Great Fukui - By train I came to quiet Fukui, away from the crowded and noisy cities. On a cold day in March I was welcomed with warmth and kindness to a tour around the Echizen-Shi. There, driving through a quiet landscape we reached a woodwork factory, where I was told about and shown the making of wonderful woodworks. After a delicious lunch, off we went to the museum of wastepaper with all sorts of wonderful papers and a true Rembrandt etching, printed on washi paper. Nearby there was the most serene shrine amidst the woods. An almost mystic place, really very impressive and still on my mind. The visit to a paper factory in Washi Village, where all paper - also really big sheets - is made by hand, completed a truly unforgettable day in Fukui. Unforgettable because of the wonderful Fukui surroundings, the craftsmanship and, last but not least, the kindness of the people I met. I sincerely hope to come back one day. Tony

Wonderful memories from a great Prefecture and lovely guide! - My partner and I spent a fantastic day with Itaru. Looking back we can safely say it was the best day of our holiday in Japan. Itaru is warm, friendly and very humble. He has great English language skills and is an all round great guide. He is very proud of his Prefecture and is doing a great job of getting it 'on the map' as a destination for tourists. We would highly recommend this area as an 'off the beaten track' destination; something a bit different. We visited Eiheji Temple, which is a training temple, as well as Injoji Temple. Both were fantastic. We also enjoyed a soba noodle lunch (best soba noodles eaten in Japan) and a bike ride around the beautiful countryside of Ikeda followed by a walk down the Asuwa river. Itaru had kindly brought along a coffee, a lovely touch. It was very good coffee! Thank you Itaru for such wonderful memories.

Unique and unforgettable experience - This was the most superb experience, and I am so grateful to have received the recommendation from a friend to join Itaru's tour. Itaru is so warm and welcoming, and made a huge effort to make the experience interesting and inclusive for us and our 9 and 10 year old sons. We had a great lunch to start the afternoon, before receiving a tour of his stunning temple and experiencing zen meditation and tea ceremony in the tatami room in front of the beautiful garden. I have lived in Japan twice and never seen such an incredible zen garden. Itaru then took us up to the hills and we cycled around the paddy fields and shines, ending up at a river. It was raining heavily, which meant we couldn't swim as planned, but we walked along the river banks and across a wooden bridge known for it's thrilling effects as you walk across the high beams over the river. Great day - we thoroughly recommend.

Best. Guide. Ever. - We had three separate experiences with Itaru - all of them were amazing. By luck or good fortune, we met him while looking around the paper-making village. He helped us find what we were looking for and introduced us to some local craftspeople. Later, we returned with him as our guide for a hands-on experience. He went above and beyond expectations by introducing us to some amazing people, having detailed notes on everything we learned about, and staying longer than expected, even taking us up the road to a beautiful Shinto shrine. We stayed in touch and my family went to his temple for a tour while I was working. They had a fantastic time! Itaru is both personable and professional. His English is excellent. He knows his town well and is actively engaged in learning more about the history and craft traditions to offer accurate and interesting information to his clients. He is an excellent listener and translator, more than simply transmitting information, he lets his clients and locals get to know one-another. Itaru made our experience so much richer! Highly recommended.

Great experience around local towns. - I've had the chance to tour with Itaru! He was a very friendly tour guide and was the able to explain many things as we went around Echizen City! First we arrived at a neat coffee shop that has a nice atmostphere and has local goods you can look at. We went to a few popular local shops and museums that had delicious local snacks. They had the best Kurumi Mochi (walnut sticky rice place). Since he's a monk, he's very knowledgeable about temples. He's able to go into great details if you are interested!