“I think your program is a great way to meet locals at a grass roots level. It was such a pleasure to be invited to this. It’s such an amazing opportunity especially if people feel like their Japanese isn’t at conversation level or they just don’t know any Japanese!”

“The visit with Yoko and her husband was awesome! They were very welcoming and generous, and taught me some about how mushrooms grow and how to barbecue them! I was also amazed to learn their farm is 500 years old and has an air raid shelter, so there’s a lot of history. They were kind and a ton of fun to talk to, and fed me very well. I never had shiitake before but ended up loving it (and natto too)! Made for an unforgettable experience, and I’m very grateful for it.”

“In the art museum, the explanation about the difference between tachi and katana impressed me. Having a visual reference and a demonstration really helped me to understand the differences and the history, and piqued my interest in Japanese history. There were also many casual conversations while we walked around that were engaging and fun.”

“It was really great meeting the girls! The ice cream was delicious and the games we played were really fun. Would definitely recommend for kids!”

“This wagashi sweet-making workshop allowed for a lot of fun and creativity while getting to use traditional Japanese techniques and ingredients! We learned how to make four different kinds of figures that were almost too pretty to eat!”

“We had a really good half-day tour with Ann in Asakusa. Ann is really sweet and good at creating a good atmosphere and experience. Before the day she paid a lot of attention to uncovering our wishes and showed up very well prepared for the day. We were fully satisfied with the tour. Definitely recommendable.”