Kyoto-based · Licensed · Since 2010
The people behind your Japan trip
A small team in Kyoto — guiding visitors through Japan with local knowledge, personal attention, and a genuine love for the country.
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OUR STORY
Founded in Kyoto, built on passion
After years living and working in Japan, Xavier founded My Japan Guide with one simple idea — to show visitors the Japan he had come to love, not the version sold by package tour operators. The hidden backstreets, the local restaurants, the temple at dawn before the crowds arrive.
His wife Yoko joined soon after, bringing with her a deep understanding of Japanese hospitality — omotenashi — the art of anticipating a guest’s needs before they are expressed.
Together they built a team of local guides who share the same philosophy: that the best Japan experiences come from genuine human connection, not a script.
Today My Japan Guide operates across all of Japan — private day tours, bespoke multi-week itineraries, and exclusive cultural experiences that most visitors never reach. Always private, always personal, always from Kyoto.
WHY TRAVEL WITH US
What makes us different
Local & personal
Our guides live in the destinations they show you. They know the places most visitors never find — and the best time to visit them. No scripts, no conveyor belts.
Fully private
Every tour and itinerary is exclusively for your group. No shared buses, no strangers, no fixed departure times. Just you, your guide, and Japan.
One team, all of Japan
From Tokyo to Hokkaido, Kyushu to Okinawa — one Kyoto-based team designs and manages your entire trip. One contact, from first email to last day.
OUR TEAM
Local experts across Japan
All our guides are bilingual, locally based, and selected for their knowledge, warmth, and passion for sharing Japan — not just their qualifications. Our Kyoto-based team coordinates every trip personally, from first inquiry to last day. You will always deal with the same person — no call centers, no hand offs, no surprises.
Based in
Kyoto, Japan
Languages
English · French · Japanese
Response time
Within 24 hours
Operating since
2010
OUR COMMITMENTS
How we travel responsibly
Support local businesses
We work exclusively with locally owned restaurants, ryokan, craftspeople and suppliers. Tourism money stays in the communities you visit.
Go off the beaten path
We actively guide visitors away from overcrowded sites to lesser-known alternatives — better for you, better for local communities, better for Japan’s cultural heritage.
Small groups only
All tours are private — maximum 6 to 8 people. No mass tourism, no impact on local sites beyond what they can absorb comfortably.
Respect local culture
We brief every guest on customs, etiquette and respectful behaviour before each visit. Japan’s traditions deserve to be engaged with, not observed from a distance.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Legal & contact details
Company name
My Japan Guide
Operating under Private Tours Japan
Address
1 Hinookakamodochō
Yamashina-ku, Kyoto-shi Kyoto 607-8495, Japan
Languages
English · Japanese · French
Other languages upon request
Registration
Kyoto 3-1039
Licensed travel agency — Kyoto Tourism Bureau
Contact
booking@myjapanguide.com
+81 (0)75-585-5818
Response time
Within 24 hours
Monday to Saturday
What our guests say
