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

Kristyn
1 March 2025
Shohei is a great story teller with a lot of knowledge about shrines in Kyoto. Since it was our second time in Kyoto, he did a good job showing us hidden gems that were new to us. If you would like him to take photos of your group, you will definitely have to ask in contrast to other With Locals guides I’ve experienced who are on top of this themselves. Kyoto Storytelling
Paula
26 February 2025
Sho was an amazing tour guide. He was good at communicating and was flexible when we were running late. The 3 hours flew by and we learned so much about Kyoto. Sho was very knowledgeable but also honest about if he didn’t know an answer to a question. We highly recommend taking a tour with Sho and wouldn’t hesitate to do another one with him!One of the best tours!
Robin
20 February 2025
Our family of 4 (kids are 10&12) had a great walk with Shohei. He was very knowledgeable about the history of Kyoto and the Japanese culture, and even the kids stayed engaged. We really enjoyed seeing the temples and historical parts of town. We love tours with the WithLocals guides and our tour with Shohei was no exception. Our snack stop for matcha 🍵 cappuccinos and mochi was delicious. Thanks 🙏 for a wonderful experience!Great tour for history and culture
Paul
9 January 2025
My son and I experienced a relaxed yet informative tour of Kyoto. Great depth of knowledge. Thoroughly recommended to start a stay in beautiful Kyoto A great Kyoto experience
Heide
5 January 2025
Shohei had a very efficient and easy-going approach. We have visited many places in a record time and have a feeling of having learnt a lot even though it was never tiring. He calls himself an entertainer. He adapts perfectly to visitors according to their nationality. I can only highly recommend him. Probably the best guide in Kyoto
Anna
29 December 2024
Shohei’s English is perfect. He is very knowledgeable, fun and the three hours tour went by too quickly! We cannot recommend Shohei enough. Don’t miss a tour with him.The best guide we had in Japan
Courtney
28 December 2024
Shohei was right on top of communication with us in the days leading up to our tour, and he was responsive and flexible when our plans changed, which reduced our stress greatly. Shohei provided a great overview of Kyoto history and Buddhist practices, and this was greatly appreciated as we wanted to be sure we were respectful of customs. We really enjoyed our time with Shohei and recommend him highly.Well Informed!
Rachel
26 December 2024
We are a family of five from Chicago and really enjoyed our experience with Shohei's guidance. He is curious and knowledgeable and able to answer questions in a creative and thorough way. He clearly loves Kyoto and we would highly recommendShohei is both likeable and knowledgeable
Assaf
23 December 2024
Gabe
23 December 2024

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