Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide Ted
January, 2025
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
- 0900 Hotel Residence Asakusa Kappabashi (10 min from Ginza Line Tawaramachi, 15 min from Asakusa Station) Meet up
- Stroll around Senso-ji Temple to Ginza Line Asakusa Station
- 1015 Ueno Station Purchase Oscar's Suica and confirm whether next week's Shinkansen stops at Ueno
- 1050 Nippori Yanaka Ginza Yomise Street Hebi Road Nezu Shrine
- 1240 Ueno Explain the overview of Ueno Park while transferring from JR to Ginza Line
- 1255 Asakusa
- 1310 Tokyo Skytree
- 1320 Purchase tickets, confirm boarding the elevator, then disband

Title: What Is a Private Tokyo Walking Tour Like Before a Ski Trip? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting from Oceania. They arrived at Narita Airport last night and came to their hotel by a car arranged through a travel agency.
For this assignment, the travel agency acting as intermediary did not permit direct contact with the guests, so it proceeded with a certain sense of frustration. Not only the email address but also the mobile phone number were not shared until the last minute. This morning we were able to meet successfully via SMS.
The guests will stay two nights in Tokyo and then go skiing at Tsugaike for several days starting Monday the 13th. (Guests from Oceania the other day were similarly heading to Hakuba.) It does seem that there are many ski visitors from Oceania. After that, they plan to return to Tokyo the day before their departure and stay in Shinjuku.
Since they had no ideas beyond skiing, I gave them a Tokyo Travel Guide and explained candidate destinations for sightseeing in Tokyo tomorrow and on the day before their departure. Tomorrow they may go to teamLab in Toyosu.
Last night they had sushi and were delighted to try sea urchin for the first time.
One of the guests was very curious about Japanese sweets, and I explained various kinds. They apparently wanted to eat "dorayaki," but we could not find any, so I suggested they look for it at Nakamise on the way back.
Instead, at a dango shop just before Nezu Station, they enjoyed daifuku mochi and mitarashi dango very much. At checkout it came to about 800 yen, which was around 7 Australian dollars, and they were surprised at how inexpensive it was. Indeed, it was about half the price of Nakamise. Perhaps they may not feel that Nakamise prices or Toyosu prices are expensive either.
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 | Asakusa~Ueno | 178JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Ueno~Nippori | 146JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Nezu~Nishi-Nippori | 178JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Nishi-Nippori~Ueno | 146JPY |
| Section 5 | Subway | Ueno~Asakusa | 178JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | Asakusa~Tokyo Skytree | 157JPY |
| Total | 983JPY | ||
I had worked in the international business scene for over 40 years and traveled to North America and European countries over 1000 days.
After I retired from the business, I traveled to most of the major sightseeing spots in all 47 prefectures in Japan.
My guide is starting from a brief history of the site where I am going to guide. I usually add a briefing about Japanese culture based on religions, such as Shinto Shrine and Buddhist temples. A geographic background behind the history is also important.
My course includes 4 to 5 (in 6 hours) sites from the following depending on where I will pick the guests up;
– Senso ji Temple
– Kappabashi Kitchenware Market
– Tokyo Skytree
– Ueno Park
– Nezu Shrine
– Imperial Palace outer park
– Tokyo Central Station, Marunouchi historic district
– Tsukiji Fish Market
– Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
– Ginza
– Odaiba
– Hama Rikyu Garden
– Shinjuku Gyoen Garden
– Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
– Roppongi
– Meiji Shrine
– Harajuku & Takeshita Street
– Shibuya
– and Any of your interest.
I am happy to introduce Japanese Manga/Anime cultures such as Akihabara, Nakano Broadway and Ghibli related sites.
Travelling along the JR central line where guests can stopover at major animation studios (it is not accepted to visit the inside). The majority of animation studios such as TMS Entertainment, SUNRISE, A1 Pictures etc. are located in this area. Suginami Animation museum, Studio Ghibli and Ghibli Museum are also located.
Guests can feel old houses in the Spirited Away scene in the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum.
I can also provide a pilgrimage to the sacred place (shooting location) for the Shinkai Makoto animation movies such as Your name, Weathering with you, and Suzume.
Another interesting feature is to visit authentic Japanese style pub meals such as Yakitori, Karaage, and Sushi etc.
Asakusa Hoppy Street, Ameyoko Street, Yurakucho, Shimbashi, Shinjuku Golden gai, Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho are nice to visit.
A Sake tasting at Sake Cellar can be an option.
In addition to the above, I am available in the neighboring cities.
Kawagoe is an old town developed in the 17th century. It has very close relationship with the Edo central government. Kawagoe castle ruins, Kitain temple and 500 Buddha statues will welcome the guests.
These areas are renovated and provide an old days atmosphere.
Japanese style sweets food stands will fascinate the guests.
Kawagoe is about 1 – 1.5 train trip from Tokyo.
Kamakura is the first Samurai worriers government established in the late 12th century.
The Buddhism are introduced to Japan in the 6th century, and flourished at Nara and Kyoto later. A newer Buddhism sect such as Zen has well developed at Kamakura area.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Gigantic Buddha statue at Kotokuin Temple and the flower temple Hasedera Temple are must-see.
Kamakura is about 1 – 1.5 train trip from Tokyo.
I am also happy to develop any other site the guests have interest.
Jul 2, 2026
Susan M
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Family fun in Tokyo.
A wonderful day. Ted customized our tour…
Jul 2, 2026
Susan M
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Family fun in Tokyo.
A wonderful day. Ted customized our tour to suit our families interests. Definitely a great way to see Tokyo.
Jun 26, 2026
ann r
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Educational with kind, generous guide
My teenage sons and I learned…
Jun 26, 2026
ann r
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Educational with kind, generous guide
My teenage sons and I learned so much about Tokyo and Japan in a few hours. We were very fortunate to have such an excellent guide! We highly recommend Ted and appreciated his knowledgeable and thoughtful sightseeing tour of Tokyo. He planned a wonderful itinerary for us and made it all happen, with excellent pacing of breaks and good conversation.
Jun 14, 2026
141yunb
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Can’t believe all that we got to see in 6 hours
We…
Jun 14, 2026
141yunb
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Can’t believe all that we got to see in 6 hours
We had a fantastic time with Ted, our guide. He contacted us prior to the trip to customize an itinerary that would have things of interest to everyone in our group. He shared helpful history for each of the places we visited, from Tsukigi market, Harujuku district, to Meiji Shrine. He had great recommendations for other parts of our trip. He is an expert at navigating the Tokyo train system. This tour is family friendly, but also very active in terms of walking to cover all the places we got to visit. The tour with Ted is definitely a highlight of our trip, I would highly recommend.
May 18, 2026
B
Beth56646
Great tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Ted and I agreed upon what we would see…
May 18, 2026
B
Beth56646
Great tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Ted and I agreed upon what we would see soon after I registered for the tour. He met us at
the hotel. Ted was very knowledgeable about both the places we visited and Japanese
history. I highly recommend him
