Oirase Gorge tours

I was the only guest in the trip as other two guests cancelled their plan suddenly. Luckily the guide called Narita さん was super caring and helpful throughout the whole day journey. For example, he planned every sightseeing spots with considering of the weather, and also explained everything in details using the phone translator. His おすすめアイスクリーム (しじみClam) was delicious 😛The views on that day were magnificent especially on Cape Tappi! Thanks for everything, Narita san!

This year's Spring Festival was already in mid-to-late February, and there has been very little snowfall in Aomori these past few days. Fortunately, I booked a private car on February 19th for Hakkoda + Oirase Stream + Lake Towada. It started to snow heavily as we entered the mountains. Although the ropeway was closed, we still had a solid day of playing in the powder snow! The joy of powder snow, who understands! Mr. Fukuda is really nice and professional. He is the most attentive, professional, and polite driver I have encountered in my many trips to Japan and many private car bookings! Because of the heavy snow, the visibility in the mountains was very low, but his driving skills were excellent. I didn't feel any impact from the weather at all. He took us to check in at every scenic spot along the Oirase Stream, and he waited by the car every time in the heavy snow for us to get in, opening and closing the doors! Thoughtful and attentive! 100 points!

The itinerary was very satisfying, with a suitable pace that wasn't too strenuous. The driver-guide provided excellent service, communicating promptly with a translator, was familiar with the road conditions, drove smoothly, and was polite and professional. They even helped with taking photos. It was a very pleasant trip.

although it was raining in the afternoon but I really enjoyed the tour. Erina was so helpful and always assisting us, she’s friendly and always smiling and of course…beautiful hehe. THANK YOU so much ERINA👍

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Japan! If you’re a fan of JDM culture, Fast & Furious, or just love cars, this experience is absolutely worth it. It doesn’t feel like a typical tourist tour—you really become part of the local car community. Seeing legendary cars, meeting passionate owners, driving through Tokyo at night, and visiting Daikoku PA created memories we’ll never forget. A special thank you to our driver, Timi. She was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and professional from the very beginning. She made us feel comfortable, shared interesting stories, answered all our questions, and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Her passion for JDM culture really shows, and it made the night feel authentic and special. Thank you, Timi, and the whole Gaijin Tuned team for an unforgettable evening. We would definitely do it again and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Tokyo!

Sun Peng, our guide, deserves a perfect score! He was incredibly knowledgeable about Kumamoto throughout the trip, explaining the unique features of each attraction. To be honest, the scenic train wasn't really worth it; 2300 yen per person just to see some mountains. It wasn't as beautiful as the Ghibli train I rode in Hakone, Tokyo. It was a shame we couldn't go boating in Takachiho Gorge today. The scenery was nice, though slightly less impressive than Hokkaido's Blue Pond. My only criticism for the guide is regarding Takachiho Shrine. Going there is fine, but the path is genuinely difficult, so be prepared. However, on the way back to the parking lot, the guide told us to follow Google Maps to the third parking lot, which would have been a disaster! You absolutely must return to the slope and head straight for the third parking lot. When you go to the shrine, there's a fork in the road on that slope; pay attention to the sign for the third parking lot. It's only 300m that way. Do NOT follow the map! Our large group followed the map, but luckily, I had seen the sign on the way in, otherwise, we would have been completely lost trying to go back the same way! The cheese buns the guide recommended were pretty good, and the cream puffs were also nice, filled with ice cream. I didn't get to try the summer iced tea special. The horse meat sashimi and barbecue were decent, but don't have high expectations; it's not as good as grilled beef. Next, regarding the guide's recommendations at Kusasenri: I didn't buy the keychains, nor the horse oil cream, but I did get a fridge magnet. The green house was a bit hard to find, so you need to look carefully. The beef burger was sold out. The only thing I think is worth recommending, which the guide didn't, is the ice cream. If you go, remember to try the ice cream at the museum! Oh, and I should mention that the time at Kusasenri is quite short. If you climb to the observation deck and then want to eat or shop, it might be a bit rushed. Be prepared to just have ice cream! The fridge magnet is cute and worth buying for 800 yen! Finally, the Ten Ga Ten ramen was a bit unappetizing; the firm noodles were very salty, not as good as Ippudo in Osaka, haha. Ippudo is also salty (apparently ramen is meant to be paired with sake). As for the Osmanthus fried rice: it tasted like something any Chinese restaurant could make, so there's no need to specifically try it in Japan, haha! Overall, this group tour was actually pretty good, just a bit rushed. Of course, that's because there were many places to visit, and it wasn't a self-guided tour, haha! I would definitely join a group tour again if I have the chance!

Our driver, Mr. Fujii, was very conscientious and responsible, good at communication, and had excellent driving skills. He was very patient in communicating and sharing with us. The friends in this small group were also very harmonious and friendly. The driver would carefully remind us of icy and slippery roads or areas with deep snow. The travel companions also helped each other. Fortunately, when we arrived at Hakkoda Mountain, there weren't too many people, and the waiting time was very short. The scenery was indeed beautiful, and it was also very cold. Aomori had rain and snow the night before, and we were prepared for the ropeway to be suspended and the itinerary to be changed. But the next day, we were lucky enough to have a sunny day. When visiting Oirase Stream, Mr. Fujii would also use a translator to tell us the difference in the scenery in different states. Finally, chasing the stunning sunset on the sleepy return journey was even more unforgettable (I asked the driver to make a heart with me, and he did it, hahaha). Klook's one-day tour is really high quality, and the connection is also very smooth. I have already purchased tours in both Japan and South Korea, and they are all very good and satisfactory. Highly recommended.

Apparently, it was the first day of heavy snowfall on the trip day so we couldn't see much. But Nakamura-san still drive us to Lamp No Yado onsen, which was the highlight of our trip. The snow covered mountain is so beautiful, and Nakamura-san.. What can I say? So skillful and calm the entire day. It must be so hard to drive on a snowy day, because on our way we saw a lot of cars had accident and in each scene, she stopped and helped. We were so in awe. She's one of the best driver and guide in Japan, I guess. Thank you so much, Nakamura-san! It was truly one unforgettable trip!