Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide Noripy

Title: What Is a 4-Hour Private Walking Tour of Meiji Shrine and Shibuya Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

Despite being the rainy season, Tokyo reached nearly 35 degrees Celsius. The guest was walking with a flushed face and covered in sweat, so this became a tour where we made frequent short breaks whenever we found benches or shade.

The guest was a visitor from North America on their first trip to Japan. A relative's spouse is from Japan and shares the same first name as mine, and since we are of a similar generation, we were able to talk warmly from the very beginning. The guest lives in two places where relatives reside and often enjoys homemade Japanese food prepared by that relative. They had already traveled through Hiroshima, Osaka, and Kyoto, and planned to visit Asakusa the next day before returning home the day after. For this trip to Japan, the guest was traveling together with relatives, and after this 4-hour tour they had a head spa appointment booked together, which they were very much looking forward to. Only the guest, who was visiting Japan for the first time, joined this tour.

In front of the beautiful Japanese irises at the Meiji Shrine Inner Garden, the guest suddenly asked, with a serious expression, "I would like to hear the true feelings of Japanese people. Honestly, how do people in Japan feel about our country's leader?" The guest had already visited Hiroshima, and on the morning of the tour there happened to be rising tensions involving conflict in the Middle East that had drawn in other nations, so as one Japanese person, I shared my hope for peace.

As it was a 4-hour tour, and since the guest had mentioned in advance that they could not walk very quickly, the plan had originally been to focus on Meiji Shrine and Shibuya. While discussing where to have lunch, it came up that the topic during breakfast at a café that morning had been Japanese pancakes. The guest had been told, "Japan's fluffy pancakes are truly delicious, so you must try them. I can't make those fluffy pancakes myself," and showed strong interest in them. So, after strolling along Takeshita Street in Harajuku, we walked to Omotesando before heading to Shibuya, and I guided them to a pancake restaurant, which they very much wanted to visit and thoroughly enjoyed. They were very pleased and said it would be a wonderful memory of this walking tour. Although they had said they were not interested in souvenirs, when we passed a soccer goods shop in front of Harajuku Station, they made a tax-free purchase of a jersey of the famous Japanese player KUBO as a gift for a young relative who loves soccer and had just graduated from university. They said they would definitely like to visit Japan again with their family.

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Tour Report by Noripy

Hello, I’m Noripy.
I am a lively woman in my 60s who loves having fun. My charm lies in my bright and approachable personality. Drawing on over 30 years of international experience, I began working as a tour guide in 2023. I have conducted over 100 tours annually, ensuring that my clients enjoy Tokyo and its surrounding areas. I have received high praise from a wide range of customers, from teenagers to people in their 80s. I cater to solo travelers, couples, newlyweds, families, and groups of up to about 10 people. Living in the heart of the city, I actively guide tours primarily in Tokyo. In addition to being certified in English, one of my strengths is being able to communicate effectively in Spanish as well.
I’m looking forward to meeting you all in Tokyo!