Tokyo in Half a Day: Seibu Limited Express & Starbucks — Guide Danda

What Is a Private Day Trip from Tokyo to Kawagoe Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visitors from North America who, despite having only a short time in Tokyo, decided to visit Kawagoe on a friend's recommendation. They were cheerful, and I spent such an enjoyable day with them that it sometimes felt like we chatted more than we did sightseeing. At Kawagoe Goten they were deeply impressed by every spot, and walking on tatami for the first time prompted a delighted "This is great." At Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine they tried several of the customary experiences. The paper figure kept drifting on and on even after passing the gate, probably setting a record for distance, and a few Japanese tourists watched while remarking how amazing it was. The sea bream fortune was hard to catch, and perhaps because they ended up lifting it out with their fingers, the result was "small luck" with the message "Don't rush on your travels," which brought a big laugh. On the Kurazukuri warehouse street they struggled a bit with my question about what made it different from the rest of Japan, and afterwards we had lunch at a restaurant run by a soy sauce manufacturer. During that lunch I was genuinely put on the spot when they asked me directly, "It's been a wonderful day, so we'd like to give you a tip — how much would be good?" Even after I explained that tipping isn't customary in Japan and that writing a review would be more than enough, they wouldn't let it go, and we got into a lively conversation about their surprise at needing to tip even for self-checkout purchases back home. Just when I thought I had steered the topic away, they got more specific with "So, a tip of at least ◯◯ yen…," and when I said the thought alone made me happy and looked troubled, they thanked me right there even though the tour was still ongoing (a first for me). Since they already knew about the Kawagoe Festival, they filmed the whole video at the festival museum and admired how beautiful the floats were. I had been told during the tour that they needed to be back at the hotel by 16:00, so I introduced the Toki no Kane bell tower and a Starbucks cafe not found in their home country before wrapping up Kawagoe. Throughout the day they would occasionally slip in jokes, and whenever I was seriously puzzling over something they would burst out laughing and tease me playfully. Even on the Seibu Line back toward the hotel, we spent an enjoyable hour talking about a wide range of things — their upcoming plans, geisha (one was available on Monday but was unfortunately leaving for Nagano), and why they had given up drinking. I'm grateful to have had such bright and cheerful guests. In the end, I promised to look up a shop selling kimono jackets and get in touch, and with that the guiding came to a close.

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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.