Tokyo in One Day: East Gardens & Tokyo Station — Guide Kiyo

Title: What Is a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Like, Including Shinkansen Boarding Assistance? A Licensed Guide's Report

The tour was originally planned as a hotel meet and hotel drop-off, but the night before, the guests contacted me to say they had accidentally booked a Shinkansen ticket two hours earlier than intended. They mentioned they were also nervous about boarding the Shinkansen and asked if I could stay with them through the boarding process, so we suddenly changed the meeting time (9:00), the drop-off time (14:30), and the locations. On the day, we met at Tokyo Station, stored the luggage in a coin locker, and set off.

Since the boarding assistance meant we couldn't use the full tour time, I made sure to include at least the requested "somewhere quiet where we could feel nature" and "Asakusa" in the itinerary. One of the guests in particular took great interest in many things, stopping frequently to take lots of photos, so I guided them at a relaxed pace.

At Asakusa, the guests wanted to draw omikuji fortunes even if it meant waiting in line, so we all tried the omikuji experience together. They also said they wanted to eat tonkatsu in Asakusa, so we had a meal at a restaurant. There were only two groups waiting ahead of us, but the timing was unfortunate and we ended up with quite a long wait (several other tonkatsu shops were closed for the day). After that, if there had been time, I had considered a quick walk from Suehirocho to Akihabara, but since lunch took so long and there was a ticket machine problem at Asakusa Station, time became tight and I cut it.

We arrived at Tokyo Station at 13:55. I thought it might be a bit early, but between retrieving the luggage from the locker, restroom breaks, and stocking up at a convenience store, it turned out to be just the right amount of time.

I explained things about moving around inside the station after getting off at Kyoto Station and getting to the hotel, as well as points to be careful of when disembarking, and after seeing off the departing Shinkansen, my work was complete.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Kiyo

Hi! My name is Kiyo Hirose, a nationally licensed guide in Tokyo.
I was born and raised in Kobe, a small city in Western Japan, near Osaka and Kyoto. After I lived in several different regions, I have been in Tokyo since 2019. My experiences across Japan’s diverse regions allowed me to appreciate the cultural and regional diversity of Japan.
Through the period of 2yrs paid guide and 12 years volunteer guide, I have supported a wide range of travelers, from individuals to the groups. Now I’m providing guiding, interpretation, escorting, and transfer assistance. Every time, I try to provide more than just information; not only to introduce historic sites, but also to share the everyday realities and cultural layers of Japan.
I’m looking forward to making your visit both enjoyable and deeply memorable!

**When you see this message, please contact me via E-mail or WhatsApp.
**If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask me before the tour!