Guide · Photographer · Local
Hi,
I'm Luke.
A Brit who calls Hachioji home.
I've lived in Hachioji, on Tokyo's western edge, since August 2013. I know which trails stay quiet on a busy Saturday, which counter does the best bowl, and where the lanterns come on after dark. I guide every tour myself, and I bring my camera.
- 00years
- Living in Hachioji
- 6tours
- All private, all guided by me
- 4guests max
- Just your group, never strangers
- 15+photos
- Edited, within 3 days
A note from me
Dear traveller,
Most people see Tokyo's centre and never go further. I understand: there's a lot of it. But fifty minutes west on a single train, there's a sacred mountain with a temple older than almost anything in the city, a castle that fell in a single summer's day, a geisha district that still works by lantern light, and a bowl of ramen you can only really get here.
That's my Hachioji, and I've spent years getting to know it: walking the trails in every season, learning the stories behind the streets, finding the counters worth the queue. Guiding is how I share it. A day with me isn't a checklist. It's the quiet path when the main one is busy, the story at the right moment, and a lunch you'll still be talking about on the train home.
And yes, I'll take your photo. Properly.
Luke
Hachioji, Tokyo
How I guide
A day out with a friend who happens to know everything.
It's always me
I guide every tour myself. No call centre, no stranger on the day: when you book, you book me. Always private, just your group of up to 4.
Your pace, your day
The route bends around you: quieter trails when it's busy, a longer lunch if the view deserves it, the cable car if your legs say so.
I do the talking
I speak Japanese, so menus, tickets, signs and the shopkeeper's small talk are all handled. You just enjoy it.
Your photos, done properly
I'm a photographer, so I quietly take the pictures you'd never get yourself. 15+ edited shots, in a private gallery within 3 days.
Through my lens
The camera comes too.
Every photo on this page is mine. On your tour I'll be taking them of you: candid, unposed, your whole group in the moment, so you can put your phone away.
My Hachioji
Six places I never get tired of showing people.
- 稲荷山コース01The Inariyama TrailMy way up Takao: a ridge path with views over Tokyo and a fraction of the crowds.Read more
- 薬王院02Yakuō-inTakao's 1,280-year-old temple, guarded by tengu. Best when the incense smoke catches the light.Read more
- もみじ台03Momiji-daiFive minutes past the summit: maples, a tea house and Fuji on a clear morning.Read more
- 仲町04Naka-chōThe black-fenced lanes of Hachioji's geisha district, quietest in the early evening.Read more
- 八王子ラーメン05Hachioji ramenSoy broth, a slick of oil and chopped raw onion. The city's own bowl, and I have opinions.Read more
- 景信山06Kagenobu-yamaHalfway along the Jinba ridge: nameko soup at the tea house and all of Tokyo laid out below.Read more
In guests' words
What it's like to spend the day with me.
“My word. What can I say? Luke was very accommodating and made the trip for me and my partner very smooth and memorable. He even offered to meet us at Shinjuku which was really nice of him, but we actually met at the Takaosanguchi station. If you need a good guide in Hachioji, Luke is the man for the job!”
“I was recommended Takao by a friend of mine who had previously visited Japan before. I wasn't very comfortable so I looked up tours online and found Hachioji Guide. Luke was very kind and cracked some hilarious jokes along the way. He let us choose the route up the mountain and asked many times about our preferences and even gave us many options. Great guide with lots of experience! Thanks Luke!”
“I was actually staying in Shibuya at the time but needed to try somewhere less crowded. Found Hachioji was a good place after some research, and then found this website. I was hesitant to fork out 9,000JPY just for a night out (I opted for the After Dark tour), but honestly speaking, I could find out the spots to avoid and best spots to go all based on my preferences. Made an awesome friend along the way! I will hit up Luke every time I go back to Japan for sure. That guy is a funny dude on top of an awesome guide! Recommend!”
