Shohei

"Play by Ear" Traveler

Responds quickly
  • I live in Kyoto
  • I speak English
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 7 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 7 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

Michael
21 July 2025
Penelope
19 July 2025
Great tour, highly recommended!
Nicole
15 July 2025
A nice tour with a good overview of some of the sights. Definitely wouldn't have gotten as much out of it on our own. Nice tour
Penelope
10 July 2025
Stephen
29 June 2025
What makes Shohei great is that he's a native English speaker and equally versed in all things Kyoto. That combined with his ability to adapt to harsh rain storms and changing needs made him an ideal guide for my family of four.Adaptive, Agile and Knowledgable!
Steve
26 June 2025
Shohei was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic sharing the Japan experience with us. 10
Barbara
20 June 2025
This was a wonderful tour! You won’t be disappointed with Shohei! He was on time for our tour, very informative about where we went and what we saw, and fun to be around. He also took us to the best Raman place for lunch. You can’t go wrong with Shohei!!Shohei was awesome!!
Craig
14 June 2025
If there is one thing we know for sure we will be doing next time we are back in Kyoto, it’s booking another tour with Shohei. The experience he provided was the perfect mix of history, culture, hidden gems, a tasty treat, and he’s very funny! Just what we asked for. We really felt like we got an inside view of Kyoto. He answered our many questions and customized the tour to our liking. He even gave us plenty of recommendations for other places to check out after the tour. Our only regret is that we didn’t book the full day tour and opted for the half day. Thank you for an amazing time, Shohei!The Best Time!
Patrik
9 June 2025
We got to have a great time with Shohei. The tour have is a good overview of Kyotos eastern parts and great stories about the history of both the city, shinto, Buddha and Japan. Great tour with great guy
Mitch and Melissa, Ryan and Paige
28 May 2025
We had one and a half days together and it was worth it. Shohei was a great guide. He was super friendly and made the learning fun and chill. Spoke excellent English as he has lived in the US only recently returning to Japan in 2019. I think for touring in Kyoto with all the many sights spread out all over the city it is well worth the splurge! He took us to a great local Ramen restaurant for lunch and we really enjoyed his company and expertise. Thank you Shohei!Great exprerience

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