Tokyo in One Day: Meiji Shrine & Nijubashi — Guide Yoko
October, 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
- 9:30 @Meet up (Hotel)
- 10:00 Meiji Shrine
- 11:30 Shinjuku Gyoen
- 13:20 Lunch@Amairo
- 14:30 @Asakusa
- 16:30 @Nijubashi
- 17:45 @Disband (Hotel)
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Tokyo began at 9:30, when the guide met the guests at (Hotel), and finished at 17:45. The day ran to 8 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch@Amairo at 13:20.
From there the group visited Meiji Shrine at 10:00, Shinjuku Gyoen at 11:30, Asakusa at 14:30 and Nijubashi at 16:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shinagawa to Harajuku by train (180JPY); Shinjuku-gyoemmae to Asakusa by subway (260JPY); Asakusa to Sakuradamon by subway (210JPY); Nijubashi to Hibiya by subway (180JPY); Yurakucho to Shinagawa by train (170JPY). Across 5 sections the fare came to 1,000JPY per person.
What Is a Private Tokyo Tour Visiting Meiji Shrine, Senso-ji, and Shinjuku Gyoen Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America, and one of them had previously lived in Asia and sometimes found English difficult to catch, but was a very gentle person, so we were able to enjoy going around together as a group.
One of the guests was looking forward to collecting goshuin (shrine and temple seal stamps), and we received goshuin at Meiji Shrine, Senso-ji Temple, and Asakusa Shrine. I explained that it is proper etiquette to pay your respects first and then receive the goshuin. At Meiji Shrine, in the past you could enter through a separate entrance to receive a goshuin book with almost no waiting, but now everyone has to line up in the same queue, so it took some time. The goshuin at Senso-ji also required lining up, and lunch was crowded and took a while, so we could not keep our usual pace. We also rested for a while on a bench inside Shinjuku Gyoen, and at one point I got separated from some of the guests at Yurakucho Station. Since there were many requested destinations to begin with, the tour ran significantly over time. I was glad I had informed them in advance that an extension fee might apply if we went over the scheduled time. Recently I had been guiding with plenty of time to spare, so I reflected a great deal on the significant overrun, and I would like to review how to adjust the schedule well if delays occur during a tour.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Shinagawa～Harajuku | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Shinjuku-gyoemmae～Asakusa | 260JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Asakusa～Sakuradamon | 210JPY |
| Section 4 | Subway | Nijubashi～Hibiya | 180JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Yurakucho～Shinagawa | 170JPY |
| Total | 1,000JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at (Hotel) at 9:30, and the tour finished at (Hotel) at 17:45.
How long does the tour last?
About 8 hours and 15 minutes in total, from 9:30 to 17:45.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Meiji Shrine, Shinjuku Gyoen, Asakusa and Nijubashi.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,000JPY per person across 5 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
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grenfell69
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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!
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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
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We did a six-hour walking tour of Tokyo with…
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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
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Fantastic day exploring Tokyo
This was our first time visiting Tokyo and…
May 3, 2026
jefftK1794VZ
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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.