Tokyo in One Day: Meiji Shrine & Senso-ji Temple — Guide Danda

What Is a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, and Akihabara

The guests were friends visiting from Europe who had planned this trip together. Since one of the guests was not very comfortable with English, communication was a little challenging, but with smiles and simple words we managed to understand each other well. At Meiji Shrine, the guests were deeply impressed that such a large metropolis as Tokyo could still have so much greenery, and they were delighted to happen upon a procession of Shinto priests and a display of chrysanthemum bonsai along the way. After praying at the main hall, one of the guests shed tears, and I sensed it may have brought back personal memories, though I did not mention anything about it.

For the JR Pass exchange, we stopped by the usual cafe, and after waiting a few minutes we completed the procedures and reservations. To be honest, I think it would be cheaper and more convenient to simply buy regular Shinkansen tickets, and I do not fully understand why people choose the Pass (though of course I cannot say this to the guests). The guests had originally intended to travel to Hakone by Shinkansen, but since the accommodation was in Shinjuku, I explained that the Odakyu Romancecar would be the fastest and easiest option. After confirming this with the JR staff, they were convinced and decided to go via Odakyu (I finished explaining the Hakone Free Pass on the return train). They were grateful once the round-trip reservation to Kyoto was completed.

For lunch in Asakusa, they chose to sit on the tatami room and enjoy soba, saying it was a special opportunity. They had a bit of difficulty sitting down, but they made the effort, feeling that such chances do not come along very often. In Akihabara, they were fascinated by the landscape full of advertisements, and were very curious about the maids, frequently asking "What is that?" and "Why?" They also enjoyed pretending to photograph something else while taking pictures of the maids on the street. However, at one maid cafe they tried to go inside to look around, so I politely told them it was best to refrain, and we came back. Along the way, they brought up many topics such as World War II and electric vehicles, and I answered various questions.

In our earlier email exchanges, there had been a request to see the love hotel district in Maruyama-cho, Shibuya, so I had actually been looking forward to it, but unfortunately we spent so much time on the JR Pass exchange that we were unable to go, which was a bit of a regret. By the end everyone looked a little tired, but above all it was wonderful that the guests enjoyed the whole day.

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.