Built in Kobe  Âˇ  Built for Japan

The Japan
Locals Know

Curated by someone who has lived here for 15 years. Every listing visited in person. Every tour personally guided. No algorithms. No paid rankings.

15
Years in Kobe
14
Private Tours
100%
Curated In Person
6
Card Membership Tiers
🗾
Explore
Curated directory
🎌
Book
Tours & consulting
📖
Learn
Guides & video
âœĻ
Rewards
Reward credits & card
🤝
Connect
Community & referrals

Guided by Someone
Who Actually Lives Here

Every tour is led personally. No third-party operators, no group buses, no scripted commentary. Just direct access to 15 years of local knowledge.

KOBE
5–6 hrs
Kobe ¡ Hyogo
Kobe Revealed: The Neighborhoods Tourists Miss
Kitano, Nankinmachi, Motomachi and the hidden shotengai most visitors walk straight past.
NARA
Full Day
Nara Prefecture
Nara Beyond the Deer: Temples, Villages and Craft
Todai-ji and Nara Park are just the beginning. The real Nara is quieter, older, and harder to find.
SAKE
4–5 hrs
Nada, Kobe
Sake Country: Inside Japan's Brewing Capital
Nada produces 25% of Japan's sake. This tour gets you inside working breweries that most visitors never see.
ARIMA
Full Day
Arima Onsen, Kobe
Arima Onsen: Japan's Oldest Hot Spring Town
Access to Japan's most historic onsen village, with private bath arrangements and a traditional lunch you won't book on your own.

A Better Way
to Book Japan Guides

GuidePass is JapanPass's guide marketplace. Lower commissions, faster payouts, direct support — and the only platform in Japan where travelers can tip guides digitally.

💴
20% commission vs 30–33% elsewhere Guides earn more per booking. That difference adds up fast on a full tour season.
⚡
10-day payouts vs 45–60 days Most platforms hold earnings for nearly two months. GuidePass pays in ten business days.
🤝
Real support from someone who guides Not a ticket system. Actual support from a team that understands what guides need.
GuidePass Exclusive Feature
Digital Tipping
Guides Keep 90–95%
Travelers can tip guides directly through the platform after any tour. JapanPass takes only the card processing fee plus a maximum 5–10% of the tip amount. Nothing else.
Every Other Platform
No Tipping at All
GoWithGuide, Viator, Airbnb Experiences — none of them facilitate in-platform tipping for guides. If a traveler wants to tip, they either use cash or nothing happens.
Only on GuidePass

Every Place
Visited In Person

No crowdsourced lists. No algorithm rankings. Every business in the JapanPass directory has been personally visited and assessed. Paid listings exist — paid recommendations do not.

✓ Certified
Coming Soon
Restaurant ¡ Kobe
Kobe, Hyogo
✓ Certified
Coming Soon
Hotel ¡ Osaka
Osaka, Namba
Directory
Coming Soon
Shrine ¡ Kyoto
Kyoto, Fushimi
Listing Pending
Building the list...
All listings curated in person

Japan Planning
With Someone Who Knows

Video sessions via Google Meet. Ask anything — itinerary review, neighborhood questions, off-the-beaten-path recommendations, relocation research. Preparation that changes how your trip goes.

Intro Session
Quick Japan Questions
$75
30 min ¡ Google Meet
  • One focused topic or itinerary question
  • Good for first-time visitors
  • Written follow-up summary
Book Session
Extended Session
Full Japan Trip Plan
$249
90 min ¡ Google Meet
  • Complete multi-city itinerary
  • Two follow-up sessions included
  • Full written travel document
  • Pre-trip Q&A email support
Book Session
Relocation
Moving to Japan
$199
60 min ¡ Google Meet
  • Visa options and reality check
  • Neighborhood selection by city
  • Cost of living breakdown
  • Practical relocation roadmap
Book Session

Get Your JR Pass
Before You Land

Unlimited bullet train travel across Japan. The JR Pass cannot be purchased inside Japan — you must order before you arrive. One pass covers Shinkansen, local JR lines, and the Narita Express.

Japan Rail Pass
æ–°åššįˇš
JR PASS
Unlimited ¡ All Japan
From ÂĨ50,000 7-day ordinary ¡ adult
✓ Good Traveler Program

Travel Better.
Earn More.

The Good Traveler program rewards travelers who engage with local Japan — independent restaurants, licensed guides, locally operated accommodations, heritage site etiquette. Every verified action earns reward credits.

Partners never pay to join. This is not a paid promotion program. It's a recognition system for businesses doing things the right way.

đŸŒŋ
Traveler 旅äēē ¡ Start here, free
Partner map access, begin earning reward credits on every qualifying local interaction.
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Local 地元 ¡ 500 credits
10% discount at all Preferred and Founding Partners across Japan.
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Insider 通 · 1,500 credits
Free annual itinerary consultation ($149 value) and priority guide booking.
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Founders Card 4,000 credits ¡ Permanent
Permanent card. Direct access. Annual Kobe gathering. Priority on all services. $99–$599/year.

Your Japan Membership

Six tiers from free to premium. Every tier unlocks more of Japan — discounts, guides, consulting credits, concierge access, and the permanent Founders Card at the top.

🌸
Origami
Free forever
Free
Directory access, Good Traveler enrollment, Japan First-Timer Guide
🏮
Lantern
Entry tier
$25/year
Partner discounts, PDF guide access, priority booking
đŸŒē
Sakura
Mid tier
$79/year
Consulting discount, GuidePass credits, enhanced Good Traveler
đŸ—ģ
Fuji
Premium
$149/year
Free intro consult, OnCall access (Phase 2), curated insiders list
âš”ī¸
Samurai
Elite
$299/year
Priority Private Japan access, custom trip planning credit, quarterly briefings
🎴
Shogun
Founders only
$599/year
Permanent card. Direct access. Annual Kobe gathering. Full concierge priority.

Start with free Origami membership. Upgrade any time.

Join Free — No Card Required

What Makes This
Different

01
Every listing visited in person
Not crowdsourced. Not algorithm-ranked. Every business in the directory has been physically visited and assessed before it appears.
02
15 years in Kobe
Built by a foreigner who has actually lived here long enough to know the difference between what gets recommended and what's worth going to.
03
Paid listings exist. Paid recommendations do not.
Businesses can pay for visibility tiers. They cannot pay to be recommended. The curation process is independent of the commercial relationship.
04
Guides paid fairly and fast
GuidePass was built because the existing platforms pay too little, too slowly. 20% commission. 10-day payouts. No compromise on guide quality.
05
Good Traveler rewards local engagement
Travelers who eat at independent restaurants, book licensed guides, and respect heritage sites earn reward credits. Mass tourism corridors don't get rewarded here.
06
One platform for all of Japan
Directory, tours, consulting, guides, membership — built as one connected system. Not five separate tools loosely tied together.
Private Japan ¡ By Application

Japan for People
Who Want the Real Thing

Six signature experiences. UNESCO circuits. Working sake breweries. Private onsen arrangements. Michelin tables. None of it is bookable through a travel agency.

Explore Private Japan →
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