The Japanese never sing their own praises, lucky Maria Visconti was here to tell us about the amazing customer service she experienced in her travels to Kyoto.
Travel writer Maria Visconti was staying in a rental aparntment in Kyoto’s famous Gion area courtesy of www.japan-experience.com which offers a ‘travel angel’ service. The service is a meet-and-greet service to help guests on arrival and to help the guests get their bearings for the location.
Maria’s ‘travel angel’, Saki, found out that Maria loved fine dining.
“I expressed interest in sampling a typical Kyoto dining experience and my Travel Angel Saki, on a Sunday night (my last night in Kyoto) suggested Giro Giro, an outstanding restaurant.”
Maria Visconti
Giro Giro
Saki decided to go the #KOExtraMile by taking Maria out on her own free time to experience an exceptional culinary experience.
“This was really going the extra mile as it was a Sunday and she only needed to tell me where it was. Instead, she came to collect me from my flat and we walked to Giro Giro which is not easy to find.”
Maria Visconti
There, they enjoyed an amazing 10 course dinner that is described as ‘Punk Kaiseki’, which is an informal version of Kyoto’s kaiseki style dining. “I call that going the extra 100 miles!” declared Maria who was thrilled with the service she received.
If that wasn’t enough, Saki also brought her boyfriend, a French Chef who had spent 5 years in Japan. According to Maria, he had a perfect understanding of all the ingredients and could guide them through the dishes commenting on the Japanese way of doing things and handling of foreign elements.
Saki and her boyfriend at Giro Giro
“She was absolutely fabulous!” explains Maria. It seems Maria was very lucky with great customer service whilst she was in Japan as she had another story to share. “I also LOVED Mie Tamada, the guide provided by KCB (from the Waraido Guide Company).”
Maria had nothing but praises for Mie Tamada, describing her as accommodating her every request. Maria was ecstatic that Mie Tamada even helped her map out her solo day, even after finishing an hour and a half later than the official finishing time.
Mie Tamada
“Her suggestion of getting to Arashiyama by a different route proved genial. She suggested . . . to catch the RONDEN train which in effect is the last surviving street-car in Kyoto! what a great angle for a story that is.”
Maria Visconti
This only proves that going the #KOExtraMile can really change the way a traveller experiences destinations.