Tokyo in Half a Day: Tabist Ginza & Meiji Shrine — Guide Danda

Title: What's a Private Day Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Tsukiji, Asakusa, and Meiji Shrine

The guests were a group visiting from Europe. Some of the group had studied at a graduate school in Europe, and since I had two former colleagues who had studied social development at that same institution, it was nice to be able to share that topic. Because the meeting point had not been confirmed for some time, I was grateful for the support of [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) on that occasion. Interestingly, guests in such situations tend to be friendly, and the group today was also very warm and easygoing. What was curious, though, was that they did not try any of the activities. Whether it was sampling street food in Tsukiji, purifying at the water pavilion, offering incense, or praying in front of the main hall, they watched the demonstrations and listened attentively, but did not attempt to do them themselves. Perhaps it was to save time. Once again, this time too, they reacted strongly to the reason for rinsing the mouth and were convinced by the explanation. Visiting Tsukiji, Asakusa, and Meiji Shrine, what left the strongest impression on the guests were "dragons" and "onions." Having seen them in various places, they seemed to feel firsthand how much the Japanese valued water and how much they feared demons. They mentioned this both during the tour and at the final farewell, saying, "During our stay in Japan, we would like to pay attention to dragons and onions." At Meiji Shrine, because a stage had been set up in the center of the plaza in front of the main hall for the spring grand festival, the flow of foot traffic became complicated, and I found myself thinking, with all due respect, that this might not be the best time of year to hold it. They were also delighted to see a wedding couple at Asakusa Shrine and a shrine visit for a newborn at Meiji Shrine. Incidentally, when I explained the meaning of the tsunokakushi wedding headdress, everyone laughed. They were not especially interested in history, but they were curious about the unique customs and ways of thinking of the Japanese, and we enjoyed conversing while comparing Japan and their home country. Because we skipped lunch and were able to move smoothly from place to place, I took them to Shibuya at the end, where we parted ways.

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Tour Report by Danda

Nice to meet you. I am delighted to introduce myself. My nickname is Danda. I live in Saitama prefecture next to Tokyo, but I was brought up in Kanazawa, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. My favorite things are bonsai and hiking. Also, I have been a big fun of history and sumo since my childhood. As for the guide, I have enjoyed making communication with foreign visitors since 2019. I have taken more than 30 private groups to not only major scenic spots but also their favorite places such as tea ceremony, maid cafe, sumo tournament, bonsai village, fire ritual and so on. I can arrange the original tour based on your requests and curiosity. It will be only for you. I look forward to meeting you soon. Thank you.