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
- 9:30 Meet at Asakusa Airbnb
- 9:35 Skytree photos
- 10:00 Ueno Station, buy Shinkansen tickets and Welcome Suica
- 10:30 Ueno Park, Kiyomizu Kannon-do, Ueno Toshogu. After that, walk around the street stalls in Ueno Park.
- 11:25 Snacks at New Days in Ueno Station
- 12:15 Imperial Palace East Gardens
- 13:50 Meiji Shrine
- 15:00 Harajuku Takeshita Street
- 15:10 Disband at Harajuku Takeshita Street
Can You Do a Private One-Day Tour of Tokyo Covering Asakusa, the Imperial Palace, and Harajuku? A Licensed Guide's Report
The weather was good, and the tour went smoothly. Since the accommodation was in Asakusa, we started by taking photos at Azuma Bridge. At Asakusa Station, the guests purchased a Tokyo Metro 24-hour ticket, but it took a little time because credit cards could not be used. At the JR overseas counter at Ueno Station, they bought Shinkansen tickets and a Welcome Suica, but we had to wait quite a while. At Ueno, the group mentioned being hungry, so there was a bit of a scramble to buy rice balls at a convenience store and settle down. We visited the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, and Takeshita Street, but about halfway down Takeshita Street, the guests said, "We'll go on from here by ourselves," so the tour ended a little ahead of schedule. A notable stop on the tour was Meiji Shrine. Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in a spacious forested area in the heart of Tokyo, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The shrine is approached through a series of large torii gates and a tranquil wooded path, offering a peaceful contrast to the surrounding city. It is one of Tokyo's most visited shrines, especially during the New Year period, and remains a popular place to experience traditional Japanese spiritual culture.
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 | Free Pass | Asakusa～Ueno | 700JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Ueno～Takebashi | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | Otemachi～Meiji-jingumae | 0JPY |
| Total | 700JPY | ||
My name is Eiji Kobayashi (Mr.), and I will be your guide during your stay in Tokyo.
Please call me Koba.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter of Japan and an expert in Japanese history and culture, and also in nursing and health. I usually work as a Public Health Nurse (PHN) at a Public Health Center in Tokyo, and I hold a Registered Nurse (RN) license. Additionally, I have a Ph.D. in medical science.
Born in 1957 and raised in Tokyo, I have worked for 33 years mainly in the research and development area for some pharmaceutical companies. Then, I changed my career to nursing and entered a university to obtain a PHN and RN license. I took the Licensed Guide for preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and volunteered in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.
Jul 21, 2026
scottsD8777AR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Great Touring Tokyo
Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly…
Jul 21, 2026
scottsD8777AR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Great Touring Tokyo
Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly appreciated his knowledge of the history of Tokyo and Japan and his very pleasant demeanor. He is a true gentleman and was a pleasure to tour with in Tokyo.
Jul 9, 2026
Quest36994121691
First visit to Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This was our first visit…
Jul 9, 2026
Quest36994121691
First visit to Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This was our first visit to Tokyo, and our tour with Koba made the experience truly exceptional. We’re a family of four with two teenage boys (14 and 16), and Koba was wonderfully kind, patient, and engaging with each of us. The experience started even before we arrived—his first communications laid out a thoughtful, customized itinerary that perfectly matched our interests as first-time visitors. Our six hours together were full, seamless, and incredibly rewarding. Koba’s deep knowledge of the city, his attention to detail, and his warm, easygoing approach made the tour an ideal fit for our family. It was the perfect way to get a broad yet meaningful introduction to Tokyo in a short time. We’re so grateful he was our guide and highly recommend him to anyone visiting the city.
Jul 8, 2026
Χρονης Π
A beautiful tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
It was a perfect experience…
Jul 8, 2026
Χρονης Π
A beautiful tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
It was a perfect experience see learned a lot about Tokyo and our guide Koba was perfect in every way and very helpful. We had a perfect time together.Thank you Koba
Jul 5, 2026
I3699SBjonathanw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
6hr Tokyo guide great experience
Koba was so nice to my family…
Jul 5, 2026
I3699SBjonathanw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
6hr Tokyo guide great experience
Koba was so nice to my family and I. He was patient and helped carry a large toy my daughter won. I wished we had another day. Having a guide saved us hours of navigating the subway and metro.