Tokyo in One Day: Koishikawa Korakuen Garden — Guide Takako
September, 2026
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
- 11:00 Meet at the hotel
- 11:30 Meiji Shrine, cafe
- 13:30 Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
- 15:30 Ginza Kimuraya, Mitsukoshi
- 17:00 Event @ teamLab Planets
Title: What's a Private Tokyo Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Meiji Shrine, Koishikawa Korakuen, and Ginza
The guests were a group visiting from Oceania. Before coming to Japan, they had won a dragon boat race in Asia, so they were quite spirited. After Tokyo, they planned to continue to Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka, and Takayama. First thing in the morning, they said they wanted to check the bus stop for a sightseeing bus tour scheduled for the next day, so we confirmed the boarding area at the east exit of Shinjuku Station. They were energetic, but their pace was a little slow, and they needed rest breaks at appropriate intervals. They took their time shopping at Meiji Shrine and also stopped at a cafe, so we ran a bit behind schedule. As a result, they decided it was fine to skip Asakusa, and instead they leisurely explored Koishikawa Korakuen and were delighted by the beautiful garden. Since there was time before boarding the bus in Ginza, they had a salad and drinks at a bakery cafe. They bought bread at the bakery on the first floor, and also purchased cake and a bag at the basement floor of a department store. I saw them off at the dissolution point, teamLab Planets, ending the tour.
A notable stop on the tour was Koishikawa Korakuen. Koishikawa Korakuen is one of the oldest and most celebrated Japanese gardens in Tokyo, originally built in the early Edo period in the 17th century. The garden was designed to recreate famous scenic views from both Japan and China in miniature, featuring ponds, hills, stone bridges, and carefully arranged trees. It is especially known for its seasonal beauty, including plum blossoms in early spring, irises in summer, and vibrant maple leaves in autumn, making it a peaceful retreat within the busy city.
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 | Subway | Shinjuku-sanchome～Meiji-jingumae | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Meiji-jingumae～Suidobashi | 290JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Suidobashi～Ginza | 380JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Ginza 4-chome / Toei Bus～Shin-Toyosu Station / Toei Bus | 210JPY |
| Total | 1,060JPY | ||
Hello!! I’m Takako. Thank you for seeing my page. I’ve been showing guests around Tokyo, Yokohama and Kamakura for over six years. There are various things from historic sites, shrines and temples to cultural spots, good restaurants and anime shops in Japan.
I love watching sumo wrestling, Japanese traditional sport.
My favorite place is Tsukiji food market. It’s really exciting and you can enjoy a variety of delicious foods.
I also like visiting Japanese gardens such as Hama-rikyu Gardens and Rikugien Gardens.
Please let me know what interests you.
I would be happy to make a suitable tour for you and help you stay in Japan comfortably.
Looking forward to meeting you!!
Jul 21, 2026
Z222TCshannonr
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
6 hour guided tour of Tokyo
Our wonderful guide,…
Jul 21, 2026
Z222TCshannonr
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
6 hour guided tour of Tokyo
Our wonderful guide, Takako, took us on a tour of Tokyo. She helped us create a plan based on our interests and was flexible when we needed to change the itinerary a bit due to extreme heat. She was friendly, informative, and helpful. We enjoyed learning about Japanese culture and history from Takako, and we saw amazing temples and ate delicious sushi. I highly recommend this tour and Takako as a guide!
Jul 9, 2026
cronima2
Perfectly guided day
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had an amazing day with…
Jul 9, 2026
cronima2
Perfectly guided day
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had an amazing day with Takako. Takako got in contact prior to our tour to create the perfect itinerary. She collected us from our hotel and helped us get our travel cards and showed us how to use the public transport. Takako altered our tour and took us to Harajuku Takeshite street, which our teenagers really enjoyed. Takako was really informative and friendly and made the day really enjoyable. We would have no hesitation in booking her again. Takako showed us more in 6 hours than we would have seen in a week if left to our own devices. Thanks Takako and we will watch The Transporter!
Jul 3, 2026
johnoD792VT
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lovely Guide!
Takako was an amazing guide! She gave strong insights on…
Jul 3, 2026
johnoD792VT
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lovely Guide!
Takako was an amazing guide! She gave strong insights on the places we visited and picked a delicious ramen shop for lunch. We really appreciated her thorough communication and friendly demeanor.
Jul 3, 2026
71nidhim
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Tour
Takako was extremely knowledgeable and showed us all the main…
Jul 3, 2026
71nidhim
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Tour
Takako was extremely knowledgeable and showed us all the main attractions with care and detail. We would highly recommend doing this activity.