Tokyo in Half a Day: Hotel & Imperial Palace — Guide Maki
November, 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
- 10:00 Hotel
- Toei Shinjuku Line and Tozai Line
- 10:30-11:30 Imperial Palace
- Chiyoda Line
- 11:50-14:00
- From Meiji-jingumae, passing through Takeshita Street, Cat Street, and Miyashita Park to Shibuya Scramble Crossing
Tour Itinerary in Detail
From there the group visited Hotel at 10:00 and Imperial Palace at 10:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shinjuku to Takebashi by subway (290JPY); Otemachi (Tokyo) to Meiji-jingumae Station by subway (210JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 500JPY per person.
What's a Private Tour of the Imperial Palace, Shibuya, and Harajuku Like in Tokyo? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. They had been friends for a long time and both had a stylish sense of fashion. One of the guests was especially curious and took a lot of photos throughout the day.
Since they wanted to see the many different faces of Tokyo, I guided them around the Imperial Palace, Shibuya, and Harajuku. They enjoyed themselves, trying candied strawberries and buying a Hello Kitty doll.
After the tour, they planned to have ramen and then head to Ginza, so I showed them the way to the ramen restaurant and to the Ginza Line before we parted.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Subway | Shinjuku～Takebashi | 290JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Otemachi (Tokyo)～Meiji-jingumae Station / Shibuya Ward, Tokyo | 210JPY |
| Total | 500JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Hotel and Imperial Palace.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 500JPY per person across 2 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Maki is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hello!
I’m Maki. Nice to meet you.
I used to work at a travel agency as a tour escort so I have traveled to more than 50 countries and all 47 prefectures in Japan.
When I came back to Japan from abroad, I always noticed virtues in Japan anew.
I’m thrilled to introduce such kinds of stories and favorite places to you.
I like bar hopping, cooking, history, and outdoor activities such as camping, cycling.
I have a licence of International Sake Sommlier and Wine Expert. I’m happy if I would have a chance to introduce you about sake and wine.
I’m also a mother of junior high school girl. Let’s have fun together!
Oct 9, 2025
301catherinep
Fabulous customised tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Maki is a wonderful, well informed guide. She customised…
Oct 9, 2025
301catherinep
Fabulous customised tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Maki is a wonderful, well informed guide. She customised the tour for me and made six
hours fly by. I got a fabulous overview of the city and tips on where else to visit. Plus some
help with my onward travel. Highly recommended.
Oct 2, 2025
Gene L
Our 6 hour tour with Maki was fantastic
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and…
Oct 2, 2025
Gene L
Our 6 hour tour with Maki was fantastic
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I enjoyed this tour immensely. Maki was absolutely great. If you want to get oriented in Tokyo take this tour first. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and considerate to our needs for seeing the best of Tokyo in one day. I would recommend this tour on the first day to experience negotiating the Tokyo Metro and famous sights.
Aug 31, 2025
T
tmay2921
Maki is the best!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had an absolutely wonderful day exploring…
Aug 31, 2025
T
tmay2921
Maki is the best!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We had an absolutely wonderful day exploring Tokyo with Maki. She curated the tour perfectly to our interests, blending culture, history, and hidden gems that we never would have discovered on our own. We left the tour with a much deeper appreciation for Tokyo and Japanese culture.
Thank you so much, Maki, for such an amazing tour—we’re truly grateful and would highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting!
Jul 12, 2025
O6400ONsaram
Maki san kakkoii desu
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Maki was generous and flexible! She met us…
Jul 12, 2025
O6400ONsaram
Maki san kakkoii desu
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Maki was generous and flexible! She met us at our hotel, helped us understand the subway
system, and made a dinner reservation. She made our first day in Japan memorable and
put us at ease for the rest of our trip. Thank you, Maki!