About Us
Samurai History & Culture Tours is an original and innovative tour plan and order-made samurai-centric tourism program offering authentic cultural pursuits, immersive experiences, and the opportunity to discover, learn and experience a range of credible and legitimate samurai history and culture arts and elements while in Japan. Samurai History & Culture Tours is produced by Samurai Tourism Japan.
Chris Glenn
Founder / Producer
Chris Glenn has been interested in Japanese history and culture since childhood. Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Chris first came to Japan as an Rotary Exchange Student in 1985, and has lived in Nagoya, Japan for over 30 years, where he remains active as a bilingual radio DJ, TV presenter, narrator, writer and history researcher. He was apprenticed to traditional samurai armor craftsman, studied kendo and Owari Yagyu Shinkage and Enmei Ryu kobudo traditional sword combat techniques.
His knowledge of Japanese history, traditional culture and media experience has led him to being selected as a presenter for the NHK World TV series Ninja Truth, Castle Quest, Musashi Truth, and Samurai Castles to name a few. As a writer, he produces regular columns on samurai castles for newspapers, magazines and websites. A published author he has written books on the Battle of Seigahara, A Bilingual Guide to Samurai Castles, a biography on Warlord Todo Takatora amongst others. Chris lecturers and guides on castles and samurai related history and culture. He also advises and assists local governments, DMOs, and travel agencies in creating unique travel contents, products and events.
Utilizing his media experience, research knowledge, and personal connections, he has teamed up with tourism industry professional, Daisuke Tao, to launch SAMURAI HISTORY & CULTURE TOURS, offering authentic samurai culture tours and experiences.
Chris is a member of the Japan Armour and Weapons Research and Preservation Society, and a member of the Japan Castle Research Association.
Inbound & DMO Specialist for the Japan Tourism Agency.
He serves as the Special Ambassador for Nagoya Tourism & Cultural Exchange, the Sekigahara Tourism Ambassador and the Omi Tourism Ambassador.
Daisuke Tao
Founder / Director & Operator
After graduating university, Yamaguchi Prefecture native Daisuke Tao joined JR West Japan, working in the tourism development division before taking charge of the event convention business at a major travel agency. From there he studied marketing and management in Australia, and at the University of California, Berkeley. On his return to Japan, he obtained his MBA. A resident of Nagoya since 2006, Daisuke worked in the travel and management education industry before establishing Tourism Designers Inc., a land-operator travel company for destination-based tourism in 2013. In addition to planning and selling tours for foreign visitors to Japan. Daisuke also provides consulting and production services for local governments and tourist facilities formulating inbound tourism strategies and landmark content. He manages and operates the cafe and guesthouse Nagonoya, to better connect foreign travelers with Japan. Daisuke has been credited with reviving Nagoya's culturally famed egg sandwiches at his popular café and guest house, and for revitalizing Nagoya's oldest arcade, the traditional Endo-ji shopping arcade, where he serves as Chairman of the Arcade Committee.
Daisuke met SAMURAI HISTORY & CULTURE TOURS Founder/Producer Chris Glenn when he first started his business, and the two soon became close friends. Since then, Daisuke and Chris have been working together on various initiatives to improve tourism in Japan, particularly in Nagoya City and surrounding districts.