Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide Sam

November, 2024

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

1. 12:45 Meet up @ Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
2. 12:50 Travel: Train
3. 13:40 Stay @ Gotokuji
4. 14:25 Travel: Train, Subway
5. 15:30 Stay @ Asakusa
6. 16:40 Travel: Subway, Train
7. 17:20 Disband @ JR Shinjuku Station East Exit

What Is a Private Tour of Gotokuji and Sensoji in Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

I received an email just after noon letting me know that the guests had joined a Tsukiji tour run by another company in the morning and might be a little late returning to the hotel, around 12:45. Receiving advance notice like this makes it much easier to adjust, and it was greatly appreciated.

The guests were visitors from North America and were very friendly. I had been told that the place they most wanted to visit was Gotokuji Temple, followed by Sensoji Temple, so I let them know in advance by email that it would take about an hour to travel from Gotokuji to Asakusa.

Although I had visited Gotokuji Temple privately before, this was my first time guiding there. I wasn't sure whether it would be better to take the Tokyu Setagaya Line from Yamashita Station, but after walking from Gotokuji Station, I felt this was the right choice. There was a shop selling cat-themed goods in the shopping street, so cat lovers could not only take photos with the beckoning cats at the temple but also enjoy some shopping.

After the guided tour in Asakusa, I saw the guests off at Shinjuku Station, the nearest station, and we parted ways.

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 Station～Gotokuji Station	200JPY
Section 2	Train	Gotokuji Station～Yoyogi-Uehara Station	170JPY
Section 3	Subway	Yoyogi-Uehara Station～Asakusa Station	260JPY
Section 4	Subway	Asakusa Station～Kanda Station	180JPY
Section 5	Train	Kanda Station～Shinjuku Station	180JPY
Total			990JPY

Tour Report by Sam

Hi. My name is Masafumi Miyazaki. Please call me “Sam”. I am a government-licensed guide.
I was born in Tokyo and was raised in the suburbs of Tokyo called Tama area. When I was in university, I majored in western dramas, so I am good at playing like an actor.
I like reading, listening to the music, and walking. I belong to several walking clubs, and sometimes I guide the members around Tokyo.
One of my strengths as a guide is that I know well about kombu, Japanese kelps. In December every year, I work at a traditional kombu shop in Tsukiji Fish Market. At that shop, I learned a lot of things related to kombu or other ingredients for washoku. I can explain the different characteristics of them to you.
Also, I am familiar with Japanese flowers and plants. If you stroll around a Japanese garden with me, I am sure you will be able to enjoy beautiful flowers and unique plants in every season.
I look forward to meeting you. Thank you.

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