Tokyo in One Day: Asakusa — Guide Sam
June, 2025
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
- 9:00 Meet at the hotel
- 9:30 Asakusa
- 10:40 Skytree, Solamachi
- 12:30 Vintage clothing shopping and lunch in Shimokitazawa
- 15:30 Disband at the hotel
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 9:00 at hotel and ended at 15:30. The day ran to 6 hours and 30 minutes from start to finish.
Over the course of the day the route took in Asakusa at 9:30, Skytree, Solamachi at 10:40 and Vintage clothing shopping and lunch in Shimokitazawa at 12:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hibiya to Higashi-Ginza by subway (178JPY); Higashi-Ginza to Asakusa by subway (108JPY); Asakusa to Tokyo Skytree by train (157JPY); Oshiage to Shimokitazawa by train (345JPY); Shimokitazawa to Hibiya by train (345JPY). Across 5 sections the fare came to 1,133JPY per person.
What's a Private Tokyo Tour with Asakusa, Skytree, and Shimokitazawa Vintage Shopping Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America. The original plan was to visit Asakusa, Skytree, and Akihabara, but since they had grown tired from visiting Shibuya and Harajuku the day before, and because they had enjoyed Omotesando so much that they wanted to explore fashion a little more, we decided to go vintage clothing shopping in Shimokitazawa after Asakusa and Skytree. One of the guests aspired to work in modeling or design, and at one vintage shop found a jacket priced at 60,000 yen, describing it as a fated encounter, and purchased it. There was a lot of trying things on, so it took some time, but the whole group bought plenty of vintage clothing and were very pleased.
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 | Hibiya～Higashi-Ginza | 178JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Higashi-Ginza～Asakusa | 108JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Asakusa～Tokyo Skytree | 157JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Oshiage～Shimokitazawa | 345JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Shimokitazawa～Hibiya | 345JPY |
| Total | 1,133JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at hotel at 9:00, and the tour finished at hotel at 15:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours and 30 minutes in total, from 9:00 to 15:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Asakusa, Skytree, Solamachi and Vintage clothing shopping and lunch in Shimokitazawa.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,133JPY per person across 5 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Sam is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hi, I’m Sam.
I am happy to welcome you all to Japan.
Since I was a child, my parents welcomed many international students into our home and I had many opportunities to interact with them. My mother is a translator, and I have always seen her guiding foreigners around Japan, so it was natural for me to start doing the same.
I am good at guiding people to popular places such as Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, and Asakusa, as well as photogenic spots in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Since I was a child, I’ve watched anime like Pokémon and played Nintendo games, and I still buy around 100 manga comic books a month. I love shopping in Akihabara! I currently live in Urayasu City, Chiba, so close that I can see fireworks from Disneyland from my house every night.
Please feel free to ask me anything!
Jul 10, 2026
Brooke_J
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Tokyo History Modernized!
This tour was a wonderful experience.…
Jul 10, 2026
Brooke_J
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Tokyo History Modernized!
This tour was a wonderful experience. Sayumi-San (Sam) was an absolutely amazing tour guide. She met me at my hotel and was a complete professional from the word ‘go.’ We did a good amount of walking to the sights/sites and rode the train to some places that were farther away from each other. Sam was very knowledgeable about the history of Japan and the places we visited. She was very respectful of my interests and curated a tour that fit well with what I wanted to see. I can’t say enough wonderful things about her and the tour.
The six hour tour included lunch. I recommend bringing water, though, while walking around and bringing a hat or small umbrella because the sun can be brutal. Finally, wear comfortable shoes.
Jun 19, 2026
Catherine_S
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great experience!
We had a wonderful time with Sam, who took our…
Jun 19, 2026
Catherine_S
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great experience!
We had a wonderful time with Sam, who took our requests and made them into a
manageable itinerary. She was wonderful with our daughter, too! Highly recommended.
Jun 7, 2026
Elena_Q
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fun visit to Tokyo!
Wonderful customized tour of Tokyo with Sam. She…
Jun 7, 2026
Elena_Q
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fun visit to Tokyo!
Wonderful customized tour of Tokyo with Sam. She meticulously coordinated our itinerary based on our preferences and included great local places to eat that were reasonably priced and delicious. Her insights and own personal experiences made the visit extra special.
May 12, 2026
Leonard B
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Awesome experience with a very knowledgeable friendly guide.
We had an…
May 12, 2026
Leonard B
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Awesome experience with a very knowledgeable friendly guide.
We had an amazing time in our tour. Our guide was knowledgeable, professional and friendly. We hit all of the main sites in Tokyo. Each stop our guide walked us through the experience and we felt immersed in the local culture. Would highly recommend this tour guide.