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 Meet up @ Hotel
- 10:30 Meiji Shrine
- 12:00 East Gardens
- 13:00 Lunch @ Palace Building soba restaurant
- 14:20 Ginza
- 15:00 Asakusa
- 16:00 Disband @ Asakusa
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 10:00 at @ Hotel and ended at 16:00. The day ran to 6 hours from start to finish. It included lunch @ Palace Building soba restaurant at 13:00.
Over the course of the day the route took in Meiji Shrine at 10:30, East Gardens at 12:00, Ginza at 14:20 and Asakusa at 15:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shinjuku to Harajuku by train (160JPY); Meiji-jingumae to Otemachi (Tokyo) by subway (210JPY); Otemachi (Tokyo) to Ginza by subway (180JPY); Ginza to Asakusa by subway (210JPY). Across 4 sections the fare came to 760JPY per person.
What's a Private Tokyo Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Meiji Shrine, the East Gardens, and Asakusa
The guests were a group visiting from North America. They were familiar with Asia but were visiting Japan for the first time. Since they had already explored Harajuku, Shibuya, and Tsukiji on their own, they requested to visit Meiji Shrine, the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, and Asakusa. At the East Gardens, they were delighted to see the irises in full bloom. They also thoroughly enjoyed the soba and tempura for lunch and finished every bite. As they wished to go shopping in Ginza on another day, I introduced them to places such as Itoya, Mitsukoshi, and UNIQLO. After Asakusa, they headed to the Skytree on their own.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Shinjuku～Harajuku | 160JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Meiji-jingumae～Otemachi (Tokyo) | 210JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Otemachi (Tokyo)～Ginza | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Subway | Ginza～Asakusa | 210JPY |
| Total | 760JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at @ Hotel at 10:00, and the tour finished at @ Asakusa at 16:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours in total, from 10:00 to 16:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Meiji Shrine, East Gardens, Ginza and Asakusa.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 760JPY per person across 4 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?
Rumi 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 Rumi.Welcome to Japan!!
I’m a government-licensed guide in the Tokyo area.
I’m so excited to have a chance to show you my favorite places in Tokyo.
Tokyo is a fantastic city with many aspects like history,culture and food.
What interests you about Tokyo?
What kind of Japanese food would you like to try?
I’ll take you to various places according to your request.
My favorite spot is Meiji Shrine.
It’s so peaceful that I’m sure you like it.
I really like to talk with foreigners about various topics.So, I love my job.
I look forward to meeting and guiding you soon.
Jun 29, 2026
898clausw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Really helpfull guide
Extremely helpfull to have a friendly and competent guide…
Jun 29, 2026
898clausw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Really helpfull guide
Extremely helpfull to have a friendly and competent guide first day in overwhelming Tokyo
Jun 27, 2026
sallypO7128PM
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tour of Tokyo- family with older teens
My family had an excellent…
Jun 27, 2026
sallypO7128PM
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tour of Tokyo- family with older teens
My family had an excellent tour around Tokyo with Rumi as two adults and two older teenagers. Rumi met us at our hotel and dropped us back there afterwards, which was really helpful as we were struggling with Shinjuku station. She was knowledgeable in the fish market and suggested food we might want to try from the best stalls. She showed us a great place for lunch where the kids enjoyed katsu curry. Rumi was very kind at the temple, showing us how to test our luck and providing offerings as well as walking us around the streets to buy souvenirs. She also helped with printing train tickets, checked up on us after an earthquake and sent through photos she had taken, none of which she had to do- she really went above and beyond expectations and made our first day in Japan a day to remember.
Jun 15, 2026
Scott P
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Terrific Tour and Guide
We had an incredible day! Rumi was…
Jun 15, 2026
Scott P
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Terrific Tour and Guide
We had an incredible day! Rumi was our guide for a six hour tour. We visited Asakusa (Nakamise Street, Sensoji Temple), Tsukiji Fish Market, Ginza, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku (Takeshita Street) and Shibuya….
Jun 12, 2026
Tonya O
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Rumi is a great guide!
Rumi was a wonderful guide. She…
Jun 12, 2026
Tonya O
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Rumi is a great guide!
Rumi was a wonderful guide. She helped us tailor our itinerary so we could make the most
of our time on the tour. She was very kind and helped us learn a lot about the many
beautiful sites in Tokyo on our list. Thank you, Rumi! 💕