Tokyo in One Day: Tsukiji Market & Kappabashi — Guide Danda

What Is a Private Tokyo Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Tsukiji, Hamarikyu, and Asakusa

I guided a group visiting from North America. The assignment itself had been made more than two months in advance, but there were a great many inquiries and exchanges. Rather than being centered on their own interests, the questions were of the type asking whether a place was suitable for having a guide, or whether I could recommend it, and to be honest I found them a little difficult to answer (in a sense everything is suitable, and as a guide I can of course show them around). There was also a question like "If you had four days in Tokyo, where would you go?", and even when I presented my own suggestions, there were follow-up questions about "which destination should we bring a guide for," which was a first-time experience for me. Furthermore, just when the destinations seemed to have been decided, there was a change of heart and a major revision to switch to somewhere else. So when we met in the morning, I felt an unusual and curious sense of tension, but they turned out to be perfectly ordinary guests, and my worries were unfounded.

They had already been to Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Hakone, so I thought they might already know all about shrines and temples and be tired of them (one of the guests said, "In European terms, it's like church after church"), but surprisingly there was much they did not know, so they listened with great interest. Still, it could not be helped that, apart from shrines and temples, Tsukiji Market, Hamarikyu Gardens, and the Nishi-sando in Asakusa were relatively more highly rated. At Hamarikyu, many photos were taken with comments like "the garden scenery integrated with the modern atmosphere is the best," and I was happy when, for a requested photo, I was told "this is really good"; the guests said they were constantly sending photos to be critiqued. When we had matcha at the teahouse on the central island, one of the guests noticed the wasanbon sugar, and when I explained it, they had assumed it was something to put in coffee, so they took an interest and purchased some. In Asakusa, one of the guests wanted a Japanese sword, so we stopped by the Nishi-sando, where I heard "there are more interesting shops on the Nishi-sando than on Nakamise, so I prefer this one" and "please tell me the name of this street again," which showed real satisfaction. While one of the guests was choosing clothes at a shop on the Nishi-sando and I waited outside with another of the group, we chatted the whole time about the classic "spouse-shopping" routine, saying things like "oh, it's a handful," yet when asked "which one is better?", they answered seriously and properly with an earnest expression, which impressed me (I would have answered "either is fine"). Finally, since they wanted to choose a kitchen knife, I took them to Kappabashi and introduced several shops, received words of thanks for the day, and we parted ways. What was interesting this time was that when I asked something, I was pressed a few times with "why are you asking me that?" It was a fun and rewarding experience. Both Tsukiji and Asakusa were crowded, but not as much as usual, and it felt like there were fewer visitors from Asia due to the well-known circumstances.

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

Tour Report by Danda

Nice to meet you. I am delighted to introduce myself. My nickname is Danda. I live in Saitama prefecture next to Tokyo, but I was brought up in Kanazawa, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. My favorite things are bonsai and hiking. Also, I have been a big fun of history and sumo since my childhood. As for the guide, I have enjoyed making communication with foreign visitors since 2019. I have taken more than 30 private groups to not only major scenic spots but also their favorite places such as tea ceremony, maid cafe, sumo tournament, bonsai village, fire ritual and so on. I can arrange the original tour based on your requests and curiosity. It will be only for you. I look forward to meeting you soon. Thank you.