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
- 8:00 Hotel Groove Shinjuku
- 8:10 7-Eleven
- 8:40 Meiji Shrine
- 9:50 Statue of Kusunoki Masashige, Nijubashi Bridge, Sakuradamon Gate
- 10:40 Ginza
- 11:20 Lunch @ Yoshiike Shokudo
- 12:20 Ameyoko, Tokudaiji Temple
- 13:20 Nakano Sun Mall, Broadway
- 14:00 Dismiss @ Shinjuku Station
What Does a Private Food-Focused Day Tour of Tokyo Look Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
I guided a group visiting from North America. Since one of the guests was a foodie, the tour centered around eating. The day before, we learned that they had already seen Asakusa, which had been on the plan, so instead we decided to visit a covered shopping mall in Nakano to stay out of the sun. When we first met, they had not yet had breakfast, so we bought fried chicken, onigiri, and other items at a convenience store and ate outside. One of the guests tried onigiri for the first time and really liked the salmon and tuna-mayonnaise flavors. When I introduced Kimuraya in Ginza, one of the guests was delighted, saying they had come to Ginza the day before just to visit but it had been closed, and they bought a lot of bread. Since they were also looking forward to lunch, I took them to Yoshiike Shokudo, where you can choose from a variety of dishes, and they enjoyed a large tempura udon, a large katsu curry, fried tofu, shumai, and draft beer. They liked it as a great restaurant. At Ameyoko they bought Japanese snacks at Niki no Kashi and drank tapioca drinks at a shop along the street. After stopping by Tokudaiji, they no longer seemed interested in shrines and temples, so we then headed to Nakano and saw Sun Mall and Broadway. Since it is a place with few tourists and many locals, they were very pleased. Everyone was friendly and wonderful, and we had a great time together.
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 | Shinjuku～Harajuku | 150JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Meiji-jingumae～Nijubashimae | 210JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Sakuradamon～Ginza-itchome | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Subway | Ginza～Ueno-hirokoji | 180JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Ueno～Nakano (Tokyo) | 230JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | Nakano (Tokyo)～Shinjuku | 170JPY |
| Total | 1,120JPY | ||
Hello!! I’m Takako. Thank you for seeing my page. I’ve been showing guests around Tokyo, Yokohama and Kamakura for over six years. There are various things from historic sites, shrines and temples to cultural spots, good restaurants and anime shops in Japan.
I love watching sumo wrestling, Japanese traditional sport.
My favorite place is Tsukiji food market. It’s really exciting and you can enjoy a variety of delicious foods.
I also like visiting Japanese gardens such as Hama-rikyu Gardens and Rikugien Gardens.
Please let me know what interests you.
I would be happy to make a suitable tour for you and help you stay in Japan comfortably.
Looking forward to meeting you!!
Jul 21, 2026
Z222TCshannonr
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
6 hour guided tour of Tokyo
Our wonderful guide,…
Jul 21, 2026
Z222TCshannonr
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
6 hour guided tour of Tokyo
Our wonderful guide, Takako, took us on a tour of Tokyo. She helped us create a plan based on our interests and was flexible when we needed to change the itinerary a bit due to extreme heat. She was friendly, informative, and helpful. We enjoyed learning about Japanese culture and history from Takako, and we saw amazing temples and ate delicious sushi. I highly recommend this tour and Takako as a guide!
Jul 9, 2026
cronima2
Perfectly guided day
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had an amazing day with…
Jul 9, 2026
cronima2
Perfectly guided day
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had an amazing day with Takako. Takako got in contact prior to our tour to create the perfect itinerary. She collected us from our hotel and helped us get our travel cards and showed us how to use the public transport. Takako altered our tour and took us to Harajuku Takeshite street, which our teenagers really enjoyed. Takako was really informative and friendly and made the day really enjoyable. We would have no hesitation in booking her again. Takako showed us more in 6 hours than we would have seen in a week if left to our own devices. Thanks Takako and we will watch The Transporter!
Jul 3, 2026
johnoD792VT
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lovely Guide!
Takako was an amazing guide! She gave strong insights on…
Jul 3, 2026
johnoD792VT
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lovely Guide!
Takako was an amazing guide! She gave strong insights on the places we visited and picked a delicious ramen shop for lunch. We really appreciated her thorough communication and friendly demeanor.
Jul 3, 2026
71nidhim
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Tour
Takako was extremely knowledgeable and showed us all the main…
Jul 3, 2026
71nidhim
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Tour
Takako was extremely knowledgeable and showed us all the main attractions with care and detail. We would highly recommend doing this activity.