Tokyo in One Day: Meiji Shrine & Akihabara — Guide Koba
December, 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
- 9:00 Meet at Hotel Tokyo Ginza
- 9:50 Meiji Shrine
- 11:30 Imperial Palace Sakuradamon Gate ~ Nijubashi Bridge ~ Otemon Gate
- 12:15 Shopping at 7-Eleven in Palace Building, then lunch on a bench
- 13:00 Asakusa (Skytree photos)
- 14:30 Akihabara
- 15:00 Disband in front of Akihabara Station
Title: What Is a Full-Day Private Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
Body:
The weather was fair and Mobile Suica had been prepared in advance, so the tour proceeded without any trouble. The Ginza Line from Ginza to Omotesando was quite crowded, which seemed to surprise the guests. At one point, the group was pushed out by other passengers and could not board again, which caused some delay.
At Meiji Shrine, the guests spent a considerable amount of time taking photos and asking questions. They appeared very interested in Japanese religion and history.
At Takeshita Street in Harajuku, it was just before 11:00, so some shops had not yet opened and it was not very crowded, allowing us to move smoothly. The guests tried to enter an otter cafe but gave up because it was full.
Since the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace were closed, we proceeded from Sakuradamon Gate to the Nijubashi Bridge and Otemon Gate. We bought lunch at a convenience store in the basement of a nearby building, and the guests ate on the benches at Otemachi Station. Two of the guests could not eat certain foods, so they chose their items carefully at the convenience store.
In Asakusa, we saw the Skytree, and at Sensoji Temple the guests enjoyed drawing omikuji fortunes. At their request, we then went around Akihabara, where I showed them camera accessories at an electronics store. We reached the front of a large electronics retailer at 15:00, and the tour concluded there. The guests each enjoyed the tour in their own way.
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 | Ginza～Meiji-jingumae | 600JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Meiji-jingumae～Kasumigaseki | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Otemachi～Yushima | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Ueno-hirokoji～Asakusa | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Asakusa～Suehirocho | 0JPY |
| Total | 600JPY | ||
My name is Eiji Kobayashi (Mr.), and I will be your guide during your stay in Tokyo.
Please call me Koba.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter of Japan and an expert in Japanese history and culture, and also in nursing and health. I usually work as a Public Health Nurse (PHN) at a Public Health Center in Tokyo, and I hold a Registered Nurse (RN) license. Additionally, I have a Ph.D. in medical science.
Born in 1957 and raised in Tokyo, I have worked for 33 years mainly in the research and development area for some pharmaceutical companies. Then, I changed my career to nursing and entered a university to obtain a PHN and RN license. I took the Licensed Guide for preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and volunteered in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.
Jul 21, 2026
scottsD8777AR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Great Touring Tokyo
Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly…
Jul 21, 2026
scottsD8777AR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Great Touring Tokyo
Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly appreciated his knowledge of the history of Tokyo and Japan and his very pleasant demeanor. He is a true gentleman and was a pleasure to tour with in Tokyo.
Jul 9, 2026
Quest36994121691
First visit to Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This was our first visit…
Jul 9, 2026
Quest36994121691
First visit to Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This was our first visit to Tokyo, and our tour with Koba made the experience truly exceptional. We’re a family of four with two teenage boys (14 and 16), and Koba was wonderfully kind, patient, and engaging with each of us. The experience started even before we arrived—his first communications laid out a thoughtful, customized itinerary that perfectly matched our interests as first-time visitors. Our six hours together were full, seamless, and incredibly rewarding. Koba’s deep knowledge of the city, his attention to detail, and his warm, easygoing approach made the tour an ideal fit for our family. It was the perfect way to get a broad yet meaningful introduction to Tokyo in a short time. We’re so grateful he was our guide and highly recommend him to anyone visiting the city.
Jul 8, 2026
Χρονης Π
A beautiful tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
It was a perfect experience…
Jul 8, 2026
Χρονης Π
A beautiful tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
It was a perfect experience see learned a lot about Tokyo and our guide Koba was perfect in every way and very helpful. We had a perfect time together.Thank you Koba
Jul 5, 2026
I3699SBjonathanw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
6hr Tokyo guide great experience
Koba was so nice to my family…
Jul 5, 2026
I3699SBjonathanw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
6hr Tokyo guide great experience
Koba was so nice to my family and I. He was patient and helped carry a large toy my daughter won. I wished we had another day. Having a guide saved us hours of navigating the subway and metro.