Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour — Guide Lance
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
- 1.Asakusa→Nippori
- 2.940-1150 Yanaka Cemetery, Asakura Museum of Sculpture, Yanaka Ginza, Nezu Shrine
- 3.Nezu→Tsukiji
- 4.1210-1410 Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple→Meal→Tsukiji Market→Namiyoke Shrine
- 5.Tsukiji Market→Shiodome
- 6.1430-1530 Hamarikyu Gardens
- 7.Shiodome→Kiyosumi-shirakawa
- 8.1550-1640 Fukagawa Edo Museum
- 9.Kiyosumi-shirakawa→Asakusa
Title: What Can You See on a Private Tokyo Walking Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report on Tsukiji, Yanaka, and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa
The guests were a group visiting from North America. When they saw Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple, one of them remarked that at first glance it looked like a government building.
At Iseshin in Yanaka they bought small washi paper items, at Ichifuji in Tsukiji they purchased Japanese tableware, and at Soratsuki they bought strawberry daifuku and other sweets. At an Edo souvenir shop in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, they bought a black beckoning cat (maneki-neko).
One of the guests, on their second visit to Japan, asked me, "Why don't Japanese people drink beverages while walking?" I explained that eating while walking has traditionally been considered bad manners in Japan. Another of the guests commented that "after Japanese people leave a place, it is cleaner than before," and mentioned having seen the behavior of Japanese fans and players at the soccer World Cup.
One of the guests asked me, "Are Shinto and Taoism different?" I explained that Taoism is an ancient Chinese religion, while Shinto is a religion unique to Japan.
After this, they planned not to visit Kyoto but to go to Osaka instead, having heard that the food in Osaka is even better than in Tokyo. They were especially looking forward to trying okonomiyaki.
A notable stop on the tour was Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple. This Buddhist temple in central Tokyo is well known for its distinctive architecture, which draws on ancient Indian and Asian styles rather than the traditional wooden design of many Japanese temples. Its stone facade and unique domes make it one of the most visually striking religious buildings in the city, and it stands close to the famous Tsukiji Outer Market, a popular destination for fresh seafood and local street food.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Subway | Asakusa～Nippori | 340JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Nezu～Tsukiji | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Tsukiji Market～Shiodome | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Shiodome～Kiyosumi-shirakawa | 220JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Kiyosumi-shirakawa～Asakusa | 290JPY |
| Total | 1,210JPY | ||
I have been working as a tour guide once a week since 2024.
I grew up in Osaka and studied in Kyoto,
I have been working for the lvestock division of the national organization of agricultural cooperatives.
Japan depends on imports for most of its livestock feed ingredients.
I visited 10 countries on business and stayed in New Orleans working for a subsidiary company for 3 years.
I visited 10 other countries with my wife for sightseeing.
I also started writing Haiku, Japanese traditional poem, after retiring.
One of my favorite is ” Bundled up, you are like a Matryoshka.”
Looking forward to see you!
Sep 24, 2026
benoitlJ9021HN
Perfect guide tour in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Lance was very nice…
Sep 24, 2026
benoitlJ9021HN
Perfect guide tour in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Lance was very nice and helped us . to learn so much. His English is really good and he is extremely well prepared.
Sep 19, 2026
H1282JBkarinas
Great tour with Lance from Japan Guide Agency!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Lance our tour…
Sep 19, 2026
H1282JBkarinas
Great tour with Lance from Japan Guide Agency!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Lance our tour guide was fantastic. From the time we paired, we messaged on WhatsApp as he built our customizable tour day! He gave great suggestions and asked great questions to build a wonderful day.
The day itself was perfect. He met us at the hotel, and guided us fantastically. He had detailed history and facts to share and was well prepared to ensure that we had everything we needed.
Sep 10, 2026
Silver_F
amazing 8-hour walking tour with Lance!
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Lance was our…
Sep 10, 2026
Silver_F
amazing 8-hour walking tour with Lance!
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Lance was our amazing and thorough tour guide and already prepared an itinerary for us based on his recommendations and our preferences well before arrived in Japan.
On the day of the guided tour – there was a brief introduction on Japanese history – and became the common thread as he brought us through each site and guided us on the subways and introduced us to amazing small mom and pop & artisan shops we would have otherwise never found!
Lots of walking so make sure to wear super comfy shoes but 10/10 would do it again!
Learned so much in a short time and was able to spend the rest of days in Tokyo shopping and going to other places.
Thank you, Lance, for sharing with us your beautiful country! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Jul 4, 2026
317roxaneh
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great time in Tokyo!
We had a great day with Lance! He…
Jul 4, 2026
317roxaneh
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great time in Tokyo!
We had a great day with Lance! He had a good sense of humor and was so kind to meet us at our Air BnB, which was a bit out of the way. He gave us a great crash course on Japanese history before heading out on our adventure around Tokyo, visiting shrines, markets, a museum and garden. It was so helpful to have him with us navigating the train system, and he took us to an amazing sushi place for a lovely lunch. All in all, it was really fun and we were able to better appreciate the places we visited with him providing information and history along the way. Would definitely recommend!…