Tokyo in Half a Day: Imperial Palace & Meiji — Guide Seky
December, 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
- 10:00 Meet @ Metropolitan Ikebukuro
- 10:25 – 11:45 Imperial Palace (East Gardens)
- 12:00 – 12:45 Meiji Shrine
- 13:15 – 13:45 Shibuya (Crossing, Miyashita Park)
- 14:15 Disband @ Metropolitan Ikebukuro
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Tokyo began at 10:00, when the guide met the guests at @ Metropolitan Ikebukuro, and finished at 14:15. The day ran to 4 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish.
From there the group visited Imperial Palace (East Gardens) at 10:25, Meiji Shrine at 12:00 and Shibuya (Crossing, Miyashita Park) at 13:15.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Ikebukuro to Tokyo by subway (209JPY); Otemachi to Meiji-jingumae by subway (209JPY); Harajuku to Shibuya by train (146JPY); Shibuya to Ikebukuro by train (178JPY). Across 4 sections the fare came to 742JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, and Shibuya
The guests were a group visiting from Europe. For most of the group it was their first time in Japan, and since they had arrived only the previous night, we began with a walk from Tokyo Station through the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, then visited Meiji Shrine, and finally explored Shibuya. They said the city of Tokyo felt cleaner and quieter than they had imagined, and everyone remarked that they had already come to love Japan. Another member of the family has been in Tokyo on an exchange program since October, and the group plans to spend the New Year period together in Japan.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Subway | Ikebukuro～Tokyo | 209JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Otemachi～Meiji-jingumae | 209JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Harajuku～Shibuya | 146JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Shibuya～Ikebukuro | 178JPY |
| Total | 742JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at @ Metropolitan Ikebukuro at 10:00, and the tour finished at @ Metropolitan Ikebukuro at 14:15.
How long does the tour last?
About 4 hours and 15 minutes in total, from 10:00 to 14:15.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Imperial Palace (East Gardens), Meiji Shrine and Shibuya (Crossing, Miyashita Park).
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 742JPY per person across 4 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?
Seky 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.
Hi friends, I’m Seky, a tour guide in Tokyo, but I cover all over Japan, namely from Hokkaido to Kyushu. I have lived overseas for more than 15 years in total, such as US, UK, Singapore and others, and enjoyed local culture there. Back in Japan, I wish I could help travelers to Japan enjoy Japanese culture, and this is why I became a tour guide.
In Tokyo, my favorite places are Shibuya, Harajuku, Asakusa, and if you are interested in fish market, I’d love to take you to the world largest Tuna auction and/or if you are sports lovers, I’ll go to ball games (baseball) too.
May 8, 2025
J
jeanne_c
Sell was very…
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sell was very knowledgeable and willing to talk…
May 8, 2025
J
jeanne_c
Sell was very…
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sell was very knowledgeable and willing to talk on all kinds of subjects so we could get a
better understanding of Tokyo and Japan. He was also flexible with the itinerary so we could
prioritize according to our wishes.
Mar 2, 2025
Joe_F
Excellent Custom Tokyo Tour
Viator review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour, customized to my interests, Edo period…
Mar 2, 2025
Joe_F
Excellent Custom Tokyo Tour
Viator review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour, customized to my interests, Edo period cultural sites. Mr. Seky was an excellent guide who reached out to me before the tour and proposed an itinerary based on my interests. Tokyo is a large city, and having a tour guide who efficiently navigated the geography was invaluable. Also Mr. Seky was friendly, knowledgeable, and shared his insights and suggestions. I highly recommend this tour. Thank Mr. Seky.
Mar 1, 2025
R2911ISjoef
Excellent Custom Tours, Great Guides, Reasonable Prices.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Excellent tour with a friendly…
Mar 1, 2025
R2911ISjoef
Excellent Custom Tours, Great Guides, Reasonable Prices.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Excellent tour with a friendly and knowledgeable guide who customized the tour to my interests. As a seasoned solo traveler, my interests are specific and focused, my guide Seky san was a great match and provided a great itinerary that was realistic and varied with our time allotment. We covered a lot of ground in 8 hours, thank you Seky san!
Oct 27, 2024
Jennifer_G
Great day touring Tokyo !
Viator review: Private Tokyo Tour with Government Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 7 persons)
We had…
Oct 27, 2024
Jennifer_G
Great day touring Tokyo !
Viator review: Private Tokyo Tour with Government Licensed Guide & Vehicle (Max 7 persons)
We had a wonderful day with our guides. They happily accommodated our group and
worked with us on our chosen itinerary. They were very knowledgeable and patient. I highly
recommend Suzuki and Siky !