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.
Tour Itinerary
- 8:45 Arrive at Hotel guide (Kogure)
- 9:20 Meet the guests in the hotel lobby (conduct briefing)
- 9:25 Depart the hotel
- 9:30 Head to Asakusa via the subway Ginza Line
- 9:48 Arrive at Asakusa Station
- 9:50〜10:20 Guide through the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center 8F observation deck, Sensoji Temple Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise Shopping Street, Hozomon Gate, the giant straw sandals, five-story pagoda, main hall, and Asakusa Shrine
- 10:23 Depart Asakusa Station, transfer at Shibuya Station and head to Harajuku Station via the JR Yamanote Line
- 11:05 Arrive at Harajuku Station, walk to Meiji Shrine
- 11:10 〜11:50 Guide through Meiji Shrine
- 11:50 Depart Meiji Shrine, show the entrance to Takeshita Street on foot, and head to Harajuku Station
- 12:03 Depart Harajuku Station, head to Shibuya Station via the JR Yamanote Line
- 12:05 Arrive at Shibuya Station, guide through Hachiko and the scramble crossing on foot
- 12:20〜13:20 Lunch at Sushisei Shibuya branch
- 13:25 Guide to the subway Ginza Line Shibuya Station ticket gate entrance (for the guests' return trip)
- 13:30 After guiding around the Shibuya Station area, part with the guests at Shibuya Station. (End of work)

What Can You See on a One-Day Private Tour of Tokyo? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, Meiji Shrine, and Hachiko
The guests were visiting Japan for the first time, and it was also their first trip to Asia. They had arrived the previous night and planned to stay in Tokyo before continuing their travels to another destination in Asia. Although Tokyo had its first snowfall of the year the previous night, today was clear and sunny, and the guests seemed to greatly enjoy the tour. As it was during the first three days of the New Year, both Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa and Meiji Shrine in Harajuku were extremely crowded. In particular, entry to Meiji Shrine was being restricted, but at both Senso-ji Temple and Meiji Shrine we were able to complete our visit without much waiting. I explained the differences between temples and shrines and the proper way to worship at each, which the guests seemed to learn well. They also enjoyed the sushi at lunch, which they savored with great delight. At Senso-ji Temple, Meiji Shrine, and the Hachiko statue, they took many photographs. They enjoyed getting around using public transportation such as the subway and JR, which is rarely experienced where they come from. They were very comfortable with walking and did not mind it at all, and they thoroughly enjoyed today's tour.
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 | Ginza~Asakusa | 210JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Asakusa~Shibuya | 260JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Shibuya~Harajuku | 150JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Harajuku~Shibuya | 150JPY |
| Total | 770JPY | ||
Hello and how do you do?
My name is Nobuo Kokure, and please call me Nobby for short, if you want.
Let me introduce myself. I was born in Hayama, a beach resort area, Kanagawa prefecture, south of Tokyo. And I’m now living in Saginuma, Kawasaki city.
When I was a university student, I had the opportunities of doing a home stay with a family In U.S.A., Australia, and England, as a youth exchange student.
After graduation from the university, I started working at American Life Insurance Company, Japan (Alico, Japan), which is a group member company of AIG, now MetLife Insurance Company. I could have a chance to visit the head office and the field offices of U.S.A., Wilmington in Delaware, New York, Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale in Florida, Los Angeles, while I was working for Alico, Japan (Now, MetLife Insurance company).
I had been working for MetLife Insurance Company for about 38 years, in total.
After retiring from the life insurance company, I started working as a tour guide, because I wanted to become a tour guide to introduce culture, history, and manners and customs of Japan in English. It’s so different between my previous job and the guide business, but I like guide business a lot.
I can meet so many people from all over the world and the guide business has been thriving after the pandemic.
I have implemented the tour over 240 times, introduced Japan to more than 4300 tourists from 53 countries.
Not only Tokyo, but I have experienced touring around Nikko, Kamakura, Mt. Fuji & Hakone area, Takayama, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Hiroshima, etc. which are all very famous as a tourist spot in Japan.
If you go on a tour in Tokyo, you must see and visit Asakusa Sensoji Temple which is the oldest Buddhist Temple in Tokyo with histories and Nakamise Shopping Street where you can buy the souvenirs and try to taste Japanese sweets, such as doll cake which is the sponge cake in various shapes filled with red bean paste and Japanese powdered tea ice cream. Another my recommendation in Tokyo to visit is Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, and Shibuya. Meiji Shrine is one of the biggest shrines in Japan with quiet and peaceful atmosphere and magnificent site.
Harajuku and Shibuya are both fun to visit for shopping and experience the Shibuya Crossing.
I usually propose my tentative itinerary and ask if my plan is all right with the customer or not. My hobby is traveling around Japan and foreign countries and going to the gym for exercise.
I would like to work as a guide as long as possible if I’m in good health and my legs are strong, because I love this job.
I put my importance on the mind of OMOTENASHI which means sincere hospitality, though safety during the tour takes precedence, number one priority, before anything else.
I’m very looking forward to seeing you and touring with you in Japan soon.
Thank you!
Best regards,
Nobuo Kokure (Nobby)
Sep 29, 2026
jeffbM3390PI
Nuobo was awesome as our Tokyo tour guide.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Jeff…
Sep 29, 2026
jeffbM3390PI
Nuobo was awesome as our Tokyo tour guide.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Jeff and Kathy from Oregon, USA, here. Our guide Nuobo for our Tokyo all day tour was awesome. He was kind, approachable, knowledgeable and an excellent teacher. Nuobo lived in California and a few other states as an exchange student as a young person so his English was quite strong. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Nuobo and highly recommend him for his tours!
Sep 25, 2026
skipcooney
Customized private tour of Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Nobby was very flexible…
Sep 25, 2026
skipcooney
Customized private tour of Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Nobby was very flexible in putting together an itinerary of the places in Tokyo we were most interested in seeing. He helped us a lot in learning how to navigate Tokyo through the public rail system. We went to combination of interesting neighborhoods and religious shrines and temples. Had lunch at a great sushi restaurant. He was able to accommodate our request at the last minute to upgrade the tour from 6 to 8 hours.
Sep 22, 2026
duncans746
Great guide!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Nobuo was fantastic, very knowledgeable and shaped…
Sep 22, 2026
duncans746
Great guide!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Nobuo was fantastic, very knowledgeable and shaped the tour to my requests very flexibly.
Thank you!
Sep 13, 2026
Culture25230012656
Very knowledgeable
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
I enjoy every step of the tour.…
Sep 13, 2026
Culture25230012656
Very knowledgeable
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
I enjoy every step of the tour. Nobuo was a great guide. Very informative and nice. Went to Japan for my birthday and couldn’t have wish for a better experience. Highly recommend
