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
- Hotel 10:00 ~ Koishikawa Korakuen Garden 10:50 ~ Cafe 11:20 ~ Omotesando 12:30 ~ Takeshita Street 13:00 ~ Lunch 14:20 ~ Meiji Shrine 15:00 ~ Dismissal 16:00
What's a Rainy-Day Private Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. There was little time between the booking and the tour date, and it was difficult to get in touch, so the destinations remained unclear until the last minute. Early in the morning on the day, I received a message, and I headed to the hotel while looking up transportation for the tentative destinations. The guests were very pleasant, and they told me they had planned a tour after the Tohoku earthquake that did not come to pass, so they had been looking forward to this trip. Since heavy rain was forecast from the afternoon, we skipped the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower and managed to finish Koishikawa Korakuen Garden in the morning. As they were tired from walking, they enjoyed a set of Japanese sweets and coffee at the café in the garden. After that, we walked along Omotesando in the rain, and on Takeshita Street they enjoyed rainbow cotton candy and strawberry candy, and spent 25 minutes interacting with the pigs at a micro pig café. As the rain grew heavier, we walked through Meiji Shrine and had lunch at the food court. It was still raining hard when we finished visiting the main hall, so we skipped Shibuya, which was to be our final stop, and they returned by taxi. They were sorry about the rain but were delighted that they had been able to do everything they wanted, which was a relief.
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 | Subway | Roppongi-itchome～Iidabashi | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Iidabashi～Omotesando | 180JPY |
| Total | 360JPY | ||
Hello, I’m Hizuru.
I have a passion for sharing my knowledge and love for Japan with visitors from all over the world.
After teaching English and Japanese to Elementary school and Junior high school students for about 15
years, I got the National License of Guide and Interpreter in 2014 which allowed me to officially guide
tourists around Japan.
I have guided many tourists around Tokyo and its vicinities, helping them to discover the hidden gems of the
city and learn about its rich history and traditions.
Whether you’re interested in visiting historical landmarks, trying delicious Japanese cuisine, or experiencing
the vibrant pop culture scene, I can tailor a tour suit your interests.
My experience as a teacher greatly helped me in this role as I was able to efficiently communicate and engage
with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
I am dedicated to providing an unforgettable and insightful experience for all my guests.
I look forward to welcoming you to in and around Tokyo and sharing the wonders of Japan with you.
Oct 14, 2025
vanessajK6787GS
Great day out and about in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Hizuru was an absolute delight.…
Oct 14, 2025
vanessajK6787GS
Great day out and about in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Hizuru was an absolute delight. Her communication from the beginning was wonderful. She tailored the tour to the things I wanted to see. Her local knowledge was invaluable at the shrines, she is also a wonderful story teller. An important thing for me was to learn how to use the train system and she went above and beyond to help me understand how it all works. Which I am happy to say I navigated well once on my own. I would highly recommend Hizuru to anyone, she was a great companion for the day.
May 23, 2025
Inspire25413313092
Tokyo walking tour 2025
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sally did a great job putting together a…
May 23, 2025
Inspire25413313092
Tokyo walking tour 2025
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sally did a great job putting together a program for us. She reached out early in the week to understand what we were looking for and experience.
I must admit it was nice to be guided through the subway system by a “professional”. That allows me to enjoy the experience and not worry about getting to the right train & connection.
Sally was very knowledgeable and my wife & I learned a lot about the history of Japan and Tokyo.
I would recommend Sally.
May 3, 2025
davidfZ3537PI
Great tour with Hizuru!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great private tour with Hizuru! Prior to the…
May 3, 2025
davidfZ3537PI
Great tour with Hizuru!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great private tour with Hizuru! Prior to the tour, she was in email contact with us to find out exactly what we wanted to do – then she arranged the perfect schedule. She met us in the lobby of our hotel, helped us navigate the Tokyo metro and took us to Gotokuji temple, Shinjuku crossing, the Azalea festival at Nezu shrine, then to Ginza (where she dropped us off for our dinner reservation). She gave us great information during the tour, good history lessons and cultural explanations, and was a pleasure to be around. At the end of the tour, she made sure we knew exactly how to navigate on our own back to our hotel. highly recommend the private tour, highly recommend our guide Hizuru!
Apr 17, 2025
Sharon_F
Sampling of everything in one day!
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great sampling of lots of different…
Apr 17, 2025
Sharon_F
Sampling of everything in one day!
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great sampling of lots of different places in the city! Did the palace garden, a Shinto shrine and Buhdist temple, along with Shibuya Crossing and Meiji Jungu! I appreciated the instructions at the religious sites and the history at the palace. The gardens were unbelievably beautiful this time of year! Great job on a good combination of places and info!