Tokyo Customized Tour & Tea Ceremony — Guide Tachi

Title: What Is a Private Asakusa Tour with a Tea Ceremony Experience Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visitors from North America. The tour included a tea ceremony experience (starting at 10:00) at a cultural venue in Asakusa, and there were no other special requests. I still prepared and presented an itinerary, and confirmed it again at the hotel meeting. Since there were about 30 minutes before the tea ceremony, I had planned to show the guests the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, but walking turned out to be more difficult than expected for one of the guests. When walking from Kuramae Station to the venue after getting off the subway, several rest breaks were needed. Ten minutes before the start, the venue staff guided us to the experience location, which required about a five-minute walk back along the road we had just taken, so I became somewhat concerned about the walking.

At the start of the tea ceremony experience (standing-style), the guests were allowed to take photos of themselves, and during the experience I waited outside. The session was shared with three other overseas guests, and perhaps because it was lively, it ended about 20 minutes past the scheduled finish time of 11:00. The guests seemed very satisfied.

From there, I guided them over about 15 minutes to Kaminarimon at Senso-ji Temple. We passed through the Nakamise shopping street only for photos rather than stopping, taking the back streets instead. On the way to the Hozomon Gate, the guests bought strawberry candy (finishing two) and small lucky cat figurines as souvenirs for friends. Around this time the temperature was rising quickly and the sunlight was getting stronger, so after showing them the Hozomon Gate, the five-story pagoda, and the main hall, we stopped for lunch at the guests' request. As it was a Wednesday, we waited about 10 minutes before being shown to a seat on the second floor. The guests were unfamiliar with taking off their shoes and the sunken-floor-style seating and were a little regretful, but they said the food was delicious (especially the tonkatsu sauce and sesame sauce), which was a relief.

The guests spoke cheerfully throughout, but since one of them was not feeling well due to back pain, after lunch they wished to return to the hotel by taxi to pick up their luggage and head to Haneda Airport's international terminal a bit early. I put them in a taxi in front of the department store in Asakusa, explained the details to the driver, and we parted ways there. They were smiling the whole time, but I reflected that I should have recommended using a taxi from the moment we left the hotel.

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Tour Report by Tachi

Hi! I’m a local guide in Tokyo and have been working as a licensed tour guide for almost 10 years. I love helping guests discover the “real Japan” beyond the guidebooks. I enjoy showing guests both famous sights and places that many tourists miss. My tours are based on your interests and can include not only famous sightseeing spots, but also local neighborhoods, culture, history, and everyday life in Japan. I also help guests enjoy Japanese cultural activities and make communication easier. If you’d like vegan or gluten-free meals, let me help you find suitable restaurants in Tokyo. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please feel free to let me know in advance. I look forward to showing you around Tokyo!