Q&A
Booking
- I looked at your calendar and your schedule was filled. Can I make an appointment?
- Ken Oka will not be available on days when the calendar is full, but we can assign other excellent guides. Feel free to fill out the contact form and send it to us.
- Can I request a non-English speaking guide?
- Yes. We are currently able to present guides in French. For non-English speaking guides, please discuss the price, tour content, and other terms and conditions directly with the guide.
- Is it possible to guide in areas outside of Tokyo and its suburbs?
- Yes, Ken Oka is a guide specializing in Tokyo, but we have many guides registered in other regions and can introduce you to guides in each region. In this case, we only introduce the guide, and you should discuss pricing and plan details directly with the guide.
For more information, please fill out the contact form or visit our separate site Searchguides.com.
- Can I request a restaurant reservation?
- If accompanied by a guide, restaurant reservations can be made. Please specify your preferred restaurant, if any. If not, please let us know your budget, number of people, and type of meal. We are sorry, but we do not accept reservations for meals not accompanied by a guide. We can make restaurant recommendations, but please make your own reservations.
Please note that we cannot accept reservations for Michelin-starred restaurants or other difficult-to-reserve restaurants. For such restaurants, please use other reservation services.
- Can I request hotel reservations?
- Hotel reservations are not accepted. Nowadays, hotels can be easily and economically booked on the Internet, so please make your own reservations.
We can provide hotel recommendations.
- Can I request a ticket reservation?
- Reservations for Shinkansen and other limited express trains will be made on your behalf only if you purchase both a boarding ticket and a limited express ticket at the same time. Please let us know your desired date, time, section, and number of passengers. If you are using a Japan Rail Pass, we cannot make train reservations for you. Please make your own reservations. If you wish to make reservations after your arrival in Japan, we will be happy to assist you.
We can purchase advance tickets for other tourist facilities (TeamLab, Tokyo Skytree, etc.) on your behalf. The cost will be charged in addition to the guide fee.
In addition, since we use PayPal for payment, the company charges a fee. A 5% payment fee will be charged in addition to the ticket amount.
In all cases, please understand that we do not provide reservation-only service (this is an incidental service when we accept guiding services).
Payment
- What are the payment options?
- For international cross-border payments, we primarily use PayPal as our payment method. Using their functionality, we issue the invoice online and send you a link to the invoice. Please access the link to make your payment.
If you do not have a PayPal account, you can still pay with major credit or debit cards.
Payment is due at the time of booking (waived up to 3 months in advance if there is more than 3 months to the tour date), half of the amount due at the time of booking, and the balance and the amount we have advanced are due by the day of the tour.
If PayPal is not available, another payment service, STRIPE, can be used. Please consult with us individually.
Others
- Can I be picked up at the airport or at the cruise terminal?
- Pick-up at the airport or cruise terminal is available if you wish to start your guided tour from the airport or cruise terminal. However, please note that a stipulated additional fee will be charged. (See PRICE page)
If you only need to get from the airport or cruise terminal to your hotel, there is no need to hire a guide. Please use a cab or hotel limousine. There are services that can be reserved via the Internet.
- Is it possible to tour by car?
- Beginning in the spring of 2024, it will be possible for interpreter guides to guide guests in their cars. However, due to parking issues in Tokyo, we do not offer guided tours by private car. If you wish to tour by car, we will arrange a chartered cab separately; the price for a 4-seater minivan hire is 30,800 yen for 4 hours or 61,600 yen for 8 hours. (10% consumption tax included, highway tolls and parking fees not included)
Please note that it is illegal to provide transportation-only services without a guide. We provide private car transportation only for golf tours.
- Do you offer tours to Mt. Fuji?
- A one day tour to Mt.Fuji from Tokyo is possible, but there are several patterns, so please let us know clearly what you would like. Please note that we do not offer tours above the 5th station of Mt. Fuji. Please contact a specialized tour company for more information.
If you wish to view the grandeur of Mt. Fuji, there are two destinations.
1. Hakone area
From Tokyo, take the Shinkansen bullet train to the Hakone area via Odawara. Hakone is a resort famous for its hot springs and attractions such as Hakone Sekisho, Hakone Shrine, Lake Ashi and its pirate ship, Hakone Ropeway, and Owakudani Valley. Hakone is located about 30km southeast of the mountain.
2. Fuji Five Lakes Region
Take the express train from Tokyo. The Fuji Five Lakes region is famous as a summer resort, with attractions such as Lake Kawaguchi, Churyotou, Oshinohakkai, and Fuji Sengen Shrine. The Fuji Five Lakes region is located about 15km north of Mt. Fuji’s fifth station (about 2,000 meters above sea level) can be reached by car from the Fuji Five Lakes region.
Since local public transportation is not very convenient in both Hakone and the Fuji Five Lakes region, we recommend that visitors on a one-day tour from Tokyo arrange a chartered cab locally. Cab fare is approximately 40,000-45,000 yen for 5 hours. More time is required to reach the fifth station of Mt. Fuji.
- Is it rude to tip my guide?
- In Japan, tipping is not usually customary in restaurants or stores. However, it is common practice to give a “gratuity” to those who provide service, such as a waitress at a ryokan, and it is not rude to do so. Guides are also in the service industry, so if you give a tip to a guide who has treated you well, you can be sure that he or she will be glad to receive it.
if you have interested in KEN OKA’s private guide,
send your inquiry now !
