Oct 10/19
Ayumi in Kyoto is an exceptional guide.
She is knowledgeable and astute and gives the most wonderful experiences for visitors with many unusual non-touristy experiences in the Gion district,
in Kyoto in general and, being an artist herself,
she has fine sensibilities about the cultural aspects that make Kyoto even more special.
Exceptional!
W. H.
Austria
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Tailored Day-time Kyoto (0.5 day_Daytime), Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Sep 29/19
We had a great experience at our tour in Kyoto! Ayumi,
thank you for your choice,
it was a great pleasure meeting you.
We enjoyed your knowledge and your company very much! Hope to see you again.
Best wishes from Vienna! Werner
A. T.
United States
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Half day tour (4hours), Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Jul 21/19
We came to Kyoto without a solid plan for just two days – and quickly realized there was more to see than could be managed in a 48 hour span.
Ayumi was awesome – both in terms of accommodating us into her schedule on short notice & also in terms of helping us get a great understanding of the city,
culture and key landmarks in a super short period of time.
Will definitely be getting in touch with her in my future visits to Kyoto and would highly recommend her.
V. T.
United Arab Emirates
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Tailored Deep Kyoto (1day- 2persons), Kyoto, Japan
Ayumi really helped us make the most of our limited time.
She was professional, accommodating, friendly, and very knowledgeable about the local culture.
At the end of the tour, we truly felt we had experienced a very authentic side of Kyoto including wearing a traditional Yukata, eating at a very local noodle shop, visiting some of the most scenic spots in the city while avoiding tourist crowds, and we even did a private sweet making class!
I’d highly recommend Ayumi for personalised cultural itineraries.
K. P.
Canada
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Studio visit (3hours), Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Jul 19/19
Ayumi was exceptional!
We had very specific arts and cultural interests in Kyoto,
including meeting artisans and learning a technical skill in a specific craft medium.
Ayumi arranged a wonderful tour,
including studio visits and hands on learning activities.
Ayumi has excellent translation skills – she was able to translate conversations and questions about technical processes on the fly.
She is also very knowledgeable about arts and culture and the areas we visited.
Her tour was a highlight of our trip.
E. E.
United States
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Inspiring Private full-day tour of Kyoto Highlights, Kyoto, Japan
DATE: Jun 8/19
Ayumi was great and vey helpful.
She waited for us at the Kyoto station and guide us fir a full day in this wonderful city.
Unfortunately we got some rain, but didn’t stop her to give us her best.
I recommend Ayumi is you want to spend a full day and stop and have lunch in a local place.
Thank you Ayumi for a great tour.
She got us some umbrellas to keep out of the rain
S. B.
United States
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Spiritual Private full-day tour of Kyoto Insights, Kyoto, Japan
DATE: May 18/19
Ayumi was the perfect guide – I would highly recommend her.
Punctual, knowledgable, flexible, patient, friendly and a true pleasure to spend a day with.
When I return to Kyoto I will definitely reach out to Ayumi again.
C.O.
Australia
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: West Kyoto Private Tour .
DATE: May 12/19
Ayumi was delightful! She was flexible and readily acccommodated my wishes on the tour.
She was helpful and shared lots of useful tips and recommendations for my stay in Kyoto.
She happily stopped for photos too. And at the end of our day, back at the hotel, she kindly traced the route on my map.
Value for money – YES!
G. C.
Australia
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: Inspiring Private full-day tour of Kyoto Highlights, Kyoto, Japan
DATE: May 5/19
We had a great day touring with Ayumi.
Ayumi was very flexible to our requests and fluent in English.
C. M.
United States
RATING ★★★★★
TOUR: A Half-day Osaka Highlights Tour!
DATE: Apr 18-19/19
Ayumi is a wonderful person took my daughters and me to this tour with in short time and made sure that we got back on train to Narita. She arrived at our hotel on time and knew where she wanted us to go for the day.
Excellent tour guide lady for family or group.
We request her again on our next tour to Kyoto and Osaka.
Ayumi is an excellent tour guide, kind and polite and I strongly recommend for family or group.
She was on time to our hotel and ask us where we wanted to go specifically in addition to her standard agenda.
She guided as to get tickets to Geisha theater and came back to meet us in the evening after going home to the theater.
We had several dinners with her and felt like she was one of our family member.
Regards, Chris and family