Tokyo in Half a Day: Meiji Shrine & Shibuya — Guide Yoko
September, 2024
This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan.
Tour Itinerary
- 10:00 @Meet (Westin)
- 10:30 Meiji Shrine
- 11:45 Nijubashi/Sakuradamon
- 12:30 @Shibuya
- 13:00 Lunch @Nana
- 14:15 @Dismiss (Westin)
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Tokyo began at 10:00, when the guide met the guests at (Westin), and finished at 14:15. The day ran to 4 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch @Nana at 13:00.
From there the group visited Meiji Shrine at 10:30, Nijubashi/Sakuradamon at 11:45 and Shibuya at 12:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Ebisu to Harajuku by train (150JPY); Meiji-jingumae to Nijubashimae by subway (210JPY); Sakuradamon to Shibuya by subway (180JPY); Shibuya to Ebisu by train (150JPY). Across 4 sections the fare came to 690JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private Tokyo Walking Tour Like Before a Cruise? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting from Oceania. Since they were boarding a cruise ship the following day, they intentionally chose not to purchase an IC card and bought individual tickets each time instead. There were occasional differences of opinion within the group, which I was slightly concerned about, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves at lunch, so I was reassured. This tour was arranged through a local travel agency as an intermediary, so I was unable to communicate with the guests before the day itself and could not take them to every place they had hoped to visit, but I believe they were satisfied. Part of the group wanted to visit Golden Gai, while another felt it was best not to overdo it since the cruise began the next day, and there was some disagreement about this. Instead of Golden Gai, I guided them to Nonbei Yokocho in Shibuya and the Shibuya Yokocho at Miyashita Park. It seems to have started raining during lunch, but I was able to see the guests off to their Hotel without them getting wet by keeping to indoor routes. I hope they enjoy their cruise starting the next day in good spirits.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Ebisu～Harajuku | 150JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Meiji-jingumae～Nijubashimae | 210JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Sakuradamon～Shibuya | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Shibuya～Ebisu | 150JPY |
| Total | 690JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at (Westin) at 10:00, and the tour finished at (Westin) at 14:15.
How long does the tour last?
About 4 hours and 15 minutes in total, from 10:00 to 14:15.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Meiji Shrine, Nijubashi/Sakuradamon and Shibuya.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 690JPY per person across 4 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Yoko is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
I’m Yoko Kusumoto, a government lisenced English-speaking guide.
I have been living in Tokyo for more than 20 years, and it’s my pleasure to show you around Tokyo. I recommend Meiji Shrine and Asakusa if you are first time in Japan. I also recommend off-the-beaton path spots like Fukagawa Fudodo and Gotokuji Temple(lucky cat temple).
I was born and brought up in Kamakura, where the first shogun’s government was established. It will be my pleasure to introduce you my hometown as well.
I live with my husband and one teenage son.
I like traveling, flowers, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, and exploring Tokyo.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Sep 22, 2026
grenfell69
Half-day tour of Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
While visiting Tokyo we chose the Customized…
Sep 22, 2026
grenfell69
Half-day tour of Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
While visiting Tokyo we chose the Customized half-day tour . Our local guide, Yoko, met us early morning at our hotel. She was punctual, welcoming and very well prepared for our tour . We navigated the subway and train stations with ease under her capable guidance! Yoko set the right pace which enabled us to experience so much of the city . She is so knowledgeable of the culture and history of Japan! Her tour was definitely a highlight of our trip.
Jun 2, 2026
ericahT6840AD
Awesome!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our day with Yoko was great! She took us to some…
Jun 2, 2026
ericahT6840AD
Awesome!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our day with Yoko was great! She took us to some great spots in Tokyo and was so helpful.
We would highly recommend her as a guide. If we are back, we will certainly request her
again!
May 20, 2026
CharKris17
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Walking Tour
We did a six-hour walking tour of Tokyo with…
May 20, 2026
CharKris17
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Walking Tour
We did a six-hour walking tour of Tokyo with Yoko and she was an exceptional guide. We saw multiple shrines (Meiji Shrine is a must see), the Imperial Palace, the “crossing” (there is a similar intersection in the Ginza shopping district which was also cool), the Tokyo Station, and the outer market where we ordered some fatty toro nigiri which was an etherial experience. Can’t say enough good things about Yoko. She taught ys a ton about the history of Japan and had a great sense of humor. A+
May 3, 2026
jefftK1794VZ
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fantastic day exploring Tokyo
This was our first time visiting Tokyo and…
May 3, 2026
jefftK1794VZ
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fantastic day exploring Tokyo
This was our first time visiting Tokyo and spending a day with Yoko as our guide was perhaps the best decision we could have made. Even before we arrived we traded messages with Yoko about what we might like to do. She offered valuable tips which made not only our time in Tokyo more efficient but while in Japan as a whole. We saw so many amazing things but Yoko also gave us a primer in using the Tokyo subway system and navigating some of the stations. I could go on and list all the things we did but each tour will be different. However I would highly recommend Yoko as a guide. Perhaps serendipitous, but we were stopped on the street the day after we toured with Yoko by a couple who had a list of things to do but was unsure how to go about doing the things on their list and where those things were located. I was thankful we chose the best guide so we didn’t have that problem.