About Mario
A Kansai-based private English-speaking guide, married into a Japanese family, and plans every day as if it were his own.
Meet Mario
Mario is a professional private tour guide who has guided English-speaking travelers in Japan for four years. He also speaks Spanish, is based in Kansai and married into a Japanese family. Day tours in Kyoto, Osaka and Nara are his home ground; beyond Kansai he travels with you, and multi-day journeys across Japan are his favorite way to guide.
Being part of a Japanese family has given Mario an understanding of daily life that goes beyond sightseeing: how a household marks the seasons, what is polite at a shrine or a dinner table, and how to ask for something in a way that is gladly received. He shares that with guests naturally, as the day goes on.
His great strength is organization. Mario plans the whole day, or the whole trip; he times trains and transfers, reserves restaurants and experiences in Japanese, and adapts on the spot when the weather turns or a sight is busier than expected.
He is also a genuine otaku, with deep knowledge of anime, Pokémon and its trading card game, Japanese railways, cameras, and computers and electronics. Fans who travel with him find a guide who shares their passion; see Otaku Japan with Mario.
And for travelers who want everything handled, he plans the whole trip: transport, luggage, the history of each place, and shopping. See full-service trips.
Mario
What Mario does
A guide, a planner and a fixer
- 01
Plans
Routes built around the best hours at each sight, realistic travel times and the pace you prefer.
- 02
Books
Kaiseki, sushi counters, tea ceremonies and experiences, reserved in Japanese, with dietary needs explained.
- 03
Coordinates
Reserved shinkansen seats, station exits, cars with drivers on request and luggage sent ahead.
- 04
Adapts
Rain, cloud over Mount Fuji, a tired child: a better plan, offered quietly and without fuss.
The team
Part of Tony Kansai Guide
Mario is the premium English-speaking guide of Tony Kansai Guide. Tony, the team’s founder, guides in Spanish, English and Arabic in Kansai. Bookings for Mario are made directly with him on WhatsApp.
Questions
About Mario: frequently asked
Who is Mario?
Mario is a professional private tour guide who has guided English-speaking travelers in Japan for four years. He also speaks Spanish, is based in Kansai (Kyoto, Osaka, Nara), married into a Japanese family, and is part of the Tony Kansai Guide team.
What languages does Mario speak?
English, for all his tours, and Spanish. He also handles reservations in Japanese on your behalf.
Where does Mario guide?
He is based in Kansai, where day tours in Kyoto, Osaka and Nara are the default. He also guides anywhere else in Japan, including Tokyo, Mount Fuji and Hakone, Nikko, Kamakura and Hiroshima, with his train fare and hotel nights at cost. Multi-day journeys across Japan are his favorite.
How do I contact Mario?
Directly on WhatsApp at +81 70 8996 8582. Bookings go straight to him.
Continue?
Let Mario plan your Japan
Send your dates, the size of your party and where you are staying. Mario replies with a plan, and every reservation is made for you, in Japanese.