Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour — Guide Noripy

Title: What Is a Private Family Walking Tour of Trendy Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting from Europe and Oceania, some of whom had lived in Europe until the previous year. They introduced themselves as being from Africa, and I believe the unfamiliar language they occasionally spoke among themselves was Afrikaans. All but one member were visiting Japan for the first time; that one had visited about ten years earlier. After sightseeing in Tokyo, they planned to visit Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka. In Tokyo they were more interested in walking through trendy neighborhoods than in history, so the walk was tailored mainly to the interests of the younger members of the group.

After departing from the Hotel, we first headed to Chidorigafuchi. Although the cherry blossoms had just begun to fall, we were able to see them in full bloom and took many photos. Throughout the day, the group made a point of taking a commemorative photo of everyone together at each place we visited. By the time we reached Meiji Shrine, it had begun to rain, and after their visit they purchased folding umbrellas at the souvenir shop. They praised the quality of Japanese umbrellas, noting that a folding umbrella bought on a visit ten years earlier had lasted until today, and were delighted to find that the replacement was from the same maker. After a short break at a café, we went to Takeshita Street. At a character goods shop, the younger members each made their own original pouch by heat-pressing stickers of their favorite characters on the spot, which they thoroughly enjoyed. They very much wanted to visit a dog café, piglet café, and capybara café, but as these were crowded, they gave up for the day and checked how to make online reservations. For lunch, one member had insisted from the start on "Kobe beef or sushi," and since I heard that a planned visit to Tsukiji Market the day before had not been possible, I suggested making lunch a visit to Tsukiji Market. I guided them to a sushi restaurant so the whole group could settle at a table together. Everyone ordered à la carte as they liked. One member ordered tuna yukhoe in addition to sushi, and although I had asked for the wasabi to be served separately, they mixed in the entire adult-thumb-sized portion of wasabi and ate it. I was a little worried, but they said, "I love spicy food, so no problem. Delicious," and finished it all. The younger members had cucumber hand rolls and even ordered more. Exploring Tsukiji Market came after lunch, and one member became very excited upon finding the large collar and bones of a dismantled tuna, taking many photos — a contrast to how quietly they had accompanied the shopping at the character goods shop earlier. In Shibuya, we took a group photo in front of the Hachiko statue. At the scramble crossing, upon request, I helped film a video from the front of everyone crossing the intersection. As time was running short, we skipped the planned cherry blossom viewing along the Meguro River and instead walked Cat Street from the Shibuya side toward the Harajuku side. Partway along, one member found their feet were sore and wished to return to the Hotel separately. So I guided the remaining members through the rest of Cat Street, took a commemorative photo together in front of a toy shop, explained the subway route home, and concluded the tour.

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Tour Report by Noripy

Hello, I’m Noripy.
I am a lively woman in my 60s who loves having fun. My charm lies in my bright and approachable personality. Drawing on over 30 years of international experience, I began working as a tour guide in 2023. I have conducted over 100 tours annually, ensuring that my clients enjoy Tokyo and its surrounding areas. I have received high praise from a wide range of customers, from teenagers to people in their 80s. I cater to solo travelers, couples, newlyweds, families, and groups of up to about 10 people. Living in the heart of the city, I actively guide tours primarily in Tokyo. In addition to being certified in English, one of my strengths is being able to communicate effectively in Spanish as well.
I’m looking forward to meeting you all in Tokyo!