Born and raised in a port town along the Sea of Japan, Arina has always been closely connected with Japan and visited it on several occasions as an exchange student. After graduating in Asian Studies from the University in the US, she moved to Tokyo to deepen her understanding of the country and to be immersed by local culture that she greatly enjoyed. While working at a publishing company she established meaningful connections with various local businesses and helped them gain recognition among International community in Japan. Now living in Kyoto, she enjoys learning various aspects of Japanese culture while practicing both sencha and matcha tea ceremonies. She also holds a kimono stylist license and enjoys strolling numerous Kyoto gardens in a kimono. She’s been guiding guests around Japan since 2012. In her free time, she likes traveling around the country visiting rural towns and letting serendipity unveil the hidden gems of the quaint neighborhoods.