Tokyo in One Day: Daiba Station — Guide Masa

Title: What Can You See on a Private Sumo and Cat-Themed Tokyo Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan for the first time from North America. They were on vacation, with their main purpose being a round-Japan cruise departing from Tokyo starting the day after next. They were big fans of sumo and also cat lovers, so for today they requested a tour focused specifically on these interests.

The tour took place under cloudy skies.

From Odaiba, we first went to Gotokuji Temple. There were questions such as "What is Japan's main religion?", "How many Buddhists are there in Japan?", and "Besides Buddhism, what other religions do people follow?" There was also a question about which Buddhist sect Gotokuji Temple belongs to. They mentioned keeping two cats at home, and purchased a cat figurine and a cat-patterned bag as souvenirs.

From here, we traveled a long way to Ryogoku. First, we visited the Sumo Museum. We strolled slowly through the exhibits and took photos here and there. They mentioned often watching sumo on video at home, and also said they had tried many times to get tickets for grand sumo tournaments but found it quite difficult.

After strolling around "Ryogoku Edo Noren" and Ekoin Temple, we went to a chanko restaurant. They said they had heard so much about it that they really wanted to try chanko nabe.

After this, they wanted to see a Japanese garden, so we went to Kiyosumi Park. "A Japanese garden really is calming and pleasant."

There were comments and questions such as "The city is clean and there is no litter," "There are no trash cans around the city, why is that?", and "The subway is extremely well made, and it runs on time too. It is so different from the subway back home."

I saw them off from Shibuya via Shinjuku to Tochomae Station, where we parted ways.

A notable stop on the tour was Kiyosumi Park. Kiyosumi Garden is a traditional Japanese stroll garden in Tokyo, known for its central pond, carefully placed stepping stones, and a notable collection of large landscaping stones gathered from across Japan. The garden offers a peaceful retreat with seasonal plantings and views that change throughout the year, making it a popular spot for visitors seeking a quiet, scenic experience in the heart of the city.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Masa

Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.