Tokyo: Meiji Shrine & Shibuya Crossing — Guide Rumi

September, 2026

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

8:30 Meet @ Hotel
9:10 Meiji Shrine
10:30 Nijubashi Bridge
11:00 Higashi Gyoen (East Gardens)
12:30 Mitsukoshi Lunch (Soba & Tempura)
13:40 Tsukiji Market
15:00 Asakusa (Nakamise, Sensoji Temple)
16:10 Shibuya Crossing
16:30 Dismiss @ Shinjuku Station

Tour Itinerary in Detail

Meeting at @ Hotel at 8:30, the group explored Tokyo until the tour ended at 16:30. The day ran to 8 hours from start to finish.

The itinerary covered Meiji Shrine at 9:10, Nijubashi Bridge at 10:30, Higashi Gyoen (East Gardens) at 11:00, Mitsukoshi Lunch (Soba & Tempura) at 12:30, Tsukiji Market at 13:40, Asakusa (Nakamise, Sensoji Temple) at 15:00 and Shibuya Crossing at 16:10.

Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shinjuku to Harajuku by train (160JPY); Meiji-jingumae to Nijubashimae by subway (210JPY); Otemachi (Tokyo) to Ginza by subway (180JPY); Ginza to Tsukiji by subway (180JPY); Tsukiji to Asakusa by train (290JPY); Asakusa to Shibuya by subway (260JPY); Shibuya to Shinjuku by train (200JPY). Across 7 sections the fare came to 1,480JPY per person.

What's a Full-Day Private Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report Covering Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, and Shibuya

The guests were a lovely group visiting from North America. They planned to sightsee in Tokyo, Mount Fuji, and Nikko before a cruise. Although they had only arrived the previous day, they were very energetic and walked more than 15,000 steps during the tour.

Meiji Shrine was quiet since we visited early in the morning, and it felt very refreshing. The Otemon Gate, which had been closed until the day before, was open as well.

They seemed very satisfied with a lunch of soba and tempura at Mitsukoshi. Afterward, they also enjoyed nigiri sushi and wagyu beef in Tsukiji.

They enjoyed shopping along Nakamise Street in Asakusa, and finally we went to the Shibuya Crossing before parting ways at Shinjuku Station. We were blessed with good weather and managed to visit as many as seven places.

A notable stop on the tour was Meiji Shrine. Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the heart of Tokyo, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Surrounded by a lush forest of over 100,000 trees donated from across Japan, it offers a peaceful retreat from the busy city. Visitors can experience traditional Shinto rituals, write wishes on wooden ema plaques, and pass through the impressive torii gates that mark the entrance to this sacred site.

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	160JPY
Section 2	Subway	Meiji-jingumae～Nijubashimae	210JPY
Section 3	Subway	Otemachi (Tokyo)～Ginza	180JPY
Section 4	Subway	Ginza～Tsukiji	180JPY
Section 5	Train	Tsukiji～Asakusa	290JPY
Section 6	Subway	Asakusa～Shibuya	260JPY
Section 7	Train	Shibuya～Shinjuku	200JPY
Total			1,480JPY

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?

The guide met the guests at @ Hotel at 8:30, and the tour finished at @ Shinjuku Station at 16:30.

How long does the tour last?

About 8 hours in total, from 8:30 to 16:30.

Which places does this itinerary cover?

This tour visited Meiji Shrine, Nijubashi Bridge, Higashi Gyoen (East Gardens), Mitsukoshi Lunch (Soba & Tempura), Tsukiji Market, Asakusa (Nakamise, Sensoji Temple) and Shibuya Crossing.

How much did transport cost on this tour?

Public transport came to 1,480JPY per person across 7 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?

Rumi 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.

Tour Report by Rumi

Hello,
I’m Rumi.Welcome to Japan!!
I’m a government-licensed guide in the Tokyo area.
I’m so excited to have a chance to show you my favorite places in Tokyo.
Tokyo is a fantastic city with many aspects like history,culture and food.
What interests you about Tokyo?
What kind of Japanese food would you like to try?
I’ll take you to various places according to your request.
My favorite spot is Meiji Shrine.
It’s so peaceful that I’m sure you like it.
I really like to talk with foreigners about various topics.So, I love my job.
I look forward to meeting and guiding you soon.

Request Booking

Sep 29, 2026
Darrin_T
Tokyo Tour with Rumi
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Local tour guide Rumi took…

Sep 29, 2026
anettesoegaardn
Rumi Hosoya is a very good tour-guide.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Our guide was Rumi…

Sep 25, 2026
Frances_K
Rumi was a wonderful…
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Rumi was a wonderful guide that provided…

Sep 19, 2026
K6328IFcarolinel
Tokyo highlights
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Had a great day
Rumi was very…