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
- At 10:00 I had a meeting at Hotel MYSTAY Premier Hamamatsucho in Daimon, and I arrived 15 minutes early and waited, but even at 9:10 no one came out, so I checked with the front desk and found out that where I was was MYSTAY Hamamatsucho, a different hotel of the same chain, so I had the front desk call the Premier, which was very close by, and headed to the correct hotel. We met at the main entrance at 9:15. At 10:25 we moved on foot from Daimon to Higashi-Ginza, in front of the Kabukiza Theater, Ginza 4-chome, and toured the Tokyo International Forum in Yurakucho, the Mitsubishi Ichigokan, the Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Building, and the Nijubashi Bridge of the Imperial Palace, then by taxi to the KITTE Building at 12:30, Tokyo Station, the Daimaru basement food floor, and lunch at 13:15. Ueno Park, the statue of Saigo Takamori, Kiyomizu Kannon, the row of cherry trees, the Inari Shrine, Ueno Toshogu Shrine, the front garden of the National Museum of Western Art, then moved to Asakusa by subway, at 15:10 the Kaminarimon Gate and Sensoji Temple. From Asakusa we moved to Tokyo Skytree by taxi. At 16:10 the Tokyo Skytree observation deck. At Asakusa Station on the Toei Asakusa Line, I explained the way home to Daimon and we parted. Total guide time: 7 hours.
Title: What's a Private Tokyo History Tour Like for First-Time Visitors from North America? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were first-time visitors to Japan from North America, arriving the day before the tour. Because jet lag can be difficult, I had advised them in advance to sleep well on the plane and on their arrival day. During the tour, some of the guests shared thoughts about regional differences within their home country, noting that policies are often decided by politicians from another part of the country. There has been growing interest in Japan among travelers from North America, and it seems likely that more will choose to visit Japan going forward. Some members of the group stayed home, while others joined the trip. One of the guests was an ice hockey player. Since the plans for the following days were still uncertain, I prepared and handed over a detailed two-day itinerary in advance, in case they decided to explore on their own. Along with this, I provided reference materials on an overview of Japanese history, the difference between the Emperor and the Shogun, the founding of the Kamakura shogunate, how Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate, and the story of Chushingura. As gifts, I also presented some chocolates and character-themed sweets (about 1,700 yen in total). One of the guests spoke to another about the importance of learning world history. I believe I was able to show them many places in a single day.
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 | Daimon～Higashi-Ginza | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Tokyo Station～Ueno Station | 170JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Ueno Station～Asakusa | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Tokyo Skytree Station～Asakusa Station | 160JPY |
| Total | 690JPY | ||
Hello, new friends! I’m Akio Yasui. I was born in Kyoto City and graduated from Doshisha University in Kyoto and moved to Tokyo for working. I used to work for international companies as a marketing advertising specialist. I have been to fourty five different countries until now and been to all prefectures in Japan.
I have deep knowledge of both traditional and modern culture of Japan based on my experience in Kyoto, Tokyo and their surrounding areas such as Kamakura, Nikko, Nara, Osaka. I can design exclusive and the optinum itineray for you and guide you not only to ordinary tour courses but also casual or hidden locations. My task is making you enjoy Japan and like our culture and people. Let me guide you any where you want to visit and enjoy Japan together.
Mar 30, 2026
851murraya
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Good time in Hakone
Akey did a great job setting the…
Mar 30, 2026
851murraya
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Good time in Hakone
Akey did a great job setting the itinerary and providing all the logistical details. He was also
very knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited. His English was easy to
understand.
Oct 11, 2025
S
Stephen_M
Incredible day in Hakone
Viator review: Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Mr Akey showed me an amazing…
Oct 11, 2025
S
Stephen_M
Incredible day in Hakone
Viator review: Hakone 8 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Mr Akey showed me an amazing time in Hakone. He planned out a very detailed itinerary based completely on my interests. The hot spring onsen was just what I needed to relax after long travel and a day of walking around the day before. I was hesitant to do the ropeway due to my fear of heights, but am so glad I went. The views were absolutely breathtaking, and I was lucky enough to have a clear enough day to get some incredible views of Mt Fuji. Highly recommend.
May 4, 2025
AliS7090
Great experience
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
Akito, our private tour leader, was a fabulous…
May 4, 2025
AliS7090
Great experience
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
Akito, our private tour leader, was a fabulous person who was kind and had a deep knowledge of ancient and modern Japanese history. He took us on a fun adventure around the bustling Tokoyo, showing us both the posh and modern and local treasures. You should be prepared to walk a lot 🙂
Mar 30, 2025
Mark_B
You can tailor make this…
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
You can tailor make this to anything…
Mar 30, 2025
Mark_B
You can tailor make this…
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
You can tailor make this to anything you want and the guide delivered exactly what we asked for, along with some extras and very good commentary to explain it all. Only thing is be prepared to travel on subway which can take some time, so make sure what you want to see is geographically close to maximise your sight-seeing.