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. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 9:00 Meet at the hotel
- 9:10-10:00. Travel
- 10:00-10:50 Stroll through Happoen
- 10:50-11:40. Travel
- 11:50-12:40 Stroll through Kiyosumi Garden
- 12:40-13:10 Travel to Asakusa, disband
Tour Itinerary in Detail
From there the group visited Travel at 9:10, Stroll through Happoen at 10:00, Travel at 10:50, Stroll through Kiyosumi Garden at 11:50 and Travel to Asakusa, disband at 12:40.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shinjuku to Shirokanedai by train (209JPY); Shirokanedai to Kiyosumi-shirakawa by train (328JPY); Kiyosumi-shirakawa to Asakusa by train (286JPY). Across 3 sections the fare came to 823JPY per person.
Title: What Can You See on a Private 4-Hour Tokyo Garden Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. Through a tour company, they had requested to skip the major Tokyo tourist attractions (which meant that there were almost no options that could be covered compactly in four hours), so while considering the time they wished to spend in gardens, we narrowed the choices down to Kiyosumi Garden and Happo-en. The weather that day was not ideal for a leisurely garden stroll, but it was memorable how carefully some of the guests took photographs. Since the guests had plans in Asakusa, we made sure not to miss Kiyosumi Garden, which was their top choice, and although travel between the gardens took some time, I believe their wishes were fulfilled.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Shinjuku～Shirokanedai | 209JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Shirokanedai～Kiyosumi-shirakawa | 328JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Kiyosumi-shirakawa～Asakusa | 286JPY |
| Total | 823JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Travel, Stroll through Happoen, Travel, Stroll through Kiyosumi Garden and Travel to Asakusa, disband.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 823JPY per person across 3 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?
Kappa 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.
Thank you for your entry in this tour. Nice to meet you in this mail.
Your tour guide Kappa is my nickname. Kappa is a traditional, imaginary creature who came into being in Japan over 300 years ago. She is good at swimming, like me, for I like swimming. I would like to make our tour operated smoothly as Kappa does when she swims in the river or pond. It is my pleasure to introduce many aspects in our tour, especially cooking, for it is my hobby and I went to the professional cooking and SAKE school, respectively. If you have any questions or requests about Japanese cooking, of course our tour, I am very delighted to answer to you anytime!
Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
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Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour to accommodate our interests, and is very helpful and knowledgeable. Since the day was very hot (95°F / 35°C) we favored activities that were more shaded or cool, including a walk on a cedar-lined section of the old Tokaido path.
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Kappa, our guide met us at the train station and took us all over Kamakura. We saw shrines, the big Buddha, gardens, and the Oceanside! Kappa shared a lot of history about Kamakura, and it was nice to have this background when we were exploring these incredible sites! Highly recommend!
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Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough and thoughtful itinerary for us over
the course of 6 hours. We saw SO much in such a short time and would definitely
recommend her!
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O9621SBscottp
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O9621SBscottp
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My wife and I were treated to a wonderful walking tour of Tokyo with Kappa. Kappa was very accommodating in designing a tour specifically tailored to our interests. Kappa is a wealth of knowledge regarding the city history, temples and shrine, and Japanese art history. She is a lovely person too. I highly recommend Kappa if you want to learn about Tokyo