Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Tachi

Title: What's a Full-Day Private Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on the Imperial Palace East Gardens, Asakusa, Kappabashi, Yanaka, and Shibuya

[Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) guide led a full-day private tour of Tokyo for guests visiting from Oceania. In advance, the guests had requested to "visit a local shopping street and see both traditional and modern Tokyo." At the meeting point, I presented the itinerary again, and the guests happily agreed. After they purchased a Tokyo Free Ticket (¥1,600) at the nearest station, we began the tour.

While traveling, we had a lively exchange of questions and answers, as the guests had studied Japan in advance. Perhaps because we visited right after opening, the Ninomaru Garden in the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace had few visitors, so we could enjoy it at a leisurely pace (by the time we left the garden, group tour visitors had arrived and it was starting to get crowded).

Perhaps because it was a national holiday, Asakusa was very crowded with many domestic tourists as well. On Nakamise-dori, the guests did not shop (since they planned to stay in Japan for nearly four weeks and wanted to shop in the latter half), so I guided them briskly around the temple grounds and the area near Yogodo Hall. Because of the holiday, many food stalls were lined up, which the guests found interesting. On the west approach, they were very curious about melon bread, matcha crepes, and the cypress wooden walkway. They cheerfully peeked into the izakaya on Hoppy Street as we made our way to Kappabashi.

It was the final day of the 40th Kappabashi Tool Street Festival, and the main street was almost entirely a pedestrian zone. The guests said they "wanted to buy knives and ceramics during their stay in Tokyo," so I introduced a few shops. Remembering that right after the tour began they had said they "wanted to buy a Welcome Suica," I recommended purchasing one at Ueno Station on the way to Yanaka, and it went smoothly (though I told them to use up the Tokyo Free Ticket for today).

Upon arriving in Yanaka, the guests took a roughly 30-minute break at a cafe, and then we strolled along the shopping street. Walking through Hebi-michi, they enjoyed the quiet of the residential neighborhood. Since they had only arrived in Japan the previous night and, perhaps due to jet lag, were not very hungry, I guided them to Nezu Shrine and its rows of torii gates. As time became tight, we skipped the originally planned Akihabara. After the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, I told the guests I wanted to guide them to the restaurant floor inside Shibuya Scramble Square, and they happily agreed.

During the subway ride to Shibuya, I shared information by email about the places they planned to visit from the next day, recommended sightseeing spots in the city, and how to transfer trains from Shibuya to their accommodation. So that the guests could return to their accommodation smoothly on their own after lunch, I had them take photos of the entrance of the JR Shibuya Station (currently under renovation), a chocolate shop near the station, the first-floor entrance of Shibuya Scramble Square, and the elevator entrance. We parted with smiles on the 12th-floor restaurant floor of the same building.

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

Tour Report by Tachi

Hi! I’m a local guide in Tokyo and have been working as a licensed tour guide for almost 10 years. I love helping guests discover the “real Japan” beyond the guidebooks. I enjoy showing guests both famous sights and places that many tourists miss. My tours are based on your interests and can include not only famous sightseeing spots, but also local neighborhoods, culture, history, and everyday life in Japan. I also help guests enjoy Japanese cultural activities and make communication easier. If you’d like vegan or gluten-free meals, let me help you find suitable restaurants in Tokyo. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please feel free to let me know in advance. I look forward to showing you around Tokyo!