Tokyo in One Day: Hotel Toranomon — Guide Danda

Title: What's a Full-Day Private Family Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Tsukiji, Asakusa, and Ueno

The guests were a group visiting from North America. In our correspondence beforehand, there had been a request to move quickly and skip parts if needed in order to see as many places as possible, but at some spots there were points of interest that caught their attention, so things did not always go exactly as planned. Overall, I built the itinerary around the curiosity of the younger members of the group. The upbringing within the group was clearly attentive: at one point on the train, when one of the guests was talking, another gently reminded them that in Japan you should not speak loudly on the train. They also listened carefully to historical and cultural explanations, trying to understand and even asking questions.

Tsukiji was specifically requested, as one of the guests loves seafood so much that sea urchin is a favorite. I was surprised that quite a number of shops were closed even though it was a weekday. However, since dinner that day was planned to be at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, they only looked with interest at the sushi and sashimi without eating any.

In Asakusa, as it was around lunchtime, I recommended the melon bread from a well-known shop, which was very well liked. After that, they enjoyed the goldfish scooping across the street, and then had A5 wagyu cheeseburgers (beef between slices of bread) at a nearby shop, which everyone praised highly, with one of the guests even asking for a second helping. Apparently this was a new menu item introduced about a month earlier, replacing the previous wagyu skewers only, and there was a constant stream of foreign tourists coming in. After taking commemorative photos with an anime statue, we headed to Ueno.

The atmosphere of Ameyoko was to their liking, and visiting a well-known confectionery shop there was also very well received. I do not know the details, but it seems one of the guests is involved in work related to the sale of KitKat, so after confirming that KitKat was on display, they took a photo and said, "Thank you for bringing us here."

Since one of the guests began to look tired, part of the group rested near the entrance of Ueno Park, while the rest and I visited only Kiyomizu Kannon-do and Hanazono Inari Shrine. The Ana Shrine is always a good place to convey Japanese ways of thinking. Finally, we viewed only the exteriors of Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace before ending the tour. The younger members of the group said "thank you" many times, even from inside the taxi, and everyone waved, which made me very happy. It was a very enjoyable day spent with such a close and warm group.

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.