Saito Villa Tickets and Tours

Niigata Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Perfect Day in Niigata

Our guide, Koichi, was absolutely amazing. He communicated with us in advance of the tour to determine our preferences for the day. He then communicated as options became available. We had asked to see the city through the eyes of the local folks. To walk the streets and eat somewhere that he would eat. We took a cab from our hotel to the Soto house and garden. This was a well maintained authentic house with an absolutely stunning garden. There was also a small shrine nearby that we visited. Next we visited a local house for an authentic Japanese tea ceremony. This was so very special. The host was wonderfully accommodating and welcoming. Learned all about the ceremony, the apprenticeship to become a teacher master and experienced the entire process. Next we took a bus downtown and walked the streets and saw many street shops. Koichi then took us to a local restaurant for lunch. With his help we ordered a wonderful meal. Next we took a bus to the newspaper’s building where we went to an observation level for fantastic views of the area. We wanted to get some of the tools used during the tea ceremony, so we went to a department store to pick up the items. Koichi had more in store for us but at this point we chose to head back to our hotel. As advertised, we were responsible for local transportation and entrance fees. It was also our responsibility to host our guide for lunch. We spent about $6,000 yen for the cab, entrance fees, busses and lunch. We also gave our tea ceremony host a thank you card that Koichi provided for us along with a monetary gift. It was suggested that we give $8,000 to $10,000 yen but we gave more. On the busses, you will want to have the Suica card. We have one in our Apple Pay app. Finally, Koichi took several pictures of us through the day and sent them to us. The day was absolutely perfect and exquisitely tailored to our desires.

Historical Walking Tour of Niigata Port Town

Niigata, then & now

Isabella gave us a detailed history of Niigata as a port town, and showed us around a number of historic sites, including the Saito Villa. A wedding party was photographing there, so this glimpse of a Japanese bride and groom was an added bonus. Her English was perfect and easy to understand. She was considerate and flexible. We opted for a private tour. Well worth the time and cost.

Niigata Shore Excursion: Custom Car Tour, Licensed Guide

Wonderful Cultural Tour

Mizue “Mindy” was an amazing guide for Niigata. She carefully put together a very diverse tour that included: a panoramic view of the city, historic villa with traditional gardens, shopping at an open marketplace and a wonderful sushi lunch. Her communication and timely scheduling was unprecedented! Thank you for a wonderful day, Mindy.