Tokyo: Meiji Shrine & Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho — Guide Ken
November, 2025
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
- 8:00 Meet up at the hotel
- 8:30-9:20 Meiji Shrine
- 9:30-10:00 Harajuku Takeshita Street
- 11:00-12:00 Asakusa Kaminarimon, Nakamise, Senso-ji Temple
- 12:30-13:30 Tsukiji Outer Market (lunch)
- 14:00-15:00 Nezu Shrine & Yanaka Shopping Street
- 15:30-15:50 Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho
- 16:00 Return to hotel & end
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Tokyo began at 8:00, when the guide met the guests at hotel, and finished at 16:00. The day ran to 8 hours from start to finish.
From there the group visited Meiji Shrine at 8:30, Harajuku Takeshita Street at 9:30, Asakusa Kaminarimon, Nakamise, Senso-ji Temple at 11:00, Tsukiji Outer Market (lunch) at 12:30, Nezu Shrine & Yanaka Shopping Street at 14:00 and Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho at 15:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shinjuku to Harajuku by train (150JPY); Omotesando to Asakusa by subway (260JPY); Asakusa to Higashi-ginza by train (220JPY); Tsukiji to Nezu by subway (180JPY); Sendagi 2-chome by bus (210JPY); Nippori to Shinjuku by train (210JPY). Across 6 sections the fare came to 1,230JPY per person.
What Is a Private Autumn Walking Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
I guided a group visiting Japan for the first time around Tokyo as autumn deepened. In addition to the major sightseeing spots, they wanted to see some quiet places as well, so I added Nezu Shrine and Yanaka Ginza, which they were delighted with. At each location, some of the guests spent time taking many photos, which they said they would share on their social media. For lunch in Tsukiji, they enjoyed eel for the first time, eaten with chopsticks for the first time, together with Japanese sake for the first time. Something that struck me during my conversation with the guests was when they asked, "Why do so many Japanese people look tired and gloomy when walking through the streets? Is it because they are pressed for time by work?" I answered, "Many people are very conscientious about their work and household duties, so feeling pressure might be one reason." It gave me an opportunity to reflect on my own daily life once again.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Shinjuku～Harajuku | 150JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Omotesando～Asakusa | 260JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Asakusa～Higashi-ginza | 220JPY |
| Section 4 | Subway | Tsukiji～Nezu | 180JPY |
| Section 5 | Bus | Sendagi 2-chome / Toei Bus～Sendagi 3-chome / Toei Bus | 210JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | Nippori～Shinjuku | 210JPY |
| Total | 1,230JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at hotel at 8:00, and the tour finished at hotel & end at 16:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 8 hours in total, from 8:00 to 16:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Meiji Shrine, Harajuku Takeshita Street, Asakusa Kaminarimon, Nakamise, Senso-ji Temple, Tsukiji Outer Market (lunch), Nezu Shrine & Yanaka Shopping Street and Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,230JPY per person across 6 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Ken is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hi, my name is Ken. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter in Japan.
I’ve been living in Yokohama, west of Tokyo, for more than 20 years.
Since 2018 I have been enjoying guiding guests from all over the globe to various attractive places in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura, Mt. Fuji, and so on.
I can also bring you unique experiences such as sake tasting, car factory, beer brewery, fish markets as well as rural town in Miyagi pref., where I was born, by riding on the Shinkansen bullet train.
Please think I’m your friend in Japan. Tell me where you want to go, see, or experience. I can customize the tour for you.
My hobby is walking and jogging. I made 42K runs 9 times so far but I take it easy now.
Having worked globally in the food industry for 35 years, I love local foods of Japan and other countries.
I’ll try my best to make your visit a memorable one.
I’m looking forward to meeting you soon!
Oct 4, 2025
Ivette_S
Tour in Tokyo
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Our guide, Ken, kept in touch with…
Oct 4, 2025
Ivette_S
Tour in Tokyo
Viator review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
Our guide, Ken, kept in touch with me from the moment he was assigned to our group. He is
courteous, attentive, friendly, helpful and very attentive. Would highly recommend him.
Jun 25, 2025
DTLALynn
The best tour & guide we had!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo was our last stop…
Jun 25, 2025
DTLALynn
The best tour & guide we had!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo was our last stop for our trip. And what a fantastic end it was thanks for JGA and our guide, Ken! We did a 2-day tour of Tokyo with Ken. Even prior to our tours, Ken was on top of our communication and our needs. He went out of his way to book lunches for us based on what we liked. He was rightly concerned that our party was too large for some restaurants to be able to accommodate. He adjusted our pickup time when we informed him we would not be disembarking our cruise ship at the time we had previously stated. His knowledge of Tokyo and Japan history was incredible. We learned and saw so much during our two days with him. He was very thoughtful, kind and considerate and answered all of our questions including questions from my 8 year old twin boys. At the end of our three weeks, we had visited nine cities in two countries with private tours and transportation at most of those stops. Ken was by far the best we had! Thank you Ken for making our trip unforgettable!
Jun 8, 2025
christophern458
Amazing time in Hakone
Tripadvisor review: Hakone Full-Day Private Tour(Tokyo DEP.) with Government-Licensed Guide
My family and I can not speak…
Jun 8, 2025
christophern458
Amazing time in Hakone
Tripadvisor review: Hakone Full-Day Private Tour(Tokyo DEP.) with Government-Licensed Guide
My family and I can not speak more highly of Ken. Prior to the trip, he was in contact with us finding out what we wanted to do in Hakone as well as any food allergies, which he sought out gluten free lunch options as my daughter has celiacs. He met us at the hotel and from the very beginning he was engaged. He made sure that we had the proper seats or positions for all the best views – and thankfully we were able to see Mt. Fuji. He even took care of arranging transportation from a park to the restaurant and then to the cable car. After the boat ride, he took us to a shopping area (very small) which was run by locals that my daughter was able to buy handcrafted gifts made from wood. We have already said that when we return back to Japan, we will definitely try to book him first for anything we do in the Tokyo or surrounding area. Please note that the trip to Hakone is long and that you are going for the scenery, which is spectacular. Our family is quite active, so we had no problem keeping us. However saying that, knowing Ken, if the family was not as active, he would definitely accommodate.
Apr 5, 2025
lisajayneherewini
Happy happy happy
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Instagram Highlights Private Tour with Licensed Guide
We had a lovely half day with…
Apr 5, 2025
lisajayneherewini
Happy happy happy
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Instagram Highlights Private Tour with Licensed Guide
We had a lovely half day with Ken guiding us around Tokyo. The communication before the
trip and during the trip was excellent; Ken was very personable and knowledgeable. We
would highly recommend.