David

Your Friendly Storyteller & Magician

  • I live in Kyoto
  • I speak English, Indonesian
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 2 hours

Hi there! Nice to meet you

David

Konnichiwa! I’m David, a Kyoto and Osaka based travel host with over 9 years of experience and two decades of life in Japan. Originally from Indonesia, I bring a unique blend of local knowledge and international perspective to every tour, crafting custom journeys filled with culture, food, history, and probably spontaneous moments of magic. Let’s explore Japan together, with plenty of laughter, curiosity, and great stories.

In my "past lives," I studied computer science and worked on IT projects that first brought me to Japan. Since then, I’ve worn many hats: from software engineer and tech recruiter to TV show producer, magician, and now, tour guide. By day, I lead travelers through Kyoto and Osaka's wonders. By night, I perform virtual magic shows for global companies, sharing joy and surprise across the screen.

  • I live in Kyoto
  • I speak English, Indonesian
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 2 hours

Book one of my offers in Kyoto

Let's explore Kyoto together! As your local guide, I'll show you the best of Kyoto on a private & personalized tour for you.

Did you know that I can personalize your experience?

All Withlocals tours are completely customisable to your needs. Just let me know your preferences for a private and personalized experience!

Reviews

Yasa
16 July 2025
David has his soul in Japan and these tours. He speaks fluent English and knows the hidden paths to avoid crowds. The tour is worth every penny!!The tour is worth every penny!
Andrew
15 July 2025
David was a great guide - knowledgeable, energetic, and funny! He customized the tour just for us and even did magic to entertain the kids. Highly recommended!Great guide - knowledgeable, energetic and funny!
Lynley
29 June 2025
David’s tour was excellent!! He gave us many choices to personalize our experience, was very knowledgeable and kind. We enjoyed our tour tremendously and would highly recommend him to others!Fully Personalized experience
Nathan
24 June 2025
This was the highlight of our trip to Japan. Kyoto was an amazing place and Davis showing us around and showing us places and telling us about them is something we could not have done on our own. He was extremely informative and fun. Get some comfy shoes and take a walk with David, trust me its worth it…This was the highlight of our trip to Japan
Pratyush
22 June 2025
David is a perfect host. He customised everything for us. He adjusted the timings. He took care of our 3 year old kid. Made her laugh and play. He also has a very deep knowledge about history and things. He explained us intricate details at temples. He took us through a hidden route which saved us hours of other activities.David is perfect host. He customized everything for us
Nicole
20 June 2025
David is a great guide! It was just me, but he kept me entertained the whole time. If I ever go back to Kyoto I'd book him again.He kept me entertained the whole time!
Karthika
16 June 2025
My husband, 1.5 year old toddler, and I had such a great experience with David! He was communicative and thoughtful since the time we booked offering us a personalized itinerary based on our needs and answering questions about our overall Japan trip. He was timely in meeting up and very friendly from the get go! It was really helpful that he went above and beyond to entertain our toddler and help us lug our stroller up and down stairs! My toddler became really good friends with him by the end. He is a knowledgeable tour guide sharing tidbits about the culture and history but also pointing out all the right spots to get the best food and snacks along the time (helping cater to our dietary restrictions and preferences). Also when he means “magical” tour, he really means it… he’s a magician! He did small tricks for our toddler which really perplexed her haha. At the end of the day, he helped share recommendations on things to do (and not to do!) for our remaining days in Kyoto. We became friends by the end exchanging stories about our lives. Highly recommend booking him!! Especially if you are traveling with kids and are worried about flexibility.My toddler became really good friends with him by the end
Sandra
16 June 2025
David was fabulous and such a kind and thoughtful guide. We loved his magic and it made the tour extra special. We would definitely book him again the next time we were in Kyoto! He was the highlight of our trip. The best!David was fabulous and such a kind of thoughtful guide
Shirley
14 June 2025
David’s tour is 10 stars! He is the best guide in our 50 years of travel. He not only provides the most meaningful information as he understands Japan from both a local and tourist point of view. As he is also a professional magician, our teenagers had an amazing time. He was also very compassionate when our friend had an accident and helped her navigate the Japan hospital system all through the night. David continued to provide guide recommendations as we continued our travels in Osaka. We met an amazing friend in Japan. If you are looking for a guide in Kyoto/ Osaka, David is the best!Best guide in our 50 years of travel!
Daisy
14 June 2025
We had the best walking tour with David! We booked private tour because we had our elderly parents 70 and 80 yrs old, and the fact that he is Indonesian who lives in Japan made it easier. The communication was such a breeze and David made the itinerary according to what we like and where we stay. During the day, David was really top notch guide. He shared the history and interesting facts behind the famous places. He also kept checking on our parents and made sure they weren’t lost among the crowds! This included waiting patiently for them while they bought some souvenirs :) His recommendation for good food and snacks were also top notch! Kyoto is such an amazing place and David as our guide made us feel like we were accompanied by our big brother during the trip. Highly recommend!!Best private walking tour

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