Tokyo in One Day: Tsukiji & Disperse at Kappabashi — Guide Danda

What Is a Private Tokyo Tour with a Licensed Guide Like? Asakusa, Kappabashi and Pottery Shopping Report

The guests were visiting Japan on a trip from North America. Since the guests did not speak much English, I tried to keep the conversation simple and easy, but it did not always get through, so at times I felt more like a route guide than a tour guide. The agency had said the guests preferred modern places, but as is often the case that was not really so, and what had been conveyed to the agency had not been passed on either, so it ended up being a day of checking various things after meeting in person.

At Tsukiji the guests were very satisfied with tuna sushi, and after walking all the way around they returned to eat at the same place (a stall of a sushi chain).

Since one of the guests asked whether there was a recommended place for pottery, and another wished to visit a temple once more, we decided to skip Shibuya and go to Senso-ji and Kappabashi instead. Before that we stopped at Takeshita Street and Meiji Shrine. On Takeshita Street, one of the guests was very interested in a Samoyed cafe and a mini-pig cafe and was inviting the other to go in, but since they did not particularly like animals and felt it would waste time, we skipped it.

We then headed to Asakusa. In the end we wrapped up Senso-ji a bit early and moved on to Kappabashi, where the guests bought a kitchen knife at Tsubaya, purchased many glass items and more at Tsuchi-ya, and then went around the pottery shops. The guests stopped at several shops and checked out various pieces of pottery, and partway through I was asked which shop I would most recommend, so we visited Wa-no-Utsuwa Taden at the very far end (I had wondered about it since it is a bit of a walk), but there seemed to be many patterns to their liking and they bought a great deal. The guests were very pleased and told me, "You took us to a wonderful place."

At Kappabashi I usually mostly take guests to knife shops, and this was the first time guests got this excited about pottery. Most of the shopping was done by one of the guests while the other looked a little worn out, but they kept offering advice and consulting together. As the scheduled time had passed, we parted ways there, but the guests were still continuing their shopping.

Honestly, communication was difficult, and I found myself wondering why they had not requested a Spanish-speaking guide, but above all I was glad I could take them to the places they wanted to go.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

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.