Staff
Ayami
I worked in accounting before getting a job in the Philippines as a planning coordinator, translator and Japanese teacher. It was fascinating to learn the language and communicate with the local staff and I loved learning to dive on the islands.
I also had the opportunity to live in Oxford for a year when I became part of Into Japan. I am now based in the Tokyo office and I assist the tours on the Japan side. I look forward to having the chance to meet you and making your time in Japan special.
Fukuoka is my favourite place in Japan because the seafood is very good and also cheap. There are many local specialities which I recommend you to try.
My favourite food is tonkotsu ramen which is a kind of noodle soup with a strong spicy flavour. I also have a weak spot for shochu which is a distilled spirit made from potatoes.
One experience I would recommend is eating at a food stall (yatai) which you will see all over Japan. It is good quality and value but especially you will appreciate the characters that often run these 'yatai'.
David
Many people are surprised to learn I studied mathematics at university before going to Japan to learn Japanese. They say it seems like a total change of direction.
Travel became a passion at university and I had always wanted to learn a language 'properly'. I found Japanese to be very logical and the 'kanji' characters give the language another dimension which is not possible in European languages.
Thirteen years on, it is always a thrill to go back and I love that my job allows me to do that at least four times a year. It has been especially rewarding to show others the exotic culture, tradition and sheer excitement of Japan. I am always reminded of my amazement and bewilderment when I first arrived. I really look forward to helping you plan your trip and possibly escorting you on a tour.
If I were pushed to choose a favourite place in Japan it would probably be Mount Aso. I think the thrill of seeing an active volcano is easy to understand coming from somewhere where it is so foreign. Yet the awesome panoramic views of the caldera and the mountains beyond simply take your breath away.
My favourite Japanese experience is the outdoor hot springs. There is nothing to compare with dipping in and out of these pools surrounded by the bracing air and Japanese garden complete with bonsai trees. I have been know to spend hours there (when I am not a group escort!).
When it comes to food, sashimi (raw fish) has got to be the best of Japanese cuisine although sukiyaki (a kind of sweet soy sauce flavour beef hotpot) is hard to beat in the winter. I have to admit it took a while for me to like sashimi but now I love the simplicity, freshness and vividness of the flavours.
Maco
I am from Mie prefecture which is near Kyoto. I trained as a school teacher and taught when I was living in Japan. I lived in Wales for 2 years when I first came to the UK, and I have now been in Oxford for 4 years. I really enjoyed learning Welsh and also improving my English and using it for work. Recently I have taken up French. I love travelling and especially using other languages when possible.
I feel really lucky to have this job as it is a great experience to work with people of different nationalities. Japan offers a huge range of alternative and more traditional or contemporary experiences. I will certainly do my best to help you and ensure that your time in Japan is as enjoyable as possible.
Alice
I come from France, where I grew up reading manga, playing video games, coveting Japanese gadgets and downloading Japanese music.
A few years later, my interest in languages led me to take a degree in Japanese in the UK. I travelled around Japan and spent a wonderful year studying in Kyoto.
A trip to remote Koya-san on my own, staying at a temple in autumn. Nebuta festival in Aomori city: giant lit-up floats, a dancing, chanting crowd and striking costumes. Cycling around the old-fashioned covered arcades and quainter areas of Kyoto, where there was always something to surprise me - those are my top three Japanese experiences.
I also think you should drink plum wine (umeshu) on the rocks (rokku!) whenever you get a chance, and try green tea (maccha)-infused cakes and ice-cream. Their bittersweet flavour and deep green color are unmistakable.
Guillaume
I've worked for several years as journalist specializing in the Middle East and Asia and been editor of magazines specializing in health and Asia. I've also been a tour guide for French travel agencies.
I'm now based in the Oxford office and I do my best to help the European travel agents.
Here are some experiences in Japan I recommend: biking in the isolated Amakusa islands, western Kyushu; hiking in the Shiretoko peninsula in Hokkaido (but be careful of the bears!) and walking in the peaceful atmosphere in Hagi, southern Honshu.
My favourite foods are the Japanese gyoza, the vegetarian meals in the temples of Koyasan sacred mountain, and the aboriginal rice served in some Taiwanese restaurants in Japan.
Naomi
I was born in Japan and started learning English when I was at junior school. Some of my relatives emigrated to the US before the war so I have many relatives there and have visited many times.
When I was in Japan I took the travel qualification required to establish a travel business. There is no equivalent in the UK but this knowledge has been extremely useful in understanding how the travel industry works in Japan. In 2002 I decided to come to England and I was interested to discover the differences between the UK and US. I really enjoyed it and decided to stay. I still visit Japan at least once a year.
My favourite place in Japan is Hokkaido, the most northern island. Hokkaido is less populated than the main island and the countryside is magnificent. The winter is a particularly good time to visit; the skiing is spectacular. Last time I was there, we went to the top of an active volcano and we could see steam coming out of the snow.
My favourite Japanese foods are yakitori (barbequed chicken on skewers), tempura (lightly fried battered king prawns etc.), sashimi (raw fish!) and especially Kobe beef sukiyaki (lightly cooked beef dipped in raw egg). But you have to eat them in Japan, because the Japanese restaurants here in the UK don't quite manage to get them right. I would also recommend Japanese beer, especially Sapporo black beer.
My favourite activity in Japan is going to an onsen (hot volcanic baths). I find there's nothing more relaxing than enjoying one with friends, before a proper Japanese traditional feast.
Megumi
I took my undergraduate degree in Law but moved towards education, spending several years as an English teacher and instructor in Japan before doing a masters degree in education at London University. I have been a tour conductor for 4 years and I have continued this work while also acting as a consultant for Japanese students wishing to enter the UK education system.
Nikko is my favourite place; water falls, marshlands, streams, and the authentic hot spring baths all inside the National Park. It also has the Toshogu Temple with all its great history, and a particularly old and famous hotel where the Japanese Royal Family often stay.
Gyoza is my favourite Japanese food. It is like a small dumpling
with juicy meat and vegetables inside.
For me the best experience in Japan is the hot spring baths. This is best
enjoyed after a day cycling in the mountains and a traditional lunchbox.
Monika
My interest in Japan started at high school when, being a girl behind the Iron Curtain in Hungary, it was quite difficult to find any way to practice my English beyond classes in school. So, I got a pen pal from Japan. Even if my English didn't improve rapidly because of this, my interest in this mysterious country did. Back then it seemed impossible that I would ever be able to get a footing in that faraway land.
I graduated as a primary teacher, later also got a diploma as an economist, and worked at an international law firm for several years. And then the opportunity to live in Japan came. I lived in Osaka for 3 years and I loved it from the beginning. It felt like home. I loved and still love everything about Japan: the culture, the people, the scenery, the food. Some of the highlights of my Japan stay were: a picnic in a park under the blossoming cherry trees; admiring the views of Mt. Fuji while sitting in a rotenburo; having a dinner with friends at an izakaya; staying at a ryokan and eating through all of the courses of the delicious and beautiful kaiseki dinner.
I would be very happy if I could share at least some of my experiences with you and assist you to have as unforgettable a time in Japan as I had.
Lizanne
I was born in Japan and lived there for 16 years. I've been in the UK now for over 20 years.
My favourite place in Japan is an island called Miyakejima. Unfortunately it had a volcanic eruption in 2003 but the locals are just beginning to move back now.
Although I haven’t lived in Japan in a while, it still holds very fond memories for me and I am delighted to help share my knowledge of Japan to make your trip as interesting and pleasant as possible.
Robin
I returned to the UK in 2007 with my Japanese wife and 2 daughters, after spending 15 years living and teaching English in the city of Gifu in central Japan.
Having spent a third of my life living there, I’m now happy to be able to share my knowledge and love of this fascinating country with our clients.
My favourite place in Japan is probably anywhere upstream on the Nagara River, where the crystal clear water in the mountains forms rockpools that are perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day!
Foodwise, I pretty much love it all and encourage you to try as much as possible and to be adventurous in Japan – make the most of your time there!
I look forward to talking to you and helping you plan the trip of a lifetime!
Yuko
I am Yuko from Fukuoka which is in the north of Kyushu Island. I have been here in the UK since April 2003. When I was in Japan, I worked at a travel agency for 3 years, as a tour coordinator, tour conductor and doing counter sales as well.
The reason why I came to the UK is to study English and Accounting. I realised when I started living abroad that Japan has a unique culture and I like it very much. I like travelling to experience different cultures and eat traditional food. I would like to recommend you all to visit Japan to experience Japanese culture and to eat excellent Japanese food, such as Sushi, Sukiyaki, Japanese hot pots and Ramen!!
There is a popular and well known ramen in Fukuoka called Tonkotsu ramen. If you ever have a chance to visit Fukuoka, you should try it!
I am delighted to work for Into Japan here in Oxford.
Ai
I was born between a Kyushu (southern island) father and a Tohoku (northern mainland) mother, but brought up in a Tokyo suburb..
One hour away from central Tokyo, my childhood memory is actually filled with the scent of the forests in which we used to catch cool beetles in summer and make a huge bed of fallen leaves in autumn. (Still, I call myself a Tokyo girl!)
As a university student I travelled a lot in foreign countries, yet at the same time as I fell in love with European countries, I also started becoming more interested in my own country. Even the fact that we take off our shoes and put them very neatly at the door started to seem to be a worth-discussing theme to me! Then I came to the UK to study Japanese social anthropology and afterwards worked as a newspaper journalist in Nagasaki, Japan.
Now in Oxford again, I realise how iwonderful it is to experience different worlds. It has expanded my perspective and I hope your trip to Japan will give you such an excitement. And, of course, I would be honoured if I could be of help in planning your trip.
In addition to the must-see sites and popular food such as sushi (Nagasaki is a wonderful place if you want real, local, surprisingly-affordable, fabulous sushi!), ramen, shabushabu and so on, if you fancy a little bit of adventure, I would recommend you to try getting lost in a local Shoten-gai (shopping street) or a little bar in a rural part of Japan, and communicating with its people - there is little chance that you'll find a fluent speaker of English, but I can assure you that you'll find them nice and welcoming!