Tokyo in One Day: Said goodbye at the New Otani. — Guide Minoruasai

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

• 11:00 Meet at Parman Tamachi lobby. After asking about their planned stay in Japan, things they're interested in, and places they'd like to visit, we decided to first go to Meiji Shrine and Harajuku, then to Asakusa Sensoji Temple, and set off. If time remains, we'll reconfirm after finishing the first two and proceed from there.
• 12:00 Had them purchase a subway all-day common ticket, so that from the next day when they move around by themselves they can use it as a reference. Arrived at Meiji-jingumae Station from Toei Mita Station by transferring subways three times. At the same time, at Tamachi Station I also taught them how to use the JR Yamanote Line.
• 12:00-13:00 Guided them around Meiji Shrine.
• 13:00-14:35 Guided them from Meiji Shrine to Takeshita Street. They became interested in the print club on Takeshita Street, so we made purikura photos there. Next, since they said they wanted to fill their stomachs a little, we bought crepes at SANTA MONICA CREPE. They really liked Takeshita Street and said they wanted to come again the next day (December 30) to visit animal cafes, so I taught them all the locations of animal cafes (cats, Shiba Inu, otters, hedgehogs). Also, since they said they wanted to do fashion shopping, I told them about LAFORET, and finished Harajuku, then headed to Sensoji Temple by subway.
• 15:10 Arrived at Asakusa. During the trip they mentioned they wanted to buy matcha to take home, so right after getting off at Asakusa Station we went to Masudaya and purchased matcha. Also, since you can drink matcha for 500 yen, they said they wanted to drink it, so they enjoyed matcha for a while inside the shop. After finishing, we went to Nakamise Street. First they liked "Yoroshi Keshodo" and purchased hand cream and other items. Next, at a chopstick shop they purchased chopsticks with their names engraved. After that, they worshipped at the main hall, photographed the koi at the stone bridge, and viewed the Danjuro bronze statue at the Sensoji backyard. Since they said they couldn't purchase tickets for the New Year Asakusa Kabuki online, I took them to Asakusa Public Hall and tried to purchase, but all advance tickets were sold out and they said to line up for same-day tickets from 10 AM on January 2, so when I conveyed this, they said they would try coming on the 2nd. After finishing at the Public Hall, since they said they wanted to eat dango, we returned to Kannon Street, entered "Kanmi Mitsuya," and they tasted three kinds of dango. By the time we had done all that it was 4:30 PM, and when I asked what they'd like to do with the little time remaining, they asked, "We have a reservation at the sushi restaurant Kyubey for 7 PM, but should we return to the hotel? Or should we go directly?" So I boarded the Ginza Line intending to take them to Ginza where Kyubey is located and say goodbye. However, since Kyubey has several branches in the city, when I had them show me the Kyubey reservation screen in the subway car, it was not the Ginza Kyubey but the New Otani Kyubey, so instead of getting off at Ginza we got off at Akasaka-mitsuke Station and I took them to the 2nd floor of the New Otani Main Tower.
• 17:30 Said goodbye at the New Otani.

Transportation cost per person