Avi

Founder, Owner & CEO

Avi is the founder and chief manager of Windows to Japan. He graduated from the Faculties of East Asian Studies and Anthropology in 1994. While studying, Avi became a licensed guide, and went on to become one of the senior guides for a leading travel company. Avi has traveled extensively and has guided expeditions all over Asia including journeys through the Silk Road.

Avi first visited Japan in 1989, staying for one and a half years. He then returned to Japan in 1995 and has been a part of the country ever since. During his time in the land of the rising sun, Avi practiced for three years at a Zen monastery, obtained a second dan black belt in Kyudo Japanese archery, studied the arts of Japanese pottery and bonsai miniature plant cultivation, and has participated in a whole host of other Japanese arts and traditions. Avi’s years of experience within Japan have given him unique insights into local cultures, and have revealed to him secrets that are invaluable for creating and guiding tours throughout the island nation. He looks forward to introducing you to the land he loves.

Sheizaf

Honorary Staff

Heading into high school and already showing interest in the travel business, Sheizaf often visits our office to check in on us, and to put her quadrilingual skills to good use. Shiezaf tags along on inspection tours, offering opinions from a younger generation, and can boast acting as a interpreter for a Kyoto geisha to allow one of our guests to fully grasp the intricacies associated with geisha makeup and style during one of our unique experiences.

Yehonatan

Honorary Staff

A colorful and fun addition to the family, Yehonatan, being an elementary school student, brings vibrancy, a love of legos, and youth and a lot of questions that keeps all of us on our toes. Known for a slight stubborn streak along with his inquisitiveness, Yehonatan helps keep Avi at the top of his game in regards to guiding, testing his patience related to the question “why?”

Mere

Tour Team Manager

Discovering in her early teens that her childhood had been full of TV programs and movies animated in Japan eventually led this curious lady from Michigan to study abroad for a semester in Osaka, where she met her likewise Japan-loving husband. They came back to the country after graduating as members of the JET program in Fukui Prefecture, where Meredith later served as an International Cultural Ambassador. Her varied experience has made her astute at connecting puzzle pieces and building community, and since her start at Windows to Japan in 2014 she has striven to make the company a space where every employee feels empowered to succeed at their work and nurture their own love for the country we all call home.

Meredith looks forward to using her extensive background in business, community development and outreach to help open up hidden, interesting wonders of Japan for travelers to experience. As a fan of shotengai shopping streets, downtown bustle, countryside charm, and local eats who regularly goes out to unearth diamonds in the rough, she is always ready to share her latest discoveries of amazing yet overlooked local scenes.

Ethan

Designer & Coordinator Team Leader

Ethan is from a small town in the mountains of Virginia. Since he was three months old, he has been traveling the world. His first travels were with his family, living abroad in the Middle East and Europe, before eventually settling back in the US in Colorado. There he spent his formative years learning to ski, (and perfecting his goggle tan-lines), before eventually striking out into the great big world once more. He began his travels as a tour leader in the US at large, then slowly migrated to Asia, where he found his second home in Japan. Here he spends most of his free time hiking in the mountains, now perfecting his T-shirt tan lines and cycling Kyoto’s pleasant mountain roads, perfecting his sunglasses tan line. Windows to Japan later found Ethan wandering around Kyoto one day with a very lost look on his face. He had long hair and looked a bit like Jesus, so Windows to Japan’s CEO decided to put him in front of a computer and see what happened. He has been with WTJ ever since.

Ryoko

Reservations & Operations Team Leader

Originally from Hyogo Prefecture, Ryoko has spent over 20 years living abroad in the United States, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia. In her personal time, she loves learning about food and drinking cultures, as well as cooking herself. With a degree in business administration, she began her career in the bridal industry, starting with wedding planning and day-of coordination before eventually managing a department. After being tasked with overseeing weddings for inbound guests, she began to grow an interest in tourism at large, which eventually motivated her change to Windows to Japan.

Ryoko is the manager of both Reservations and Operations teams, handling mostly native Japanese staff responsible for tour logistics throughout a guest’s time in our care. Her flexible work-style forged by experience working both in Japan and abroad helps her to understand and negotiate between cultures, a must in the diverse and innovative WtJ environment. She believes that Japan’s long history and unique cultural development are what continue to fascinate visitors from around the world, and she takes pride in helping create experiences that allow guests to connect more deeply with the country.

Yukie

Reservations (Guides)

Yukie was born and raised in Miyazaki, Kyushu. She has always been very close to her family, and when she was little her favorite pastime was watching her grandmother cook. She attended Miyazaki Municipal University and majored in Media Studies. The highlight of her university life was when she spent two months researching guest houses and restaurants in Thailand; an experience which led her to make a change and move to Toronto, Canada, to improve her English language and career skills. As a Windows to Japan Reservationist, she specializes in working with our guide team across the country, using all the creativity and experience at her disposal to help match guests to the guide that suits them best.

Naoko O.

Tour Operator

Kyoto-ite Naoko left the ancient capital of Japan for Tokyo when it came time to attend university, where she spent a year of her studies abroad in Paris, France. Studying French, Education, and even Buddhist Art gave her a wide variety of academic experience, and her travels overseas opened her eyes to the beauty of other cultures. She credits her time in Paris with helping her understand the appeal of Japanese culture on the world stage; after all, it is through discovering other cultures that we also discover our own. After university Naoko worked for some time in the hotel industry, and holds extensive knowledge regarding hospitality services in Japan. She now utilizes her multi-tasking skills, her communication abilities, and her passion for discovering something new to her work as a tour Operator with Windows to Japan. Naoko works with our group tours, making sure even the smallest details fit in well to make one whole, memorable experience.

Naoko’s hobbies include tea ceremony, visiting dining spots of all kinds, and jetting off for her own travels around the world. She is also an avid sumo fan, and can be found at the annual Osaka tournament almost every year. You could tune in to watch yourself, but she recommends going to the stadium to get a real taste of the energy in-person!

Arnaud

Tour Designer

After leaving France as a young man, Arnaud traveled throughout Asia for a mix of work and leisure until he eventually arrived in Japan, where he decided to settle down and raise a family. Now his weekends involve less backpacking and more breaking a sweat playing the taiko drums at his childrens’ school and local festivals.

Having worked in the travel industry for many years, Arnaud has helped countless other people discover the country and the people that he fell for. He believes that experiencing the depth of history, culture, and philosophy that Japan possesses can bring improvements to the lives of both individuals and the world; as a Designer at Windows to Japan, he turns his experience, dedication, and initiative to making sure our guests have a hand-made itinerary that offers them a breadth of transformative experiences.

Jaret

Tour Coordinator

Jaret fell in love with Japan while on a study abroad trip at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka. What was originally intended to be two years of a language for a college requirement became a Japanese minor and then a major, graduating with degrees in both Japanese and Converged Broadcast Media. After leaving his hometown on the Texas West Coast of the United States, he spent two years in Tottori prefecture as an English teacher with the JET program, then joined Windows to Japan and returned to living in Osaka. He loves Japanese night life, izakaya bar hopping, retro game arcades, pachinko, craft beer, YouTube video editing, pop culture… and Pokemon! Some people say you “gotta catch ’em all,” but he already has!

As a Coordinator with Windows to Japan, Jaret puts his detail-oriented nature and skills to bear alongside culinary activities experience that make him one of the go-to’s in the office for questions about food and restaurants. It’s the day-to-day that Jaret loves, and he hopes that to share with guests the minor, even trivial joys that can be found in Japanese daily life between the breathtaking and the awe-inspiring.

Megumi

Reservations

Megumi was born in Uji, the city just south of Kyoto that is famous for pioneering green tea cultivation in Japan. As a Reservationist, she puts her personal passion for Japan’s delicious food at work to ensure guests get the best the country has to offer. In addition to her food-appreciating spirit and Michelin star knowledge, she is particularly experienced with activities related to sake, craft beer, kimono, Japanese swords, and anime.

Miyuki

Tour Operator

Born in Fukui Prefecture, a lesser-known location in Japan that is home to beautiful forests, mountains, and beaches, Miyuki gave up the countryside life and moved to the U.S. as a student majoring in Fine Arts with an emphasis on painting and print making. Even now, she enjoys painting and fiddling with colors to make crafts in her free time. Though she was once new to the world of tourism, Miyuki is now one of our precious veterans with nearly a decade of experience as a Windows to Japan Operator. She enjoys learning and tackling new things, and now that working with WtJ has opened her eyes to the joys of travel she is motivated and ready to show even more of Japan to our guests.

David

Tour Designer

David was raised in Sydney, Australia, and first visited Japan in 2006 before graduating from the University of Sydney with an honors degree in Asian Studies. After moving here in late 2010, he travelled the country from the icy northern tip to the humid southern isles before settling in Kyoto in 2011. Since joining Windows to Japan, he has spent his career sharing everything Japan has to offer with the rest of the world.

Unisia

Tour Coordinator

After studying Japanese in the Philippines (also known as “watching Dr. X”), Unisia moved to Japan and worked for several years in Nagano prefecture, where she greatly enjoyed the slower pace of countryside life. While honing her language skills she gathered experience in the hospitality industry by working at ryokan inns, one in a remote hot spring town and one in a bigger city. How passionate Japanese people could be, even with the smallest of things, really inspired her affection for the country. Though she moved to Kyoto in 2024 to join Windows to Japan, she goes back to her old Nagano haunts nearly every month.

As a Coordinator, Unisia’s hospitality experience allows her to see things from the perspective of both the guest and the vendor, understanding and relating to their needs in order to smoothly handle anything that might arise during a tour.

Machi

Reservations

Machi is a native Kyoto-ite who has been practicing tea ceremony since childhood, and she credits the art as an important influence on how she approaches life and work to this day. She graduated university with a degree in art education, and has previously work experience in teaching art to children, art galleries, and general hospital office work.

With Windows to Japan, Machi is a Reservationist who prides herself on connecting guests to the accommodations, restaurants, and experiences that will make them truly glad they chose to visit Japan. She loves sharing enjoyable moments with others, working together towards the creation of something meaningful. Her hobbies include painting, photography, and reading, and she loves a good beer while playing or listening to music.

Lin

Tour Operator

Lin originally came to Japan from Beijing, China, to learn the art of crafting washi (traditional Japanese paper). As an Operator, she is particularly skilled with transfer bookings, assuring guests have the smoothest and easiest-to-understand routes and tickets available for their trips across the country. In her free time, she enjoys practicing ballet, following the travels of the Doctor Yellow bullet trains used for diagnosing maintenance needs on the country’s shinkansen routes, and cooking up tasty Chinese cuisine.

Jeff

Tour Designer

Jeff was born in Amsterdam, in The Netherlands, of course. He’s crazy about sports, especially basketball, which makes him a fun and active person. He’s come to very much appreciate the beauty Japan has to offer, and would love to share that with everyone. Although he does not eat any seafood (what does he do in Japan?!), he is crazy about Japanese fried chicken.

Kim

Tour Coordinator

Born in Cambodia and raised in New Zealand, Kim grew up between cultures, brimming with curiosity. While most of his life has been spent in New Zealand, his fascination with Japan was sparked early by watching anime in his childhood. Anime remains a passion of his to this day, and though classics from his youth like One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach are all-time favorites, he still follows the latest series, too! Though it began as entertainment, it has become more meaningful: a genuine admiration for Japanese storytelling, values, and everyday life.

Kim began studying Japanese at the age of 13, which only strengthened his desire to experience Japan firsthand. Eventually, he made his way to Kyoto to build a life for himself, and began working as a Coordinator for Windows to Japan. One of his biggest dreams is to explore every corner of the country—from major cities to quiet rural towns—immersing himself in local life, culture, and the stories that make each place unique. This is the desire he brings to the work of ensuring guests get to experience their Japan dreams, too.

Nao

Reservations

Nao is originally from Tokyo, Japan. She works as a Reservationist at Windows to Japan, where her skills in finding new vendors and experiences help add to the carefully curated variety of lodgings, restaurants, shows, and activities offered to Windows to Japan guests. Small, everyday discoveries such as finding charming shops down an unassuming side street or stumbling upon a delicious hamburg steak restaurant are what she loves sharing about Japan. In her free time, she spends time with her cat and indulges in all sorts of creative pursuits like listening to music, watching movies, reading, appreciating art, playing instruments, and seeking adventure.

Momoka

Tour Operator

Momoka is from Kyoto originally, but she has also spent time living in Nagano prefecture and Vancouver, Canada. She has always been passionate about making things, and even taught pottery to local residents at a ceramics studio in Vancouver. Her passion extends beyond crafts to cooking as well; the mottainai spirit of respecting life without waste and using every edible piece of an animal or plant is just one reason why she loves Japanese cuisine in particular. As an Operator, Momoka is very empathy-forward and examines every detail of a tour from the client’s perspective to try and create an experience with Windows to Japan that is as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Her dream is to visit all 47 prefectures in Japan one day, so the northeastern Tohoku region and the southern Kyushu island where she hasn’t visited yet had better brace for Momoka’s coming!

Julian

Tour Designer

Julian was born in the Lorraine region of northeastern France. While debating how he was going to fulfill his universiy dream of becoming a teacher when dealing with the difficult maths of theoretical physics, he stumbled upon a book on kanji characters and accidentally fell in love with Japanese and achieved a Masters in Japanese language and culture instead. His love of Japanese festivals earned him the nickname of matsuri otoko (“festival man”), and when he arrived in Kyoto to study he came prepared with an entire year of festivals to see marked in his calendar. His hobbies include listening to and playing music, games, sake, pottery, crafts, tennis, ice hockey, and spending time with his family’s beloved dog.

Julian has been working for Windows to Japan since 2014, making him one of our veteran staff members. In the years since then he has done (nearly) everything, gaining experience in job roles such as designer, manager, trainer, and guide. At current, he works primarily as a designer creating detailed custom tours for all manner of clientele, as well as occasionally taking to the streets and fields in order to guide guests directly and impart his passion for Japan in person. He loves how you can feel the seasonality in every aspect of Japanese culture, how good the food is, how religion such as Buddhism connects to the human search for happiness, and how the Japanese religious worldview shapes society and how people behave whether they are truly aware of it or not.

Taiki

Tour Coordinator

Taiki might just have tourism in his blood. He was born in Nairobi, Kenya, where his father’s safari tour company was based, lived in Tochigi prefecture for some of his younger years, and then spent the rest of his childhood splitting time between Kenya and summers in Japan. He also spent a year studying French (and surfing) on the volcanic island of La Reunion off the coast of Madagascar. He holds a masters in public policy and has experience helping to make the world a better place via work in global health, disaster recovery, and business/philanthropic consulting.

Since 2018 he has been in and out of Japan, where he enjoys the outdoors, the food, and the sense of everyday safety the country is so well known for. His hobbies include hiking, triathlons, chess, cooking, photography, and crocheting (a new hobby picked up from his office colleagues). At Windows to Japan he works as a Designer and Coordinator, making use of his creativity, flexibility, and collaborative skills to both create and run the most optimal tours possible for our guests.

Mika

Reservations

Mika was born in Kyoto, Japan, and studied the city in depth during her university days. Since graduating she accumulated a variety of work experience in the hospitality industry before joining Windows to Japan as a Reservationist. Her love for Japanese food and her appreciation for the high quality service Japan is known for make her particularly attuned to the needs of WtJ customers when it comes to booking restaurants, lodgings, and experiences.

Two of Mika’s hobbies pair quite well together; she loves traveling and photography. She has lived in Canada, France, and the UK, and factoring in her time spent backpacking she has visited 17 countries (and counting!), Nikon camera in hand.

Mari

Tour Operator

Mari hails from Sapporo, Hokkaido, and makes use of the skills she has been honing since she was three years old to hit the snowy mountain slopes of prefectures like Hokkaido, Niigata, and Nagano each and every possible weekend. In addition to her quick and efficient work as an Operator with Windows to Japan, she has plenty of tips for active guests who also love skiing, camping, and cycling, and her passion for local Hokkaido foods will help enhance any northern itinerary.

Drago

Tour Designer

Some people might say that Drago is a Bulgarian who lives in Osaka, but he might just be an Osakan from Bulgaria! Since high school he has been interested in Japan, and he eventually came to the country on a government scholarship. His studies included a masters in Japanese studies and a PhD in diplomatic history. He taught classes in both Kobe and Osaka University, and he did part-time work guiding junior and senior high school students in different cities across Japan for English-language intercultural programs.

Drago puts his experience guiding and teaching, a detail-oriented work ethic, and his willingness to take on challenges to work with Windows to Japan as a Designer, putting together the handcrafted tours that make our guests’ experiences in Japan unforgettable. His hobbies include cycling, hiking, cooking, and exploring big cities– especially getting lost in the tiny side streets where you can find so much hidden history and character.

Joe

Tour Coordinator

Joe is a Tour Coordinator from Texas in the southern United States. Led to Japan by an interest in Asia persisting from childhood, he studied abroad at Ritsumeikan University, came over to work after graduation from University of North Texas… and is now happily “stuck” with the country after getting engaged. Before Windows to Japan, he gained work experience in a variety of roles such as teaching English with the JET program in Gunma prefecture, a finance professional/banker, and hotel staff. He loves the history, culture, and food, but knows firsthand that the most important thing about a trip to Japan will be the people you meet along your journey.

Eri

Reservations (Guides)

Eri was born in Ishikawa prefecture and attended school at the Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, also taking a working holiday in Sydney to put those studies to the test and also hone her English. At Windows to Japan, she works as a Reservationist focused on securing knowledgeable and entertaining guides for our discerning guests. Her thoughtful and efficient choices help pair Windows to Japan guests with the best guides for their region, needs, and interests. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and watching anime. Eri is also a big believer in oshi katsu (“supporting your fan favs”) and shows her love for her favorite bands at concerts, karaoke, and other meets. She thinks that Japan excels at entertainment, so whether it’s anime, music, sports, video games, theme parks, or something even more niche… She is sure that visitors from all over the world will find something to become a fan of!

Tsubasa

Tour Operator

Tsubasa grew up in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, but spent junior and senior high in Shiga, followed by university in Kyoto, where he studied theology and completed both bachelors and masters degrees. After working in a variety of different positions, he was eventually introduced to Windows to Japan. Tsubasa’s particular set of skills thrive in the logistics and quality control sector, which makes him a reliable and detail-oriented member of the Operator team who are charged with overseeing tours and making sure they go off without a hitch.

On his time off, Tsubasa spends his time reading, taking walks, watching movies, and studying up on different cultures and periods in world history. He has always been curious as to what people find so captivating about Japan, and in the process of sharing his home country with others perhaps he will find his answer… ?

Mallory

Tour Coordinator

Majoring in Japanese at university in Wisconsin, USA, Mallory was all set to study abroad in Japan from the spring of 2020. Only in the country a couple of short months, the COVID-19 pandemic cut her study abroad trip unexpectedly short, and left an inescapable desire to return in her heart. This led to her joining a master’s program at International Christian University in Tokyo after graduation, studying the revitalizing power of tourism on disaster hit regions in Japan such as Fukushima. Her studies led her all over the country, and reignited what she knew in her heart back in 2020 — Japan was home.

Mallory then joined WTJ as a Tour Coordinator, using her keen eye for detail to craft a flawless trip for guests. It is the attention to small details that makes Mallory appreciate life in Japan more and more every day, nothing is too small or insignificant to be given great care here. Her favorite example of this is the uniquely designed manhole covers found throughout the entire country — a hobby of hers is collecting photos of these manhole covers, now having over 300 unique photos to show. She hopes more people visiting Japan will notice the little things that make this country special, noticing the art found right at their feet. When not out exploring for manhole covers, Mallory likes playing video games, crocheting, and spending time with her cat Soup.

Yoko

Reservations

Yoko is an experienced hospitality and tourism veteran from Saitama Prefecture. From a young age she often went on trips with her family and fell in love with travel, a foundation which inspired her to study tourism in university. After spending time studying abroad in Canada and doing fieldwork in Vietnam and Cambodia, she graduated with a degree in Tourism Policy and a desire to work forging connections between Japan and other countries.

At Windows to Japan, Yoko is a Reservationist who uses her academic and work experiences to make sure our guests are connected with the best restaurants, hotels, and experiences that match their needs. She’s always happy to have the chance to share Japan’s food culture, natural scenery, and excellent hospitality with guests from around the world. When she isn’t doing that, she enjoys her own solo travels (especially in Southeast Asia), acoustic guitar, basketball, and reading.

J. Shiroshita

Tour Coordinator

Raised in Metro Detroit, J has always felt a deep connection to her mixed Japanese heritage. Her father is originally from Hiroshima, and the Japanese community in her hometown helped foster a lifelong passion for Japanese language, culture, and history. After spending time in Shiga Prefecture during high school, J later earned a master’s degree in Chinese philosophy from East China Normal University in Shanghai. She moved to Japan in 2019, and has since become a certified kimono dresser and has completed the intermediate level training in Japan’s first Shinto shrine maiden training school. She joins Windows to Japan with an enthusiasm for sharing the stories, traditions, and craftsmanship that bring Japan to life.

Daichi

Accounting

Daichi is one of our hometown team members from Kyoto, Japan, and if you ask him what he loves about Japan the answer is “everything”… Which we certainly cannot disagree with! After gaining his bookkeeping certification he joined Windows to Japan’s Accounting department, where his financial acumen and patient, hardworking personality keeps the business running smoothly. When he isn’t pouring over the numbers, you might find him belting out a pop song at karaoke.

Lei

Accounting

Lei is a Tohoku lady who was born in Yamagata prefecture and raised over the mountain range in Sendai, the coastal capital of Miyagi prefecture. She graduated university with a BA in Psychology, and now works in Accounting at Windows to Japan, where she is an invaluable member of the finance team who makes sure the tours all run without any monetary hitches. Her hobby is karaoke, and her favorite thing about Japan is how you can find so many delicious global foods in addition to local cuisine. Thankfully for this croissant addict, that includes French pastry!

Kiyo

Human Resources

Kiyo is one of our hometown team members from Kyoto, Japan. At Windows to Japan, she smoothly handles both finance and HR responsibilities, ensuring that the office staff are well-supported and informed. Since she enjoys exploring the UK, she knows that the same principles of discovery can be applied to her home country as well– that the best way to reach the depths of Japanese culture is by taking the time to truly experience it.

Elizabeth

Research & Development Manager, Marketing

Elizabeth left country life in the southern United States behind after a transformative experience with a famous Shinto shrine during a college study abroad program in Japan. For the last 15 years she has built a life and career focused on creating educational English texts about Japanese shrines, temples, festivals, traditional crafts, theater, and more. She takes great pride in knowing that her English-language texts in various temple/shrine websites, pamphlets, guidebooks, and signboards can help tourists learn more about Japan and find it as fascinating as she does. She also spent time guiding, where her self-professed specialty was making history entertaining and relatable.

She is the main writer of Amazing Kyoto, a bilingual guide to seasonal festivals in the old capital, and Journey to Wakasa and Obama, an educational guide to sightseeing in two amazing areas of Fukui Prefecture. She is an avid pilgrim who has visited over 1,000 shrines and temples across the country, and when she is not traveling for that her hobbies include photography, birdwatching, film appreciation, and spending time with her two cats. As the new R&D and Marketing Manager at Windows to Japan, she is eager to use her vast cultural knowledge and writing experience to help cultivate the company’s ever-growing list of partners, develop new tours and regions to explore, and create a wealth of fun, educational texts for agents and guests.

Ken

Tour Manager (IKI Travels)

Ken is a UCLA graduate fluent in English and Japanese. Taking care mainly of guests from the Netherlands, he is also here to be your helping hand through your journey in Japan. Now a senior operator with the company, he has a vast knowledge of eating delicious local cuisines, and has a taste for fine wines — an avid believer in enjoying the finer things in life.

As a passionate follower of sports, both domestic and international, he will be able to to help you with a wide range of domestic sports viewing. If you need anything in particular prepared during your time in Japan, Ken will do his best to make your thought a reality.

Ayana

IKI Assistant

Ayana left Japan for a 5-year stint in Los Angeles with her family as a child, getting a headstart on both English and appreciating other cultures. After studying at a foreign languages university in Kansai, Ayana worked in the luxury jewelry and watch world doing both translating and interpreting. This experience gave her a deep appreciation for Japan’s omotenashi hospitality spirit and gratitude in rituals as simple as saying itadakimasu before a meal. Her diligent and hard-working nature is seen in her role as an IKI Assistant, supporting Ken in supporting our IKI travelers.

In her free time, Ayana enjoys cooking, practicing breath meditation, and making crafts. She has some surprise talents as well, including a license in gut microbiome analysis and teaching how to hand-make cosmetics. She and her daughter take care of an adorable blue budgie, whose name is, aptly, Budgie.

Naoko K.

DENTO Leader

Naoko works for DENTO, an initiative started by Windows to Japan that is all about “passing the light” of tradition onwards so that future generations might inherit the beauty and value of Japanese culture. Her role is focused on developing tours of workshops and studios directly with craftsmen, helping them form connections for collaborations, and giving them a platform to sell their wares to ensure Japan’s traditional crafts are both preserved and given modern life. Having majored in fine arts at university, her broad interest in art spanning traditional to contemporary fuels her passion for the work. Drawing on her experience living overseas, she strives daily to honor the value of her role and bring together perspectives from both inside and outside Japan.

Chiharu

Guide

Chiharu brings her love of meeting people and learning about different cultures into her guiding days in the best ways, as her unending interest in discovery often lends itself to making days of wonder for all. Boasting keen skills on reading any situation, she is quick to make your day enjoyable using her great abilities as a fashion advisor, food coordinator, and time manager to make a day designed just for you and your mood. It is her sincere hope to use her skills to make your days in Japan memorable, fun, and relaxed.

Doron

Guide

Our Kyoto-based Israeli guide has lived in Japan with his family since 2004. He is known for his translations into Hebrew of Murakami Haruki’s book Norwegian Wood, Tanizaki Junichiro’s The Key, and several other books. Among his many other academic accomplishments, he completed his PhD at Doshisha University and is currently teaching there while continuing to translate and guide.

Emi

Guide

Emi was born and raised in Nara, the ancient capital of Japan. She holds a degree in foreign studies. After becoming a guide, Emi moved to Kyoto and now lives in a traditional machiya townhouse. She is a member of the Kyoto Traditional Musical Arts Foundation and enjoys attending lots of geisha events every year. On her days off, she spends time with her son and husband, both very active in cycling and running. Guided days with Emi are lively and energetic, matching her personality perfectly.

Hiro

Guide

Hiro was born in Tokyo, the modern metropolis of Japan. At age seven, he moved to Moscow, where he spent the rest of his elementary school years. At university, Hiro played drums in a jazz band and still enjoys playing as a hobby, along with learning the guitar. Hiro’s other hobbies include paragliding, and his current personal record is flying 108km in the skies of Australia.
 
Having visited over twenty countries, Hiro understands diverse points of view, a trait which allows him to clearly explain Japan’s history and culture to guests from various backgrounds. With over ten years of experience under his belt, he is knowledgeable, flexible, and able to provide a high level of insight and customization to the travelers he guides. 

Mish

Guide

Mish majored in East Asian Studies and International Relations at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 2003, she was awarded a scholarship from Japan’s Ministry of Education and came to study in the city of Kanazawa for five and a half years. Graduating in 2008, Mish holds an MA in Law, and a Ph.D. in International and Environmental Studies. Before joining the team here, she was recruited in 2011 to work for the tourism board in Tsuruga, a small, coastal town on the Sea of Japan coast. She joined the Windows to Japan team in late 2012 with a strong ambition to provide travelers with unique and insightful experiences with the people and cultures of Japan.

Teiko Higashi

Guide

A powerful woman indeed, Teiko has been working as a tour guide since 2008 while raising two daughters and working as a history teacher. She holds a degree in English Literature, as well, after attending university in the United States. Teiko is ecstatic that she can use her experience as a mom and international student, along with her experience gained during her career as a teacher, to present a well-rounded picture of Japanese life and convey the depth of Japanese culture and history. To Teiko, guiding is the path she was called to take, and she always finds it exciting and enjoyable to meet new people from around the world while introducing Japan’s famed and hidden places.

Pascal

Guide

Pascal is a French national who came to Japan about 15 years ago, partly for professional reasons but also due to a deep interest in Japanese traditional culture and martial arts. He has been married to a Japanese national and has been living in Tokyo ever since. As well as knowing the nation’s capital and the surrounding region very well, Pascal has also guided hiking tours in other parts of Japan, such as Tohoku, the Nakasendo area, and Kumano. Pascal is a native speaker of French, and is also fluent in English and Japanese. He is passionate about Japanese history, and holds black belt ranks in different traditional martial arts disciplines. He is friendly, knowledgeable, and flexible, and strives to put the needs and enjoyment of guests first, so that their stay in Japan can be a highly memorable one.

Maki

Guide

Originally a Tokyo-ite, Maki discovered her love for Kyoto and its history after moving to this ancient city. Since then, she has been exploring the city tirelessly (and mostly on foot)! Having lived in England for 9 years as a psychologist at The University of Oxford, she has an excellent command of the English language, which will be utilized to the fullest to help you acquire a deeper understanding of Japan and its culture. Warm hospitality is also at her core; before entering academia, she worked at Hotel Okura Tokyo, famed for its distinguished guest service. A guided day with Maki will be a warm, insightful, and memorable one.

Keiko

Guide Assistant

Keiko began her career in Japan as a dental hygienist, and she later worked as a dental assistant in New York and Montreal. Afterwards, she spent six months each in Tennessee and at an ashram in India, where she became deeply immersed in yoga and meditation. She also ran a business importing organic cosmetics from France, which often took her to Paris. Her passions, quite naturally, include traveling, cooking, and enjoying good food. She loves discovering new areas, shopping, fashion, makeup, and watching sports. Above all, she values sharing her interests and discoveries with guests, providing them with fresh insights, and creating memorable journeys together. Her numerous international experiences and plethora of hobbies allow her to relate to her guests as friends.