Services & Pricing
YUGEN is a solo-operated private guide studio, and there are only two chargeable items: the guide accompaniment fee and the portrait-shoot fee. Below is a detailed breakdown of what's included, how pricing works, and where the service boundaries lie.
Three Pillars of the Service
Itinerary Design, Built Around You
Starting from your interests, the season, and your pace, I design a route recommendation from scratch — not a fixed package pulled off a shelf. Itinerary planning is included within the guide accompaniment service and is not billed separately.
Full-Journey Mandarin-Speaking Guide
I accompany you throughout the journey — explaining, interpreting, assisting on the ground, and handling anything unexpected — so that off-the-beaten-path destinations become accessible to Mandarin-speaking travelers. For vehicle arrangements, I connect you with a licensed charter company; you settle payment with them directly, and I stay with you throughout the ride.
Professional Portrait Shoots
Photography is provided by me or a partnered photographer, spanning styles from kimono portraits to street photography, landscapes, and candid family moments. The retouched final photos delivered to you are the most tangible keepsake of the journey.
Pricing
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Guide Accompaniment Fee | RMB 2,500–4,500 / day (off-the-beaten-path routes / peak-season premium) |
| Portrait-Shoot Package | RMB 2,000–8,000 (half-day shoot / full-day shoot / multi-location production, includes retouched final photos) |
How It Works
A Conversation on WeChat
After adding WeChat, we talk one-on-one about what you're looking for — destination preferences, group size, timing, and physical pace.
Itinerary Proposal
Based on that conversation, I put together a first draft of a personalized route, and we refine the details together.
Deposit & Agreement
Once your dates and service plan are confirmed, you pay a deposit and sign an electronic service agreement.
A Custom Travel Guide for You
I provide a custom, illustrated travel guide for your reference; you book flights and hotels independently.
Accompaniment During the Trip
I accompany you throughout as your Mandarin-speaking guide, help connect you with a licensed charter company, and arrange the portrait-shoot segment.
Final Photo Delivery
After the journey ends, retouched final photos are delivered, followed by a follow-up check-in.
Service Boundaries
Service Boundaries
- You book your flights and hotels independently: I provide a custom illustrated itinerary as reference, but I do not take part in the booking process and do not collect or forward payment on your behalf.
- For ground transport, I help connect you with a licensed charter company (green-plate vehicles); you contract and settle payment directly with them, and I accompany you throughout the ride.
- I am a Mandarin-speaking private guide (the studio's sole operator), not a travel agency; the only fees charged are for guiding/companion services and photography services.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the deposit paid? Can the itinerary be changed or refunded?
Once the service plan and dates are confirmed, a portion of the service fee is required as a deposit to secure the dates; paying the deposit is taken as confirmation of the service arrangement. If your travel date is still some way off, we can discuss adjusting the itinerary or postponing the trip; for cancellations close to the travel date, the deposit refund percentage decreases accordingly. Specific terms are set out in the electronic service agreement, which will be reviewed with you clause by clause before signing.
What happens if we run into severe weather, like a typhoon or heavy snow?
Hidden-gem routes are, by nature, more exposed to season and weather. I keep a close eye on the forecast ahead of the trip and, if needed, will discuss adjusting the route or postponing the itinerary with you in advance. If severe weather arises unexpectedly during the trip, personal safety comes first, and we work out alternative plans together on the spot.
Do the hidden-gem routes require a high level of physical fitness?
Each hidden-gem route is labeled with a fitness level (easy / moderate / demanding). During our in-depth pre-trip conversation, we'll confirm together whether the route suits your age range, physical condition, and pace, and you're welcome to switch to a route with lower physical demands.
Can I bring children or elderly family members along?
Yes. Having a Mandarin-speaking guide with you throughout the trip is precisely what makes traveling with children or elderly family easier: the pace, meals, and rest stops are all adjusted around your group's actual circumstances, and the in-depth pre-trip conversation specifically covers the children's ages and the elderly members' physical condition.
Add WeChat, and let's talk about your trip
A journey into hidden Japan — made for you alone.
YUGEN-JOURNEY（In WeChat, press and hold the QR code to scan, or tap the button below）