Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Noripy

Can You Do a Private Tokyo Day Tour Before a Cruise? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from North America. They joined this private Tokyo tour to enjoy sightseeing before boarding a cruise that would visit various parts of Japan. They had also booked several other food tours, including ramen shop hopping, street food walks, and sake tasting. Although they lived in an area with many people of Japanese heritage and had a number of friends with Japanese roots, they had never actually visited Japan themselves, which led to this trip.

When we met, I noticed that the guests had some difficulty walking, though without using a cane, so I conducted the tour at a considerably slower pace. In particular, one of the guests needed special care when going down stairs due to their knees, so we used elevators and escalators whenever possible. However, in places without elevators, most locations had up escalators but no down escalators, so with their consent we descended the stairs slowly, which took more time than anticipated when planning the itinerary. Since the guests did not have a set lunch during the tour, there was no opportunity for an extended rest, but I frequently found places to sit and take short breaks — the chairs set out on the pedestrian street of Marunouchi Naka-dori, the benches at the rest area of the Imperial Palace East Gardens, chairs on station platforms, and so on. Even when visiting the same sightseeing spots, I chose versions that minimized walking distance as much as possible.

Even so, with the remaining time we were unable to visit some of the requested destinations such as the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Harajuku, and Meiji Shrine. I had suggested in our prior communication that we should stroll without overexerting ourselves depending on the situation on the day, and when we reached Sensoji Temple it became clear that continuing would be too much, so we agreed to return to the hotel in Shinjuku. For the places we could not reach, I explained maps and transportation access so they could visit somewhere during the two days they planned to sightsee on their own.

To accommodate their wish to see as many places as possible, I incorporated small sightseeing spots that could be enjoyed while walking between destinations. For example, since one of the guests was a big fan of Godzilla films, during a transfer at Ginza Station on the way to the Imperial Palace, our first major destination, we went up to street level and I guided them to Ginza Wako in Ginza 4-chome (associated with the Godzilla films). They took many photos. Regarding their wish, expressed on the day, to see a bookstore, when we visited the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station I guided them to the Maruzen main store in the adjacent Marunouchi Oazo. They did not make a purchase but looked around with great interest.

In addition, a variety of questions came up, such as whether I, living in Japan, had also experienced the puzzling abbreviations their grandchildren send in smartphone messages, and — while opinions were divided even within their family — how people in Japan feel about a certain political leader. There was no shortage of topics. Since they had said they applied for this tour hoping for interactive conversation rather than simply riding a vehicle and passively listening to English explanations through earphones, they seemed very satisfied on that point.

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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!