Tokyo in Half a Day: Asakusa & Hamarikyu Gardens — Guide Danda

What's a Half-Day Private Tour of Asakusa and Hamarikyu Gardens Like Before a Cruise? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visiting from North America. They were very warm, kind, and unique people, so even though it was only a half day, it was a great pleasure to spend time with them. Since they had to board a cruise ship after the tour, we had to keep an eye on the time throughout. For that reason, we only saw the main highlights of Asakusa, but the conversation flowed thanks to prompts from my side and questions from theirs, and we had a fun and interesting time. At Senso-ji Temple, one of the guests drew a "bad luck" fortune, and we laughed heartily at the line saying "you will spend money and become poor." Indeed, afterward, when praying twice at Senso-ji Temple and Asakusa Shrine, they tossed coins into the offering box, so perhaps the fortune came true. The other guest drew "great luck," so they did not pray. Also, when asked what the ornamental giboshi caps looked like, one of the guests playfully answered "a woman's chest," just as a previous guest had. Today, for some reason, high school students were performing a hula dance at Asakusa Shrine, and the guests watched for a while, saying "They're good." On the subway heading to Shimbashi, we got so caught up in a discussion about the Republican and Democratic parties that we missed our stop and went all the way to Toranomon, for which I apologized. Incidentally, when I asked why the Democrats are blue and the Republicans are red, the guests could not answer, so we looked it up on Google and everyone said "I see." At Hamarikyu Gardens, while admiring the scenery, we walked around the pond and talked about paid leave rates, religion, television viewing, and various other topics until we reached the 300-year-old black pine. When I asked how many trees they thought there were, they answered "fifteen" and "twenty," just as I expected, and were surprised to learn it was a single tree, as well as impressed by the beautiful shape of the pines in the garden and the craftsmen who tend to them. Since I had never been to Harumi Pier, I was allowed to go with them by taxi, where we parted ways. The cruise ship was said to carry about 1,000 passengers since it can pass under Rainbow Bridge, and we finished by waving to the guests as they boarded. After we parted, I received a thank-you message, and I am grateful to have met such wonderful guests. The guests also enjoyed themselves, saying "it was a wonderful afternoon," which is the best thing (in the morning they had joined a tour that only viewed the city through the car window).

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Tour Report by Danda

Nice to meet you. I am delighted to introduce myself. My nickname is Danda. I live in Saitama prefecture next to Tokyo, but I was brought up in Kanazawa, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. My favorite things are bonsai and hiking. Also, I have been a big fun of history and sumo since my childhood. As for the guide, I have enjoyed making communication with foreign visitors since 2019. I have taken more than 30 private groups to not only major scenic spots but also their favorite places such as tea ceremony, maid cafe, sumo tournament, bonsai village, fire ritual and so on. I can arrange the original tour based on your requests and curiosity. It will be only for you. I look forward to meeting you soon. Thank you.