Tokyo in One Day: Hotel Okura & Asakusa — Guide Danda

Title: What's a Private Cherry Blossom Tour of Tokyo Like in Spring? A Licensed Guide's Report

Body:

I guided a wonderful, very polite and close-knit group during cherry blossom season in Tokyo. Because a travel agency was acting as an intermediary, there had been almost no direct communication beforehand, apart from a note about a physical concern within the group. When I checked their wishes on the morning of the tour, there were no particular requests, so we walked through the Inui-dori cherry blossom passage, which had just opened for the week, and visited Chidorigafuchi. Walking normally was no problem, and the guests were delighted by the beautiful cherry blossoms and took many photos. Their only regret was that there was no blue sky to complete the scene.

When I mentioned that Yasukuni Shrine could be seen nearby, the guests were eager to visit, so we went. When I explained the reference cherry tree (the official blossom-forecasting tree) and the basics of the shrine, one of the guests interpreted for the rest of the group. Along the way, we came across a family in traditional kimono for a shichi-go-san celebration, and since the children looked so lovely in their attire, we were kindly allowed to take a photo together (I am grateful to the family for their gracious consent and offer).

After that, the guests asked whether Ueno is famous for cherry blossoms, so after stopping by the food floor of a department store, we decided to go to Ueno Park and then to nearby Asakusa. The guests were fascinated by the crowds enjoying hanami in Ueno Park and were pleased to have captured some interesting photos. On the way to Ueno Toshogu Shrine, there was a food stall making karumeyaki, and since the guests watched it with great interest, I explained it and bought one for them. Just as one of the guests picked it up to take the first taste, it suddenly popped and shattered, sending pieces of the sweet flying everywhere. Everyone burst into laughter — though I did feel apologetic.

Beyond my work as a guide, I personally had a truly enjoyable day, and I am grateful to the guests. With the cherry blossoms in full bloom, my hay fever had also subsided, which made things comfortable, but the guests were blowing their noses frequently, so the tissues I had in my bag came in handy, which I was glad about.

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Tour Report by Danda

Nice to meet you. I am delighted to introduce myself. My nickname is Danda. I live in Saitama prefecture next to Tokyo, but I was brought up in Kanazawa, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. My favorite things are bonsai and hiking. Also, I have been a big fun of history and sumo since my childhood. As for the guide, I have enjoyed making communication with foreign visitors since 2019. I have taken more than 30 private groups to not only major scenic spots but also their favorite places such as tea ceremony, maid cafe, sumo tournament, bonsai village, fire ritual and so on. I can arrange the original tour based on your requests and curiosity. It will be only for you. I look forward to meeting you soon. Thank you.