What Is a 4-Hour Private Walking Tour of Tokyo's Yanaka Area Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

Today I guided a 4-hour private tour for a group visiting from North America. The guests had arrived in Japan the previous day, and today was their first day of sightseeing in Japan.

As a prior request, they had expressed a wish to "visit Japanese temples, shrines, and old townscapes," so I arranged a 4-hour course showing them the Yanesen area.

From their hotel in Hamamatsucho, we headed to Nezu Shrine via Yurakucho and Hibiya. There, I explained Japanese shrine culture, including how to worship, omikuji fortunes, komainu guardian dogs, the foxes of Inari shrines, and torii gates. The guests seemed deeply impressed by the tranquil atmosphere of the shrine and the beauty of its historic architecture.

Afterward, we walked through Hebi-michi and an area where many temples of Yanaka are clustered, then headed to Yanaka Cemetery. Because this area was relatively spared from the air raids of the Second World War, old rows of houses and narrow alleys still remain, allowing the guests to see the old townscape of Tokyo. Seeing that cemeteries are situated alongside temples, and visiting the vast Yanaka Cemetery, the guests also seemed to find great interest in the Japanese view of religion and the culture of honoring ancestors.

At Yanaka Ginza, they purchased souvenirs such as folding fans and enjoyed the atmosphere of the shopping street.

Since we had a little extra time compared to the schedule, some of the guests expressed a wish to visit the specialty stationery store "Itoya" in Ginza, so we took the Yamanote Line and the Yurakucho Line to Ginza. After arriving at the destination, the guests wished to enjoy shopping on their own and then return to their hotel, so although it was slightly earlier than the scheduled end time, we ended the tour there at the guests' request.

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

Tour Report by Toshi

Self-Background

During my university years, I lived in a dormitory for four years and had the opportunity to live with many international students.
Of course, we spoke English.
After graduating from university, I started working as an English teacher at a junior high school.
I was able to have a fun teaching life while interacting with many students. During that time, I continued to study English on my own and obtained the pre-1st grade English proficiency test.
After that, I worked for the Board of Education as a supervisor in charge of English education, and then managed a school as a vice principal, and later principal.
After retiring from teaching, I took the TOEIC (L&R) and achieved my highest score of 945.
I also obtained a license as a national guide-interpreter, and began working as a guide for overseas visitors in English.
Currently, I guide tourists to several places around the country.
Many customers have told me that I am a good guide, saying that my guidance is easy to understand and that I have a lot of knowledge about sightseeing spots and history.
Furthermore, I will continue to improve my skills and make efforts to give you a better experience in Japan, so please come and enjoy your trip in Japan with me.