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. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 09:00. Meet at hotel
- 09:30-10:30 Visit Meiji Shrine
- 11:00-11:30 Shibuya Scramble Crossing
- 12:00-13:30 Asakusa sightseeing, lunch
- 14:00-14:30 Ginza sightseeing
- 14:30-15:10 Move to Kamiyacho, show Tokyo Tower and disband
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Over the course of the day the route took in Meiji Shrine at 09:30, Shibuya Scramble Crossing at 11:00, Asakusa sightseeing, lunch at 12:00, Ginza sightseeing at 14:00 and Kamiyacho, show Tokyo Tower and disband at 14:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Higashi-Shinjuku to Meiji-jingumae by train (178JPY); Harajuku to Shibuya by train (146JPY); Shibuya to Asakusa by train (252JPY); Asakusa to Ginza by train (209JPY); Ginza to Kamiyacho by train (178JPY). Across 5 sections the fare came to 963JPY per person.
What Can You See on a Private Tokyo Walking Tour of Meiji Shrine, Senso-ji, and Tokyo Tower? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting from North America and were scheduled to board a cruise ship two days later. Since Tsukiji and the Imperial Palace were part of a separate tour, they asked to exclude those from the itinerary, so I took them to Meiji Shrine and Senso-ji Temple instead. Some of the guests read the information materials carefully and, I could tell, asked questions from a well-informed perspective. Some of the guests enjoyed photography and took pictures at each location. At Meiji Shrine, chrysanthemums were being prepared for a chrysanthemum exhibition, and one of the guests eagerly took many photographs. The forested grounds of the shrine felt very pleasant, and the guests appeared to enjoy the experience. Since they had a teamLab reservation at 4:30, they requested that the tour end near there, so with the remaining time I took them to Tokyo Tower before we parted ways.
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 | Higashi-Shinjuku～Meiji-jingumae | 178JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Harajuku～Shibuya | 146JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Shibuya～Asakusa | 252JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Asakusa～Ginza | 209JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Ginza～Kamiyacho | 178JPY |
| Total | 963JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Meiji Shrine, Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Asakusa sightseeing, lunch, Ginza sightseeing and Kamiyacho, show Tokyo Tower and disband.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 963JPY 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?
Kappa 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.
Thank you for your entry in this tour. Nice to meet you in this mail.
Your tour guide Kappa is my nickname. Kappa is a traditional, imaginary creature who came into being in Japan over 300 years ago. She is good at swimming, like me, for I like swimming. I would like to make our tour operated smoothly as Kappa does when she swims in the river or pond. It is my pleasure to introduce many aspects in our tour, especially cooking, for it is my hobby and I went to the professional cooking and SAKE school, respectively. If you have any questions or requests about Japanese cooking, of course our tour, I am very delighted to answer to you anytime!
Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
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Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour to accommodate our interests, and is very helpful and knowledgeable. Since the day was very hot (95°F / 35°C) we favored activities that were more shaded or cool, including a walk on a cedar-lined section of the old Tokaido path.
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Leigh_M
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Kappa, our guide met us at the train station and took us all over Kamakura. We saw shrines, the big Buddha, gardens, and the Oceanside! Kappa shared a lot of history about Kamakura, and it was nice to have this background when we were exploring these incredible sites! Highly recommend!
May 4, 2025
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panderhigs
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Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough and thoughtful itinerary for us over
the course of 6 hours. We saw SO much in such a short time and would definitely
recommend her!
May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I were treated…
May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I were treated to a wonderful walking tour of Tokyo with Kappa. Kappa was very accommodating in designing a tour specifically tailored to our interests. Kappa is a wealth of knowledge regarding the city history, temples and shrine, and Japanese art history. She is a lovely person too. I highly recommend Kappa if you want to learn about Tokyo