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
- 9:00 Meet @ Hotel Niwa
- 9:30 Nezu, Yanaka
- 12:00 Lunch @ Sora no Iro
- 13:00 Character Street
- 14:30 Sengakuji
- 16:00 Disband @ Mita Station platform
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Meeting at @ Hotel Niwa at 9:00, the group explored Tokyo until the tour ended at 16:00. The day ran to 7 hours from start to finish. It included lunch @ Sora no Iro at 12:00.
The itinerary covered Nezu, Yanaka at 9:30, Character Street at 13:00 and Sengakuji at 14:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Suidobashi to Ochanomizu by train (150JPY); Shin-Ochanomizu to Nezu by subway (180JPY); Nezu-jinja-mae to Sendagi 3-chome by bus (210JPY); Nippori to Tokyo by train (170JPY); Tokyo to Shinagawa by train (180JPY); Shinagawa to Sengakuji by train (150JPY); Sengakuji to Mita by subway (180JPY). Across 7 sections the fare came to 1,220JPY per person.
Title: What's a Private Tokyo Walking Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Yanaka, Ramen Street, and Sengakuji
The guests were visiting from North America. One of the guests brought a teddy bear along, which at first seemed a little unusual, but they were very warm and kind guests.
Since one of the guests walked quite slowly and another had some considerations to keep in mind, I guided them carefully. As the guests were wearing masks and yellow sand was also drifting in, I wore a mask while guiding for the first time in a while.
The guests had requested Nezu, Yanaka, Shibuya, and Takeshita Street in advance, but after discussing together, we changed the afternoon plans.
To reduce the walking burden, we took a bus from Nezu to Yanaka. The guests did a lot of shopping at Yanaka Ginza, and we were able to see fully bloomed weeping cherry blossoms at Chomeiji Temple.
One of the guests requested a gluten-free ramen shop, so for lunch we ate at Ramen Street in Tokyo Station. They said gluten-free ramen was not available where they live and were very pleased with how delicious it was. It gets crowded, so I was glad we went early. When I mentioned that Tokyo Station also has Character Street, they wanted to go, so I guided them there. Along the way, since one of the guests had an Android phone and could not download Mobile Suica properly, I helped them purchase a Welcome Suica at Tokyo Station and also showed them the Shinkansen ticket gates.
On the way to Shibuya, I learned that one of the guests wanted to visit the graves of the Ako samurai, so I asked if they would like to go now, and we suddenly headed to Sengakuji Temple. At Sengakuji, we offered incense at the graves of the forty-seven samurai, and although we ran a little over time, we also visited the museum on the temple grounds since we were there. As Sengakuji was outside the "what to expect" itinerary, the guest kindly covered the guide's admission fee.
I had intended to see them off at their hotel, but when I took them to the transfer station, they said it was already past time and that this was fine, so we said goodbye there.
Even before we met, the guests were extremely grateful for many things, which made it a very pleasant experience to guide them.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Suidobashi～Ochanomizu | 150JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Shin-Ochanomizu～Nezu | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Nezu-jinja-mae～Sendagi 3-chome | 210JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Nippori～Tokyo | 170JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Tokyo～Shinagawa | 180JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | Shinagawa～Sengakuji | 150JPY |
| Section 7 | Subway | Sengakuji～Mita | 180JPY |
| Total | 1,220JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at @ Hotel Niwa at 9:00, and the tour finished at @ Mita Station platform at 16:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 7 hours in total, from 9:00 to 16:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Nezu, Yanaka, Character Street and Sengakuji.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,220JPY per person across 7 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?
Yoko 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.
I’m Yoko Kusumoto, a government lisenced English-speaking guide.
I have been living in Tokyo for more than 20 years, and it’s my pleasure to show you around Tokyo. I recommend Meiji Shrine and Asakusa if you are first time in Japan. I also recommend off-the-beaton path spots like Fukagawa Fudodo and Gotokuji Temple(lucky cat temple).
I was born and brought up in Kamakura, where the first shogun’s government was established. It will be my pleasure to introduce you my hometown as well.
I live with my husband and one teenage son.
I like traveling, flowers, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, and exploring Tokyo.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Jun 2, 2026
ericahT6840AD
Awesome!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our day with Yoko was great! She took us to some…
Jun 2, 2026
ericahT6840AD
Awesome!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our day with Yoko was great! She took us to some great spots in Tokyo and was so helpful.
We would highly recommend her as a guide. If we are back, we will certainly request her
again!
May 20, 2026
CharKris17
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Walking Tour
We did a six-hour walking tour of Tokyo with…
May 20, 2026
CharKris17
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Walking Tour
We did a six-hour walking tour of Tokyo with Yoko and she was an exceptional guide. We saw multiple shrines (Meiji Shrine is a must see), the Imperial Palace, the “crossing” (there is a similar intersection in the Ginza shopping district which was also cool), the Tokyo Station, and the outer market where we ordered some fatty toro nigiri which was an etherial experience. Can’t say enough good things about Yoko. She taught ys a ton about the history of Japan and had a great sense of humor. A+
May 3, 2026
jefftK1794VZ
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fantastic day exploring Tokyo
This was our first time visiting Tokyo and…
May 3, 2026
jefftK1794VZ
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fantastic day exploring Tokyo
This was our first time visiting Tokyo and spending a day with Yoko as our guide was perhaps the best decision we could have made. Even before we arrived we traded messages with Yoko about what we might like to do. She offered valuable tips which made not only our time in Tokyo more efficient but while in Japan as a whole. We saw so many amazing things but Yoko also gave us a primer in using the Tokyo subway system and navigating some of the stations. I could go on and list all the things we did but each tour will be different. However I would highly recommend Yoko as a guide. Perhaps serendipitous, but we were stopped on the street the day after we toured with Yoko by a couple who had a list of things to do but was unsure how to go about doing the things on their list and where those things were located. I was thankful we chose the best guide so we didn’t have that problem.
Oct 23, 2025
Y6401BOshaunam
Knowledgable, engaging guide Yoko Kusmoto made day of Tokyo history, architecture and insights exceptional. le.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour…
Oct 23, 2025
Y6401BOshaunam
Knowledgable, engaging guide Yoko Kusmoto made day of Tokyo history, architecture and insights exceptional. le.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide Yoko Kusmoto is exceptional . Her deep knowledge of Japan history, Tokyo’s
architecture and interesting Tokyo places made us appreciate all Tokyo has to offer. Her
smile, infectious laugh, kindness and interest added to our wonderful day.