Shohei

"Play by Ear" Traveler

Responds quickly
  • I live in Kyoto
  • I speak English
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 8 hours

Hi there! Nice to meet you

Hi! My name is Shohei

(Show-hey....like, Hey! are you watching my Show!?)

**Don't see a tour that suits your needs??**

you can always message me and I would be more than happy to plan a private custom tour just for you! (ie, Kyoto-Nara day trip, visit our world heritage sites like Kiyomizu Temple and Nijo castle, visit prominent Japanese gardens etc)

**WHAT I DON'T DO,,,, food tours, cycling tours, tours with cars, geisha tours**

**I ONLY do walking tours up to 8 PEOPLE

I was born in Japan, moved to US at age 4. Our family moved to Dublin, OH and that's where I spent all my childhood. After high school, I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston to study guitar and pursue my musical career.

Guitar is my passion, and I've playing for more than 20 years. (check out my spotify page https://x.gd/VH5Pp) I've been living in Kyoto since 2012 and loving every moment of this beautiful place! So many beautiful world heritage architectures, rich history, beautiful art, and can't forget about the top quality food!

I love to show people around because there are so many things to share,,,, from hidden gems, grand shrines, zen gardens, medieval streets, buddha statues in the alley, etc. I especially love to visit spiritual places, like shrines and temples. Story telling is also my favorite thing to do with the guests,,,, and I surely would love to hear stories about you and your culture as well!

looking forward to seeing you and having a good time!

  • I live in Kyoto
  • I speak English
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 8 hours

My Kyoto in pictures

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!

Responds quickly

Reviews

Debbie
24 April 2025
Early walk through old Kyoto which was beautiful & atmospheric. Stunning but peaceful gardens, awesome temples, a way of living at one with nature & your environment. Loved it all. Even got an amazing coffee! Shohei brought great perspectives, charm & fun.Kyoto at its best 👌
Rikard
23 April 2025
We met this nice guy and had three wonderful hours full with interesting stories about Kyoto’s history combined with modern life in Japan. Shohei is very knowledgeable about history and presented it in a relaxed way. Thanks for a memorable afternoon AoRInteresting and relaxed
Naomi
21 April 2025
We were a group of adults and teenage boys. Before we left for Japan I was in touch with Shohei about the tour. He always responded promptly and was flexible about what the tour was going to cover. Shohei was knowledgeable and fun. He was able to enagage both the teenagers and adults. As well as the tour he gave useful advice about other things we might want to do in Kyoto, given our interests. They all proved to be spot on. We planned to do a day trip from Kyoto. He gave us advice about how to navigate the trains and buses. We couldn't have done the day trip without his help!
Elena
19 April 2025
Shohei is a wonderful person and guide. He is is positive and knowledgeable person. We spend nice . It was really interesting to listen his stories. Highly recommended!Amazing
Unknown
16 April 2025
Had an amazing experience with Shohei, learnt a lot from him. It was a fun & engaging tour. Highly recommended
Samantha
15 April 2025
We loved the tour with Shohei. He was knowledgeable, interesting and humorous. Would highly recommend him as a guide. Great tour in Kyoto
2mrggd2c79
9 April 2025
My son and I spent a great morning with Shohei, who knowledgeably showed us around Kyoto with humor and energy. Shohei has a young , contemporary sensibility which we found engaging and interesting. He was particularly informative on the history and politics of Shinto religious practices. He showed us a great deal in a few short hours. Thank you, Shohei!Flexible and informative
Maria Claudia
9 April 2025
**Kyoto** Shohei was very knowledgeable about Kyoto’s history and was an excellent guide. He adapted to our rhythm and interest and showed us some fantastic hidden gems!! He was fantastic company and his tour was definitely the highlight our trip to Kyoto. Perfect guide for Kyoto
John
27 March 2025
We spent a wonderful afternoon with Shohei in historic Kyoto. He was very conscious of our mobility issues and found easy paths, steps and stairs for us to navigate. Although he has a deep knowledge of the city and the sites we visited he was able to keep his presentation at an easily understood level. Altogether, a perfect host.
Stacey
27 March 2025
We had a very enjoyable morning touring the historic area of Kyoto. Shohei tailored our tour to our group of five - my husband and I and our three adult sons. He peppered our tour with so much interesting history and alerted us to hidden details all throughout the tour. He also shared his recommendations of where we should go after the tour (restaurants, coffee places etc) We highly recommend him to English-speaking groups. Shohei hit it out of the park!

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