Tokyo in One Day: Shibuya Station & Omotesando Station — Guide Masa

Title: What's a Full-Day Private Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, Akihabara, and Shibuya

The guests were visitors from North America, on a trip to Japan together. It was their first visit to Japan. They arrived at Haneda Airport by direct flight the previous evening and took a taxi to their hotel. This time they were visiting Japan for a short trip. They would stay in Tokyo for a few days, then travel to Kyoto and Osaka before returning to Tokyo and heading home. They told me, "We love Japanese food. We want to try many things and really enjoy it." It was a tour under clear skies, warm enough to feel a bit humid. First, we headed to Asakusa. Since it was early morning, it was not too crowded, but there were many tour groups and groups of school-trip students. We started from in front of Kaminarimon Gate. I explained the history of Senso-ji Temple and the transition from Edo to Tokyo, the purpose of the five-story pagoda, what Buddhism is, and the differences between Buddhism and Shinto. We took commemorative photos in front of Kaminarimon Gate and the five-story pagoda. There were questions such as, "How many Buddhists are there in Japan?" and "Besides Buddhism, what other religions do people believe in?" We moved on to Akihabara. Both were interested in anime goods and computer games, so they eagerly explored several shops. They purchased a small digital camera. They said, "Let's take a little break and have some coffee," so we rested at a café. We moved on to the Imperial Palace. We strolled through the Imperial Palace East Gardens. Here too, there were many overseas tour groups. There was a question: "When is the best time to see the cherry blossoms?" I explained the history from the Edo period to the Meiji era, as well as the Meiji Restoration, why Edo Castle became the Imperial Palace, and why the capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. They asked, "Are there no more samurai?" and mentioned, "We are interested in samurai and plan to visit a samurai museum in Kyoto this time." They also asked, "Does the current Emperor of Japan hold any political power?" We moved on to Harajuku, to Meiji Shrine. I explained about Shinto, the torii gate, Emperor Meiji, and why wine barrels are displayed there. There were also questions such as, "What kind of teaching is Shinto?" "When did Shinto originate?" and "How many shrines are there in Japan?" Afterward, we strolled along Takeshita Street, Cat Street, and Omotesando. They commented, "Takeshita Street is famous on social media, but it does not really suit our taste." We headed to Shibuya. First, we walked across the Scramble Crossing, and there was a question: "Why do so many people gather here?" We took photos in front of the Hachiko statue and strolled along Center Street. They commented and asked, "It's amazing that there's no trash on the streets." "Does no one litter in the city?" "This was my first time riding the Japanese subway, and it was very comfortable and convenient." "Why are there no trash cans on the streets? In New York, there are trash cans around the city, yet trash is still scattered everywhere." We parted ways in front of Shibuya Station.

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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.