Tokyo in One Day: Nishi-shinjuku-gochome & Kamiyacho — Guide Masa

What Is a Full-Day Private Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, the Imperial Palace, and Tokyo Tower

The guests were visitors from Oceania. It was their first time in Japan. Two days earlier, they had arrived at Haneda Airport via connecting flights, then transferred by train to their hotel. They were staying in Japan for only one week, spending four days in Tokyo before continuing to Osaka and Kyoto, and planned to return home from Kansai Airport. The guests were retired professionals. They said they had come to Japan on the recommendation of family members who had previously traveled here. The tour took place under cloudy skies, with several rest breaks along the way. The guests wished to reserve their bullet train tickets to Osaka, so we first went to the ticket office at Shinjuku Station, where I helped them book a bullet train departing the following day. I explained in detail the difference between "Osaka Station" and "Shin-Osaka Station." We then moved on to Asakusa. I explained Senso-ji Temple and the history of Edo becoming Tokyo, as well as the differences between Buddhism and Shinto. They asked questions such as "Do all Japanese people believe in Buddhism?" and "What kind of teaching is Buddhism?" We moved to Yanaka and Nezu, and I explained about Yanaka Ginza. They commented that "you can see what old Tokyo was like." At Nezu Shrine, they passed through the torii gates, and I explained more about Shinto. They seemed to enjoy the carp in the pond. We moved to the Imperial Palace. I explained about the Edo period, the Meiji Restoration, the current Imperial family, and Gyoko-dori Avenue. They asked questions such as "Does the Emperor really live inside here?" and "Can visitors not enter the Imperial Palace grounds?" The guests wanted to try a typical Japanese lunch, so we had curry at a curry shop inside Otemachi Station. It was well received. We moved to Tokyo Tower, and I explained about "Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree." Due to construction, we could only go up to the main deck rather than the top deck. They said, "Now I really understand how vast a city Tokyo is." They also had many questions about topics such as Japan's pension system, average salaries of office workers, and the unemployment rate. They commented that "the streets are far cleaner than in European countries — there is no litter," "the public toilets are clean and pleasant," and "the subway is quiet and clean," and also asked "why are there no trash bins on the streets?" I saw them off at Shinjuku Station, where we parted ways.

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Tour Report by Masa

Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.