Half-Day Shared Tour at Kurashiki with Local Guide
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Hiroyuki Hara, the famous Hara family that lived in Kurashiki for 400 years (Edo period), represents a deeper history of Kurashiki with an interpreter.
Speaking of the origin and history of Kurashiki, we will visit places in the Bikan Historical Quarter.
At the end of the tour, we will enter Cafe Ueda, established in 1972 and loved by the locals for a long time, you can talk with Hiroyuki Hara.
You will experience the "real Kurashiki" that you cannot find on the Internet.
You will be able to discover the charm of the Bikan Historical Quarter, which only locals who actually live in Kurashiki can talk about.
Let's learn more about Kurashiki from the city's history, not just sightseeing.
At the end of the tour, you will receive a wonderful souvenir.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Guide fee
insurance
Cost of one drink at Cafe Ueda
Translator fee
Tiny gifts※Please let us know if there is anything you cannot eat due to allergies or other reasons.
Money offered to the gods.(Saisen) 10 yen per one prayer
Cost of food and beverages other than one drink at Cafe Weda
Admission to Ohara Museum of Art
What To Expect
Let's learn about the history of Kurashiki! The guide will wait for you in front of Mukaimatsu Dorm. At the meeting place, the guide will explain the origin and history of Kurashiki. (Our interpreter will also accompany you from this part to the end of this tour.)
Kanryuji Temple
Visit Kanryuji Temple,one of the oldest temples in Kurashiki with a history of over 1000 years. The temple is deeply connected to the history of Kurashiki, and you can actually see the remains of a samurai battle that took place over 150 years ago. It is also a mysterious place where a shrine exists inside a temple.
Options
Half-Day Shared Tour at Kurashiki with Local Guide
Reviews
10 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A perfect introduction to Kurashiki
AndrewB436,
Sep 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Hara-san and his translator, Keiko, provided a memorable, enjoyable, and highly informative tour of Kurashiki’s historic city center. It began with a well prepared historical overview from the Edo period up to present day. We toured the hilltop Shinto shrine and the Buddhist temple, walked through the town, learning about unique architecture and design elements, and finished with coffee and conversation at a 60-year-old cafe.
Enjoyable, fascinating tour with friendly, knowledgeable local guide
Fred K,
Sep 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great half-day tour in Kurashiki’s well preserved historic district with extremely knowledgeable guide whose family has lived in Kurashiki for generations.
Not to be missed
Craig B,
Apr 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We recently took this tour and our guide Hero with translator Kaiko provided an exceptional history lesson about the village. From the moment we started, it was clear that the guide was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the area’s past. The tour covered a wide range of historical events, from its founding to more recent developments, with fascinating stories and details that really brought the village’s history to life. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the village’s history. It’s an enriching experience that’s well worth your time!
Feel Kurashiki!
Florencio J,
Mar 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00I picked this tour up on a whim because I had time to kill before my train. It was great. The tour is led by 2 locals whose families have been living in the area for generations. They share the history of the area from stories told by their parents and grandparents. The stories and the stroll through key areas of town was the perfect way to spend a few hours on a lazy Saturday afternoon!
Once upon a time…
Nigel D,
Feb 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour is a must. Great care is taken to pass on knowledge of the the history and culture of the area, which I shall now always carry. Thank you 🙏
Lovely Kurashiki
jkumble,
Jan 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a great day in Kurashiki with Hiro, a fantastic guide whose family has lived in Kurashiki for over 300 years (9 generations), and Keiko, our wonderful interpreter (her family has been in Kurashiki for over 330 years 13 generations). Our time together started with a short (and very interesting) history lesson complete with illustrations, handouts, and visual aids. Then we toured lovely Kurashiki. We visited shrines and temples, strolled through the beautifully preserved town featuring homes and buildings from the Edo Period, as well as the Meiji Restoration, and saw the canals that run through Kurashiki. Hiro and Keiko are smart, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. They clearly love their hometown and it shows. They are excellent communicators. They gave me dining suggestions and told me of other points of interest in the area. Our tour ended at a charming cafe where I was treated to the coffee/tea drink of my choice and a sweet treat. After the tour, Hiro and Keiko walked me to the Ohara Museum of Art, which I enjoyed. I highly recommend a visit to Kurashiki.
Delve into the local history of Kurashiki
Jane D,
Apr 22, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a fascinating tour which gave us an insight to the great history of Kurashiki, delivered by two direct descendents of noble families if the area. A delightful and informative morning.
Lovely afternoon in Kurashiki
Erika P,
Jan 28, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Had an amazing time with Mr. Hara and Misa-san. Kurashiki is a lovely place and even more so if you are able to discover it with knowledgeable people explaining the story of the place and its traditions so well. We saw the most iconic places, some unexpected ones (The Igarashi Yumiko Museum!) and then we had a lovely chat in a cafe. I really liked this experience and I really recommend it, especially if you want to see a different reality from busy Kyoto or Osaka and spend some quality time in a lovely and traditional place. Mr. Hara and Misa-san were super warm and nice and made me feel so welcome. I also had the chance of meeting a young high school student interested in my home country, which was quite interesting as well.
An Unforgettable Exploration of the Real Kurashiki
gyaoza,
Oct 2, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The essence of the real Kurashiki is perhaps best felt by relishing every sight and sound that unveils its beautiful and profound history. Despite having embarked on many tours during our 3-week honeymoon trip throughout Japan, none struck a chord quite as intimately as the half-day Kurashiki tour we went on with the Daihyō (managing director) of the business, a ninth-generation Kurashiki resident and, Keiko (also a multiple-generation Kurashiki resident) who is great at English having studied in America and England before. We went on a deep journey through both the history and lore of Kurashiki, and got to connect the past with the present throughout the tour. We learned about the culture and norms around the shrines. We were tomodachi, friends, sharing laughter and memories while learning about the ever-evolving story of Kurashiki. It's evident that Daihyo and Keiko don't merely show you around their city; they make you fall in love with it. This is not a tour run by guides, but by passionate and devoted Kurashiki natives sharing the charm of their beloved city with you. If you want to engage with Kurashiki at a level that's rare to find and enrich your Japanese experience with this inspiring half-day tour. Regardless of where our travels might lead us in the future, the unforgettable memories of our day exploring Kurashiki will forever be etched in our hearts. We also got great marriage advice! To Keiko -- we will look to smile and be happy with each other every day!
Fantastic morning spent with true locals born and raised in Kurashiki.
Bensmom55,
Sep 27, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The best historical, cultural and local walking tour around the Bizen historical area. Our guide was Hiroyuki Hara who has deep familia ties to the area. Since we only speak English, the tour company automatically hired an English interpreter (Keiko) at no cost to us. Such service!! We walked up to the Shinto shrine and the Buddhist temple and he explained the history starting with the Edo period and ending with the Meiji era and how the government rulings affected the common people of the area. He told us stories about the feudal loads of the area and the battle of Sekigahara (East vs West war) and how that affected the trade routes and agricultural items in Kurashiki. It was a fantastic morning making new friends and learning about how the local Japanese have had to adapt to the many changes of the government for the future of Kurashiki. If you like history and cultural traditions, then you will love this tour!!
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Operated by TAKAHASHIGAWA TRAVEL