Private travel & experiences · Tokyo, Kyoto & beyond

Insider access to Japan's best.

Private days in Tokyo and Kyoto, shaped around you by a Tokyo native — invitation-only rooms, artisans who work only in Japanese, and the meaning beneath what you are seeing.

Erika, founder of Elevate
Welcome to Elevate

Hello, I'm Erika.

Born and raised in Tokyo, with years lived in the U.S. and Germany, I open doors most visitors — and many Japanese — never pass through: an invitation-only gallery, a tea ceremony led by a family who have kept it for generations, an afternoon in a workshop that has never taken a booking. And because I read the culture as fluently as the language, I interpret far more than words — the etiquette, the customs, the meaning beneath them — so you understand what you are standing in front of.

Erika
Founder & host, Elevate
What we offer

Days built entirely around you

Signature

Private Guided Days

A day built from nothing, around you. Private throughout, with every reservation arranged and every conversation interpreted — so your only work is to be there.

¥200,000 + tax / person · Tokyo
¥250,000 + tax / person · Kyoto
Up to ~10 hours · up to 5 guests · Kyoto is best over at least two days
Inquire

Days include everything that shapes them — the first conversation, my recommendations for the days we're not together, the reservations an introduction opens, and materials for anything we make.
Hotels and transport are yours to book, though I'm always on hand to advise. Anything you choose to buy is settled directly with the maker or gallery.

A private viewing at an invitation-only gallery, with me alongside you — woven into a guided day, or arranged as a visit on its own.

How it works

From first conversation to final day

01

A conversation

We speak by video — to understand what you care about and how you like to travel, and to say hello properly.

02

Your dates are held

A deposit confirms the booking and holds your dates exclusively for you.

03

The days take shape

I design the days and arrange every reservation, adjusting as I learn more about what you love. Two weeks before you travel, your itinerary and recommendations arrive together with the final invoice — nothing is asked for in between.

04

You arrive

There is nothing left to organise, confirm, or settle. You are simply here.

Guest stories
"

Elevate redefined our Tokyo experience. The cultural insight, and the places she opened to us, made the trip.

John · USA
"

Erika's deep cultural knowledge, shared so clearly in English, gave us a rare perspective — it felt like discovering the city through the eyes of both a local and a trusted friend.

Lisa · Hong Kong
Begin

Let's create a Japan experience that's uniquely yours.

Tell me a little about the trip you have in mind. Every inquiry is read and answered personally, usually within a few business days.

Start your inquiry