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
- 09:00 Meet at the lobby of the Hotel in Roppongi. Since no advance requests had come in, we discussed for about 10 minutes and decided on the Imperial Palace → Sensoji Temple → Shibuya. Began moving by subway.
- 09:40-10:25 Guided them from Hibiya Station to the Dai-ichi Life Building → the Kusunoki statue → Nijubashi Bridge → the Main Gate of the Imperial Palace. After finishing, moved to Asakusa.
- 10:50-12:00 Guided them around Asakusa. Sumida River bank → Kaminarimon Gate → Nakamise Shopping Street → Hozomon Gate → Main Hall → Asakusa Shrine. When we finished, the husband (Mr. Hunter) requested, "It's hot, so I'd like to take a break somewhere to hydrate," so we stopped by Kimuraya, a sweet shop within the Sensoji Temple grounds, and they enjoyed shaved ice. After finishing, moved to Shibuya. During the trip, the wife, Mrs. Lynne, inquired, "Is there an Onitsuka Tiger store somewhere?" so we decided to also guide them to Onitsuka in Shibuya.
- 12:40-13:55 Guided them to the Hachiko statue and the Shibuya scramble crossing. After finishing, went to the Onitsuka Tiger shop. They purchased sneakers. When we finished, the husband, Mr. Hunter, requested, "I'd like to go to a cafe where I can eat some simple snacks and drink iced coffee," so we headed from Onitsuka to PARCO and guided them to the Excelsior Coffee across from PARCO for a break.
- 13:55-14:30 Took a hydration break at the cafe. At the same time, since they were going to Kyoto on the 27th after Tokyo, I taught them various things about Kyoto. During this, the husband, Mr. Hunter, asked, "Can I buy the tickets to Kyoto for the 27th nearby?" so we decided to take them to Shibuya Station and help them purchase the tickets.
- 14:40-14:55 Helped them purchase Shinkansen tickets at the JR Shibuya Station green ticket counter.
- 15:05 After finishing the ticket purchase, saw them off at the Ginza Line Shibuya Station ticket gate, taught them how to get back to Roppongi Station, and said goodbye.
Title: What Can You See on a Private Tokyo Day Tour Just After Arrival? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. They arrived at Narita Airport in the evening in July, and the tour took place the following day. It was 35 degrees in the city, and I was worried about how things would go given the jet lag, but since the guests took several breaks to stay hydrated, nothing happened health-wise, which was a relief. Regarding shopping, they said, "We plan to buy one or two Gibson electric guitars to take home, so please introduce us to the store with the largest stock." When I introduced them to the Gibson corner on the third floor of a musical instrument store a short walk from Ochanomizu Station, they were delighted. They said they would take their time choosing and planned to go on the 25th or 26th. They also asked me to introduce a museum with modern Japanese paintings, so I introduced the National Museum of Modern Art near Takebashi Station and the National Art Center in Roppongi. They said they would visit these on the 25th and 26th as well. During the tour, the guests expressed a wish for "Onitsuka Tiger sneakers," so I took them to the store in Shibuya. I also helped them purchase Shinkansen tickets to Kyoto, which they were pleased about. When we parted, the guests asked to shake hands, so I believe they were satisfied.
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 | Free Pass | Roppongi～Hibiya | 700JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Nijubashimae～Asakusa | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | Asakusa～Shibuya | 0JPY |
| Total | 700JPY | ||
I acquired national guide license in 2014, and I have been doing guide work full fledged since 2016. In my career before starting guide work, I was a business man and made more than 1,000 business trips both abroad and in Japan, and that experience is my foundation as a guide because I came to know so many places both abroad and in Japan. I have been taking care of both group and individual tourists, and the number of foreign guests I have taken care is close to 2,500 so far. I am based in Tokyo, but I can cover guide work in many prefectures throughout Japan. When I take care of foreign guests, my major concern is to listen attentively to them, find out what they want to know and do in Japan, and give them appropriate guiding in accordance with what I heard from my guests. I would like to provide tailor made tour as much as possible for every precious guest who kindly chose Japan as the tour destination.
Aug 1, 2025
8
898kendrap
Great first day in Tokyo!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Asai, our tour guide, made our…
Aug 1, 2025
8
898kendrap
Great first day in Tokyo!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Asai, our tour guide, made our first day in Tokyo so memorable and enjoyable! He shared his knowledge and love for the city as he showed us around. We now understand how to navigate the train system, and he even left us a list of how to explore other areas of the city by train. Our tour was a fun way to get acquainted with this amazing city!
Jul 14, 2025
Anette_V
Perfect
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide Minoru Asai was very friendly and knowledgeable about culture,…
Jul 14, 2025
Anette_V
Perfect
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide Minoru Asai was very friendly and knowledgeable about culture, history and
society. He picked and showed us more than We expected. Also he was good Company for
both me, my husbond and our son aged 22.
Jun 30, 2025
liammL2246HL
Amazing experience
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had an amazing private tour with Minoru Asai! We…
Jun 30, 2025
liammL2246HL
Amazing experience
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had an amazing private tour with Minoru Asai! We loved seeing all of the sights on the tour and Minoru was extremely knowledge about all things in Tokyo and else-wear in Japan. We were able to adjust the stops due to the heat (it was up to 35C!) and Minoru had great suggestions for things to check out. Highly recommend!
Jun 26, 2025
394milesd
Excellent guide making an excellent day in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
A perfect day, tailored…
Jun 26, 2025
394milesd
Excellent guide making an excellent day in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
A perfect day, tailored to our needs (and the weather) and delivered so attentively by our guide Minoru Asai. He was in contact in advance of the day to understand our interests, and advised us on practicalities and remained flexible throughout the day as required. His knowledge, and passion, for the history of Tokyo made the day! Could not have asked for more.