Tokyo in Half a Day: Kanamecho & Ikebukuro — Guide Masa

Can You Do a Private One-Day Tour of Tokyo Covering Asakusa, the Imperial Palace, and Shibuya? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were two families visiting Japan for the first time, from Oceania. Originally from Asia, they had relocated to Oceania about ten years earlier. They arrived at Haneda Airport this morning via a connecting flight, and took a taxi from Haneda to their accommodation. This was part of a 14-day trip to Japan, with a stay in Tokyo followed by planned visits to Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, before departing from Kansai Airport. They planned to visit TeamLab the next day and Disneyland the day after. They requested advice on how to conveniently use public transportation in Tokyo.

Originally the plan had been to meet at Haneda Airport at 09:00, but because the accommodation did not allow check-in until 11:00, the meeting place and start time were changed. The tour took place under cloudy skies, and partway through we were caught in heavy rain.

The guests wished to buy a 72-hour subway pass and travel mainly by subway, so we purchased it at Ikebukuro Station. After that, following their wishes, we headed to Asakusa. As always, it was extremely crowded. Starting from in front of Kaminarimon Gate, I explained the history of Sensoji Temple and the transition from Edo to Tokyo, the purpose of the five-story pagoda, what Buddhism is, and the difference between Buddhism and Shinto. We first took commemorative photos in front of Kaminarimon Gate, then took more photos in front of the five-story pagoda and at various spots, strolling slowly along the Nakamise shopping street.

There were questions such as "What are the major religions in Japan?", "How many Buddhists are there in Japan?", "Besides Buddhism, what other religions do people follow?", and "Are there Catholics in Japan?"

The guests wanted to stop by a famous matcha cafe in Asakusa, so we headed toward a well-known matcha shop near Nitenmon Gate, but there was a very long line, so we gave up. At a nearby coffee shop, we bought and sampled matcha ice cream instead.

We then moved to the Imperial Palace, where I explained the history from the Edo period to the Meiji period, the Meiji Restoration, and why Edo Castle became the Imperial Palace. There were questions such as "What happened to the shogun and samurai after the Meiji Restoration?", "Does the current Emperor of Japan hold any political power?", and "Who will be the next Emperor?" It began to rain here.

We moved to Shibuya. First, we took photos looking down on Shibuya Scramble Square from the entrance of the Keio Inokashira Line platform, and then actually crossed the intersection. There were questions such as "Why do so many people gather here?" and "Why did it become so famous?" We also took photos in front of the Hachiko statue.

The guests commented, "Everyone in Japan is quiet and polite," and "The city is clean and there is no litter," and asked, "Why are there no trash cans on the streets?"

Since they were unfamiliar with the subway, I saw them off at Ikebukuro Station and we parted ways.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Tour Report by Masa

Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.