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Offered languages
- Japanese
- English
This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Niigata!
Niigata is a beautiful city whose northwest faces the Sea of Japan. As one of Japan's leading agricultural cities, Niigata has a beautiful landscape of rice fields, well-known for its sake and rice heritage. Thanks to its abundant nature and perfect climate, Niigata became an agricultural powerhouse and historically acquired a reputation for its plentiful, abundant food output.
Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a six-hour tour that's best for you!
Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7.
※※Please note if you are arriving by cruise, there are west port and east port in Niigata. Unfortunately, east Port is not included among the designated meeting points, and therefore the guide will not be able to meet you there.
If your cruise arrives at East Port, kindly take a shuttle bus arranged by the cruise company or taxi to Niigata city center to meet your guide.
If your cruise is docking east port, please book "Port Pick-Up: Niigata Private Tour Licensed Guide＆ Vehicle"
Itinerary
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1
You can taste and buy 93 kinds of Japanese Sake (Japanese rice wine) made in Niigata. Moreover, you can also enjoy the one-day hot spring “Sake Buro (Sake bath)” which is made of 12 degrees Sake mixed with water here. We recommend this place especially for Japanese Sake lovers.
1 hour • Admission ticket not included -
2
Built in 1918 by a wealthy merchant by the name of Kijuro Saito IV as a summer villa for his family, the Old Saito Villa is now a cultural heritage property and revered as one of the most beautiful homes and gardens in Niigata. There are 11 rooms in the house each with their own character and design detail. The gardens were designed with a different aesthetic all around so viewers can enjoy a changing scene when walking from room to room in the house and throughout each season. The home and garden was designed with the concept of unity in mind so that there are no boundaries between inside and outside, creating a harmony.
1 hour • Admission ticket not included -
3
What was once the home of the wealthy Ito Family, prosperous landowners and merchants, is now a museum that houses eight generations of the family’s collection of artworks and documents with a portion of the 6,000 items on display. The highlight really is the house and gardens, completed in 1889. The traditional Japanese-style wooden home is built on a 29,100 square meter site with 65 rooms and perfectly landscaped gardens, which are beautiful to view in all four seasons. Visitors can enjoy lunch at one of the two restaurants, and there is even an inn located on the grounds for those who want a deeper experience of the culture and history of life on the Ito Estate.
1 hour • Admission ticket not included -
4
At Sushi Benkei’s standing tables, customers enjoy the freshest fish prepared by friendly staff. For those who prefer to sit, there’s a conveyor belt sushi restaurant across the street with the same name.
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
5
This historical district shows the stunning architecture of old Niigata. Inside a recreation of the 1910 City Hall, visitors can learn about the history and culture of Niigata and its people through beautifully displayed and interactive exhibits. Visitors can also dine inside another one of this district’s historical buildings or watch ferries and Jetfoils cruising into port on the banks of the Shinano River.
1 hour • Admission ticket not included -
6
The Niigata word for “geisha” is “geigi.” Furumachi is one of the most renowned districts in the country, along with Kyotoʼs Gion and Tokyoʼs Shinbashi. Here, the geigi perform a traditional dance and play a game with guests.
1 hour • Admission ticket not included
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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