Tokyo: East Garden of Imperial Palace — Guide Atsushi

Title: What's a Private History and Culture Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan from North America. Their ancestral roots trace back to Japan a few generations ago, though they speak almost no Japanese. Because of these family roots and their wish to learn more about Japan, they had booked a tour focused on history and culture.

While traveling, a partial power outage and service suspension on a subway line made the trains unusually crowded, so from early in the morning the guests experienced firsthand what Japanese commuting is like.

On the tour we visited the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Ryogoku Edo Noren, the Kokugikan Sumo Arena (only the exterior and the surrounding atmosphere), the Tokyo Memorial Hall for Reconstruction, and the Sumida Hokusai Museum. In the first half of the tour, everything they saw seemed new and fascinating, and they asked about anything that caught their attention, so much of the time was spent answering their questions.

For lunch we went to a gluten-free restaurant in Kanda. Since one of the guests requires a strict gluten-free diet and needs to avoid certain other foods, I chose a restaurant with gluten-free certification that could also accommodate other requirements flexibly. When I used this restaurant with guests three months ago it was well received, and this time as well the guests were very pleased.

In the second half, at the Tokyo Memorial Hall for Reconstruction, the guests were struck by the tragedy of the Great Kanto Earthquake and the air raids on Tokyo. It seemed they had only heard about these events from earlier generations, so seeing the actual photographs and artifacts gave them a strong sense of immediacy.

At the final stop, the Sumida Hokusai Museum, everyone appeared to have a genuine interest in art and viewed the works carefully at their own pace. As their guide, I tried not to add too much explanation or interrupt, and answered only when they had questions.

Even when the tour's ending time arrived, the guests were still viewing the exhibits with great attention, so I spoke to them at the end of one exhibition section and concluded the tour at 15:20.

Click here for more details: Edo Tokyo History & Culture Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Tour Report by Atsushi

Hi everyone! I’m Atsushi.
Born in the historic fishing port of Shiogama in Miyagi Prefecture and raised in Tokyo and Kanagawa, I’ve spent my life immersed in Japanese culture.
During my six years in the countryside as a university student, I fell in love with hiking and visiting temples.
After graduating with a master’s degree in agricultural science, I spent 40 years in R&D at a food manufacturing company before transitioning from part-time guiding to becoming a full-time professional tour guide at the end of 2025.
My true passion lies in Japan’s rich culinary and sake traditions.
I specialize in FIT tours around Tokyo and Hakone, and I even lead sumo culture tours!
I’m dedicated to making your journey truly unforgettable, and I look forward to helping you get the absolute most out of your stay in Japan.
I can’t wait to meet you!