Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Tachi

Can You Do a Private Day Tour of Tokyo? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, Akasaka, and Meiji Shrine

I guided a group visiting from Europe. Before the tour, I asked about their preferred destinations and replied with a proposed itinerary. When we met on the day, I reconfirmed the itinerary with the guests and started the tour on time (the guests had already downloaded the SUICA app in advance). While guiding at each location, during lunch, and on the train, we had a variety of conversations. The guests had a great deal of mountaineering experience, including the European Alps, mountains in Southeast Asia, and Mount Everest, as well as experience trekking a pilgrimage route from Portugal to Spain and trekking to Machu Picchu in Peru. During their stay in Japan, they planned to climb Mount Fuji and to visit Hakone, Kanazawa, the Chubu region, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima. In Tokyo, they planned to watch morning training at a sumo stable and to experience a tea ceremony, and they also wanted to see a special exhibition of the Japanese art collection from the British Museum at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. They also shared some rare pieces of information about their home region, such as changes in local prices and details about a zoo, including a pair of pandas that had once been kept there but had already been returned to China, as well as the appearance of a well-known Tokyo hotel in a famous film. Compared to the start of the tour, humidity rose around lunchtime, and one of the guests seemed a little tired. Instead of Shibuya, we visited Akasaka, and after visiting Meiji Shrine we parted ways. Before the tour, the guests had requested information about izakaya as well as shops handling camera lenses and Godzilla goods, so I shared the names and related links of the pubs and shops I had researched by email, and we said goodbye with smiles and a hug at the taxi stand.

A notable stop on the tour was Meiji Shrine. Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Tokyo dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, and it is surrounded by a vast forested area planted with trees donated from across Japan. Despite being located near busy urban districts, the shrine grounds offer a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere, and the large torii gates and tree-lined approach make it one of the most visited spiritual sites in the city.

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Tour Report by Tachi

Hi! I’m a local guide in Tokyo and have been working as a licensed tour guide for almost 10 years. I love helping guests discover the “real Japan” beyond the guidebooks. I enjoy showing guests both famous sights and places that many tourists miss. My tours are based on your interests and can include not only famous sightseeing spots, but also local neighborhoods, culture, history, and everyday life in Japan. I also help guests enjoy Japanese cultural activities and make communication easier. If you’d like vegan or gluten-free meals, let me help you find suitable restaurants in Tokyo. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please feel free to let me know in advance. I look forward to showing you around Tokyo!