🧭

Your Guide

One dedicated English or Chinese-speaking guide, exclusively for your group

🚐

Your Vehicle

Toyota Alphard or Vellfire — Japan's premium private minivan, up to 7 guests

Now Accepting Reservations

Private
Driver-Guide
Tours from Nagoya.

Looking for a private day tour from Nagoya — by private car, to Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Ise Shrine, or the Iga ninja village? Your itinerary is carefully planned in advance, your guide picks you up, and you simply enjoy the day. Licensed, experienced, and backed by ★5 reviews. Other destinations welcome — just ask, and we'll arrange a tour for you.

View Our Tours Meet your guide →

Your Guide: Misae → Guest Stories →

No obligation · We reply within 24 hours · Free to ask anything

We understand

Japan is extraordinary.
Getting it right is the hard part.

You've planned this trip for months. You want it to be perfect—not a blur of crowded buses and tourist-trap lunches. Your family deserves better.

鉄

Japan's transit system is brilliant—for locals

Missed connections, confusing platforms, exhausted children. By noon, the day is already lost. We handle every transfer so your family simply enjoys the journey.
人

Shirakawa-go is magical—if you see it, not just the crowds

Standing beneath a 300-year-old gassho-zukuri farmhouse, surrounded by mountains—no guidebook prepares you for that moment. We make sure your family has the time and context to truly feel it.
縁

The most memorable moments in Japan are born from human connection

A shop owner who shares a story, a local who waves you in off the street. We create the conditions for those encounters—the ones no itinerary can plan for.

What we offer

Three things no app
can give your family

鍵

Zero Logistics. Pure Experience.

Trains, parking, reservations, last-minute changes—none of it reaches you. From hotel pickup to drop-off, your only job is to be present with your family.

語

History You Can Feel

A torii gate is just wood and stone—until someone tells you what it guards, and why people have walked through it for a thousand years. We turn sights into stories your family will retell for decades.

心

A Friend in Japan

At the end of the day, you won't feel like a tourist who hired a service. You'll feel like someone who spent a day with a person who genuinely loves this country—and wanted you to love it too.

Meet your guides

The people who will
show you Japan

Certified Domestic Travel Supervisor English · Univ. of Hawaii 🗣 English · Japanese

Guide

Misae

"Central Japan is full of extraordinary places that most visitors never reach. That's exactly where I want to take you."

Misae grew up in Okinawa and has called Nagoya home for 16 years. She is a certified graduate of the MIE Navigators programme — Mie Prefecture's official guide training — and is a Certified Domestic Travel Supervisor. Her English was built at university in Hawaii and sharpened through years of conversation with travellers from around the world.

✦ At the end of every tour, each guest receives a personalised masu — a small cedar sake cup engraved with their name. A little something to remember the day.

National Travel License Type-2 Driver's License World Heritage Cert. Level 2 HSK Level 4 · Chinese 44 Years · Zero Accidents 🗣 Chinese · Japanese

Guide & Tour Planner

Take

"You've chosen Japan — and Nagoya specifically. I want to make sure every hour of that choice feels worth it."

After 33 years as a systems engineer, Take followed his passion for sharing Japan with the world. He trained with the Nagoya Tourism Association, completed volunteer guiding, and at 61 launched his own travel business. He has guided over 100 groups, currently holds a commercial Type-2 driver's licence, and brings deep knowledge of Japanese history, culture, and seasonal hidden gems — plus a warm conversational style and a fondness for Taiwan.

Toyota Alphard / Vellfire — your private vehicle

Your vehicle

Travel in a Toyota Alphard
or Vellfire

Every tour runs in a clean, premium Toyota Alphard or Vellfire — Japan's most trusted large minivan. Spacious captain seats for the whole family, ample room for luggage and shopping bags, and a smooth, quiet ride built for long scenic drives through the Japanese Alps. Non-smoking, well-maintained, and entirely private — your group, no one else.

✦ Private — your group only ✦ Up to 7 guests ✦ Non-smoking ✦ Ample luggage space

How it works

Your trip.
Your way.

No two families want the same day. Start from one of our signature tours, adjust what doesn't fit, or simply tell us where you want to go. We'll take it from there.

Start with a Signature Tour — or a Blank Page

Browse our three curated tours, each designed around a specific region. Love the overall route but want to swap one stop? Prefer to build something from scratch around your family's interests? Both work. Tell us what excites you, and we'll shape the day around it.

Fully customizable

Tell Us What You're Looking For

Share your travel dates, group size, and anything on your mind—places you've heard about, things you'd rather skip, pace preferences, dietary needs. We'll put together a proposed day. You look it over, we refine if needed. No back-and-forth marathons, just a simple conversation.

Zero planning on your part

Door-to-Door. Nothing Left to Chance.

Your guide picks you up at your hotel in a private minivan. From that moment, there are no trains to catch, no maps to read, no language barriers to navigate. Just your family, the road, and Japan.

Door-to-door from your hotel

Our tours

Signature journeys.
Each one unforgettable.

10hrs · English & Chinese · Max 7 guests

Shirakawa-go & Takayama

Snow-capped thatched villages and an Edo-era merchant town — two of central Japan's most breathtaking destinations in a single unforgettable day.

UNESCO World Heritage gassho-zukuri village
Takayama Jinya & Sanmachi Suji district
Private vehicle door-to-door from your hotel
Lunch spot recommendation included

¥89,000 per group + Expressway tolls, fuel & parking (approx. ¥20,000)
Lunch & entrance fees not included

Contact More Info

9.5hrs · English & Chinese · Max 4 guests

Ise Shrine, Maneki-neko Painting & Meoto-iwa

Japan's most sacred shrine, a hands-on lucky cat painting workshop, and the legendary Wedded Rocks by the sea.

Ise Jingu — Japan's most sacred shrine complex
Hands-on Maneki-neko painting experience
Meoto-iwa (Wedded Rocks) at the coast
Okage Yokocho food street walk

¥89,000 per group + Expressway tolls, fuel & parking (approx. ¥20,000)
Lunch & entrance fees not included

Contact More Info

8.5hrs · English & Chinese · Max 7 guests

Iga Full-Day Ninja Experience

The birthplace of the ninja. Throw real shuriken, explore the Ninja Museum, and step inside a 400-year-old shinobi house.

Iga-Ueno Ninja Museum with live demonstrations
Real shuriken throwing experience
400-year-old authentic ninja residence
Iga-Ueno Castle exploration

¥89,000 per group + Expressway tolls, fuel & parking (approx. ¥14,000)
Lunch & entrance fees not included

Contact More Info

Also Available

More destinations.
Tell us where you want to go.

Full Day · Max 7

Gujo Hachiman

A beautifully preserved castle town famous for its crystal-clear rivers, traditional dance festival, and food sample crafts. One of Japan's most charming towns — and almost unknown to international visitors.

Gujo Hachiman Castle & old town streets
Famous food sample making experience
Yoshida River — one of Japan's clearest

Inquire

Full Day · Max 7

Nakasendo Trail

Walk the ancient postal road that connected Edo to Kyoto. The post towns of Magome and Tsumago remain almost unchanged since the Edo period — a rare step back in time.

Magome & Tsumago post towns
Scenic forest trail between villages
Traditional inns and local crafts

Inquire

Half or Full Day · Flexible · Max 7

Nagoya City Tour

Nagoya has more to offer than most visitors realise. From a mighty castle and an ancient shrine to world-class industrial heritage and local food only locals know — we'll build the day around what interests you.

Nagoya Castle & Atsuta Shrine
Toyota Industrial Technology Museum
Nagoya meshi — the local food scene

Inquire

Don't see your destination? Just ask — we arrange custom tours throughout the Chubu region.

Is it worth it?

Looks expensive.
Let's actually compare.

Shirakawa-go has no train station. Your options are bus, taxi, or us. Here's what each actually costs for a group of five—and what you get for the money.

	🚌 Train & Bus	🚗 Taxi / Hire Car	★ Our Private Tour
Round-trip cost for 5 people Nagoya → Shirakawa-go	¥34,000–40,000 ¥6,800–8,000 per person	¥120,000–180,000+ Alphard class, full day	¥89,000～ Flat rate per group
Hotel pickup included	✕	Sometimes	✓
Access to car-only destinations	✕	✓	✓
English-speaking guide included	✕	✕	✓
Restaurant help & local recommendations	✕	✕	✓
Historical storytelling throughout the day	✕	✕	✓
Itinerary tailored to your family	✕	✕	✓
Zero logistics stress on the day	✕	Partial	✓
	You navigate. You figure it out.	You pay for the ride. Everything else is on you.	The full day, taken care of.

Bus fares based on Meitetsu/Gifu Bus Nagoya–Shirakawa-go round-trip (approx. ¥6,800–8,000 per adult). Hire car estimate based on Alphard/Vellfire-class charter for a full day from Nagoya (~350km round-trip). Our pricing is per group, not per person—the larger your group, the better the value.

算

Break it down

A group of 5 splitting ¥89,000 — here's what you're actually paying.

① Tour price

¥89,000

per group

② ÷ 5 people

¥17,800

per person

③ vs. bus (¥8,000)

+¥9,800

difference / person

④ ÷ 10 hours

¥980

per person / per hour

For that, you get a private car and a dedicated English-speaking guide — for the whole day.

✦

Less than a coffee and a pastry per hour — with a licensed guide, a private Alphard, and zero logistics to worry about. The more people in your group, the better the value.

Questions

Everything you'd
want to know

How far in advance should I book?+

We recommend 4–6 weeks for standard dates, and 2–3 months for peak seasons (March–May cherry blossom, October–November autumn foliage). Shirakawa-go in winter fills especially quickly.

How do I pay?+

After receiving your inquiry, we will send you an online invoice by email. Full payment is required in advance by credit card before your tour date.

Can the itinerary change on the day?+

Absolutely. Weather, energy levels, a spontaneous discovery—we adapt in real time. That's the entire point of a private tour. We always have an alternate plan ready.

What about dietary restrictions?+

Tell us your requirements when you inquire and we'll factor them into our lunch spot recommendations. Japanese cuisine is extraordinarily flexible when you know how to ask.

How many guests can join a tour?+

The Shirakawa-go & Takayama and Iga Ninja tours accommodate up to 7 guests. The Ise Shrine tour is limited to 4 guests, as the Maneki-neko painting experience venue has a capacity restriction. If your group is larger, please get in touch and we'll see what we can arrange.

Is this right for children?+

Many of our best-loved tours are family trips. The Iga Ninja Experience is especially popular with children and teenagers—throwing real shuriken has a way of making Japan unforgettable.

What vehicle is provided?+

A clean, premium minivan—spacious and comfortable, with ample space for luggage and shopping bags, comfortable seating for the whole family, and a non-smoking, well-maintained interior. Ideal for long scenic drives through the Japanese Alps to Shirakawa-go.

What's included in the tour price?+

Included: your English-speaking guide and private Vellfire.

Paid on the day: expressway tolls, fuel, parking fees, lunch, entrance fees, experience fees, and any souvenirs. These are yours to choose and pay for directly — we'll always recommend the best options along the way.

It's free to ask!

Tell Us About
Your Trip

We take a limited number of bookings each month to ensure every guest receives our full attention. Check if your dates are available.

※ Tours are not available on Sundays.

We typically reply within 24 hours · Don't see your destination? We go anywhere from Nagoya — just ask.

All bookings are handled by 旅サポTAKETOMBO, a licensed travel agency registered with Aichi Prefecture.

No payment required. No obligation. Just a conversation.

Private
Driver-Guide
Tours from Nagoya.

Japan is extraordinary.
Getting it right is the hard part.