Tokyo in Half a Day: Imperial Palace East Gardens — Guide Koba
September, 2025
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
- 9:00 Meet at Conrad Tokyo
- 9:40 Imperial Palace East Gardens
- 10:50 Explain Tokyo Station at Gyoko-dori Avenue
- 11:20 From Ginza 4-chome to Ginza Six
- 11:55 Disband at Ginza Six
Title: What's a Private Half-Day Tokyo Walking Tour Like on a Hot Summer Day? A Licensed Guide's Report
It was an extremely hot day with not a single cloud in the sky. I provided a parasol for the guests to use. Since they had Suica cards, the tour proceeded smoothly. Because of the circumstances of the trip, there was a strict condition that we had to return to the Hotel within four hours, and since the sunlight was very strong, I adjusted the two planned locations, the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace and Ginza, to avoid direct sunlight, staying indoors as much as possible and taking breaks along the way. On the way to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, we chatted about various topics, and there were many questions about Japanese history and about Tokyo, which I answered. From the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace to Ginza, I had planned to walk outdoors and show them Nijubashi Bridge or Tokyo Station, but the heat was too intense, so I gave up on that and took an underground passage, coming out briefly from underground to explain Tokyo Station, resulting in a simplified route. For Ginza, we went all the way underground to the 4-chome intersection, then came up to the surface and went to Ginza Six, where they could see Skytree and Tokyo Tower from the rooftop. Just as we were about to head back to the Hotel, the guests said they would have a meal at a restaurant there before returning, so the guiding could end, and the tour concluded at 11:55.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Shimbashi～Takebashi | 290JPY |
| Total | 290JPY | ||
My name is Eiji Kobayashi (Mr.), and I will be your guide during your stay in Tokyo.
Please call me Koba.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter of Japan and an expert in Japanese history and culture, and also in nursing and health. I usually work as a Public Health Nurse (PHN) at a Public Health Center in Tokyo, and I hold a Registered Nurse (RN) license. Additionally, I have a Ph.D. in medical science.
Born in 1957 and raised in Tokyo, I have worked for 33 years mainly in the research and development area for some pharmaceutical companies. Then, I changed my career to nursing and entered a university to obtain a PHN and RN license. I took the Licensed Guide for preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and volunteered in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.
Jul 21, 2026
scottsD8777AR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Great Touring Tokyo
Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly…
Jul 21, 2026
scottsD8777AR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Great Touring Tokyo
Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly appreciated his knowledge of the history of Tokyo and Japan and his very pleasant demeanor. He is a true gentleman and was a pleasure to tour with in Tokyo.
Jul 9, 2026
Quest36994121691
First visit to Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This was our first visit…
Jul 9, 2026
Quest36994121691
First visit to Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This was our first visit to Tokyo, and our tour with Koba made the experience truly exceptional. We’re a family of four with two teenage boys (14 and 16), and Koba was wonderfully kind, patient, and engaging with each of us. The experience started even before we arrived—his first communications laid out a thoughtful, customized itinerary that perfectly matched our interests as first-time visitors. Our six hours together were full, seamless, and incredibly rewarding. Koba’s deep knowledge of the city, his attention to detail, and his warm, easygoing approach made the tour an ideal fit for our family. It was the perfect way to get a broad yet meaningful introduction to Tokyo in a short time. We’re so grateful he was our guide and highly recommend him to anyone visiting the city.
Jul 8, 2026
Χρονης Π
A beautiful tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
It was a perfect experience…
Jul 8, 2026
Χρονης Π
A beautiful tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
It was a perfect experience see learned a lot about Tokyo and our guide Koba was perfect in every way and very helpful. We had a perfect time together.Thank you Koba
Jul 5, 2026
I3699SBjonathanw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
6hr Tokyo guide great experience
Koba was so nice to my family…
Jul 5, 2026
I3699SBjonathanw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
6hr Tokyo guide great experience
Koba was so nice to my family and I. He was patient and helped carry a large toy my daughter won. I wished we had another day. Having a guide saved us hours of navigating the subway and metro.