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
- Hotel 8:00 — Nijubashi 8:30 — Fukagawa Museum 10:00 — Omotesando — 11:20 — Lunch 12:00 — Takeshita Street 12:50 — Meiji Shrine 13:20 — Disband 14:00
Title: What's a Rainy-Day Private Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, and Fukagawa
Body: The guests were visitors from North America. Initially, they had asked for help buying tickets to Kyoto, which is why I understood the early 8:00 start, but when we met they told me they had already purchased the tickets the day before. What they wished to see were the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, and Harajuku's Takeshita Street, along with lunch. The forecast said the rain would stop around 11:00, but it was raining quite heavily. As a rainy-day alternative I had also considered the Fukagawa Edo Museum, but since the ticket purchase was no longer needed and it was too early to go there, I headed to Nijubashi, hoping the rain would ease. When we arrived it was indeed raining, and quite hard at that, so I gave my explanation of the Imperial Palace at the Nanko Rest House. (It had just opened, so we were lucky.) I gave a broad explanation of the history, the appearance of the outer gardens in the Edo period, and Edo Castle, and they listened very attentively. After taking photos of the Kusunoki statue and Nijubashi in the rain, we had planned to go straight to the East Gardens, but as the rain turned to sleet and it grew colder, and the timing was just right, I suggested the Fukagawa Edo Museum and we headed there. At the museum they were delighted, saying they had never seen a museum like it and that it was very interesting, which was a relief. On the way back, it had even turned to snow! After that we walked briefly along Omotesando to reach the lunch they had been looking forward to. They had found a gluten-free udon restaurant themselves, so I took them there. It was delicious! After that the rain eased just at the right time, and by the time we went around Meiji Shrine it had stopped, and we said goodbye, with me telling them to enjoy the rest of their time at their leisure. I handed them a paper with the return station and how to transfer on the subway written on it. They both said it was a very memorable tour because of the rain and that the conversation had been interesting, which was a relief.
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 | Subway | Higashi-Ginza～Nijubashimae | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Nijubashimae～Kiyosumi-Shirakawa | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Kiyosumi-Shirakawa～Omotesando | 210JPY |
| Total | 570JPY | ||
Hello, I’m Hizuru.
I have a passion for sharing my knowledge and love for Japan with visitors from all over the world.
After teaching English and Japanese to Elementary school and Junior high school students for about 15
years, I got the National License of Guide and Interpreter in 2014 which allowed me to officially guide
tourists around Japan.
I have guided many tourists around Tokyo and its vicinities, helping them to discover the hidden gems of the
city and learn about its rich history and traditions.
Whether you’re interested in visiting historical landmarks, trying delicious Japanese cuisine, or experiencing
the vibrant pop culture scene, I can tailor a tour suit your interests.
My experience as a teacher greatly helped me in this role as I was able to efficiently communicate and engage
with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
I am dedicated to providing an unforgettable and insightful experience for all my guests.
I look forward to welcoming you to in and around Tokyo and sharing the wonders of Japan with you.
Oct 14, 2025
vanessajK6787GS
Great day out and about in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Hizuru was an absolute delight.…
Oct 14, 2025
vanessajK6787GS
Great day out and about in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Hizuru was an absolute delight. Her communication from the beginning was wonderful. She tailored the tour to the things I wanted to see. Her local knowledge was invaluable at the shrines, she is also a wonderful story teller. An important thing for me was to learn how to use the train system and she went above and beyond to help me understand how it all works. Which I am happy to say I navigated well once on my own. I would highly recommend Hizuru to anyone, she was a great companion for the day.
May 23, 2025
Inspire25413313092
Tokyo walking tour 2025
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sally did a great job putting together a…
May 23, 2025
Inspire25413313092
Tokyo walking tour 2025
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sally did a great job putting together a program for us. She reached out early in the week to understand what we were looking for and experience.
I must admit it was nice to be guided through the subway system by a “professional”. That allows me to enjoy the experience and not worry about getting to the right train & connection.
Sally was very knowledgeable and my wife & I learned a lot about the history of Japan and Tokyo.
I would recommend Sally.
May 3, 2025
davidfZ3537PI
Great tour with Hizuru!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great private tour with Hizuru! Prior to the…
May 3, 2025
davidfZ3537PI
Great tour with Hizuru!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great private tour with Hizuru! Prior to the tour, she was in email contact with us to find out exactly what we wanted to do – then she arranged the perfect schedule. She met us in the lobby of our hotel, helped us navigate the Tokyo metro and took us to Gotokuji temple, Shinjuku crossing, the Azalea festival at Nezu shrine, then to Ginza (where she dropped us off for our dinner reservation). She gave us great information during the tour, good history lessons and cultural explanations, and was a pleasure to be around. At the end of the tour, she made sure we knew exactly how to navigate on our own back to our hotel. highly recommend the private tour, highly recommend our guide Hizuru!
Apr 17, 2025
Sharon_F
Sampling of everything in one day!
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great sampling of lots of different…
Apr 17, 2025
Sharon_F
Sampling of everything in one day!
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great sampling of lots of different places in the city! Did the palace garden, a Shinto shrine and Buhdist temple, along with Shibuya Crossing and Meiji Jungu! I appreciated the instructions at the religious sites and the history at the palace. The gardens were unbelievably beautiful this time of year! Great job on a good combination of places and info!