Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide Sam

November, 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. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

Tour Itinerary

  • 1. 08:30 Meet up @MIMARU Tokyo Hatchobori
  • 2. 08:35 Travel: Subway
  • 3. 09:00 Stay @East Gardens of the Imperial Palace
  • 4. 10:10 Travel: Subway
  • 5. 10:35 Stay @Akihabara
  • 6. 11:25 Travel: Subway, Train
  • 7. 12:15 Disband @In front of teamLab Planets

Can You Do a Private Half-Day Tokyo Tour Covering the East Gardens, Akihabara, and teamLab Planets? A Licensed Guide's Report

Although I had told the guests that I knew the location of their accommodation because I had been there before, I mistakenly thought of the hotel across the street and nearly ended up late for the meeting time. There are two branches of the same accommodation near Hatchobori Station, one on each side of Shin-Ohashi Street, and I reflected that I should have double-checked more carefully.

At the time of booking, the tour start time was set for 09:00, but after hearing that the guests had reserved tickets for teamLab Planets at 12:30, I moved it up by 30 minutes. As a result, we arrived at the requested spot, the East Gardens, right around opening time, which allowed us to use our time effectively. As a place to stop by on the way to teamLab, I suggested Akihabara. Since a considerable amount of time was spent purchasing trading cards at the Radio Kaikan building, we skipped the other shops and headed straight to Toyosu. As there were younger members in the group, we took the Yurikamome line for just one stop from Toyosu and parted ways in front of the teamLab Planets venue near Shin-Toyosu Station.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1SubwayHatchobori Station～Otemachi Station180JPY
Section 2SubwayOtemachi Station～Akihabara Station180JPY
Section 3SubwayAkihabara Station～Toyosu Station210JPY
Section 4TrainToyosu Station～Shin-Toyosu Station190JPY
Total760JPY

Tour Report by Sam

Hi. My name is Masafumi Miyazaki. Please call me “Sam”. I am a government-licensed guide.
I was born in Tokyo and was raised in the suburbs of Tokyo called Tama area. When I was in university, I majored in western dramas, so I am good at playing like an actor.
I like reading, listening to the music, and walking. I belong to several walking clubs, and sometimes I guide the members around Tokyo.
One of my strengths as a guide is that I know well about kombu, Japanese kelps. In December every year, I work at a traditional kombu shop in Tsukiji Fish Market. At that shop, I learned a lot of things related to kombu or other ingredients for washoku. I can explain the different characteristics of them to you.
Also, I am familiar with Japanese flowers and plants. If you stroll around a Japanese garden with me, I am sure you will be able to enjoy beautiful flowers and unique plants in every season.
I look forward to meeting you. Thank you.

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