Tokyo in One Day: Ginza Station & Shinjuku Station — Guide Masa

Title: What's a Full-Day Private Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, and Shinjuku

The guests were visiting Japan for the first time from North America. They had arrived the previous evening on a direct flight to Narita Airport, then transferred via the Narita Express and a taxi to their Hotel. They were on an extended trip through Japan, spending several days in Tokyo before continuing on to Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Hiroshima, then returning to Tokyo before heading home. They expressed a strong interest in Japanese culture and history, and wished to visit many temples, shrines, and castles. They also said they wanted to try and enjoy a variety of Japanese cuisine.

It was a tour under clear skies, with weather warm enough to feel hot.

We started at Asakusa, which as always was very crowded. Beginning in front of the Kaminarimon Gate, I explained the history of Sensoji Temple and the transition from Edo to Tokyo, the purpose of the five-story pagoda, the basics of Buddhism, and the differences between Buddhism and Shinto. We took commemorative photos in front of the Kaminarimon Gate and the five-story pagoda, and they purchased a good-luck charm for health. There were questions such as "How many Buddhists are there in Japan?", "Besides Buddhism, what other religions do people follow?", and "Does everyone go to a temple every week?" They also asked, "We would like to buy a kimono as a souvenir—where should we go?"

We then moved on to the Imperial Palace and strolled through the East Gardens. There were questions such as "When is the best time to see the cherry blossoms?" and "What flowers should we look for at this time of year?" I explained the history from the Edo period to the Meiji era, the Meiji Restoration, why Edo Castle became the Imperial Palace, and why the capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. There were also questions such as "When did the samurai warriors come to hold power?", "Why did the Emperor and the samurai shogunate exist in parallel?", and "Does the current Emperor of Japan hold any political authority?"

We continued on to Harajuku and Meiji Shrine. I explained about Shinto, the torii gates, Emperor Meiji, and why wine barrels are displayed there. There were also questions such as "What kind of teachings does Shinto have?" and "When and why did Shinto originate?" We took a break at Forest Terrace Meiji Jingu.

We then headed to Shinjuku (the guests mentioned they would visit Shibuya on their own the following day). I explained the origins and history of Shinjuku and the differences between the east and west sides of the station. We walked around Shinjuku Golden Gai (mostly quiet, though a few groups of international travelers were strolling about), Kabukicho, the Godzilla Head, and Omoide Yokocho. They commented that "The atmosphere is completely different from Ginza and other parts of Tokyo" and that "It resembles Times Square in New York."

They also made comments and asked questions such as: "It's amazing that there's no litter on the streets—it's completely different from other cities around the world; the streets back home are full of trash now," "Doesn't anyone throw trash on the ground?", "This was my first time riding the subway, and it was very comfortable and convenient—the public transportation network feels extremely well developed," and "Why are there no trash cans on the streets?"

As the guests found it a little confusing to get back to their Hotel, I saw them off at Ginza Station, where we parted ways.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Masa

Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.