Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Noripy

Can You Do a 3-Day Private Tokyo Tour Before Traveling to Kanazawa? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan for the first time from Oceania. They had arrived at Narita the day before the tour and planned to sightsee in Tokyo before moving on to Kanazawa, and finally to enjoy skiing in Iida, Nagano. Coming from the Southern Hemisphere, where it is currently summer, and having just arrived from a region where temperatures do not drop much even in winter, they found the chilly weather in Tokyo very cold. The itinerary was based mainly on the guests' own wishes, and they mentioned that they would like to visit Takeshita Street at the end if time allowed. Starting from their accommodation near Tokyo Station, we walked past Nihonbashi Takashimaya and the Maruzen bookstore, viewing them from outside, and headed to the Yaesu exit of Tokyo Station. They asked about the Shinkansen tickets they had reserved online, so I checked the ticket type at the JR Central counter. Since it was a paper ticket type that required pickup, we completed the ticketing process, and I also purchased three Suica cards at the Marunouchi-side ticket machines. Because one of the guests showed a strong interest in food, I introduced a few recommended dining spots along the Yaeki restaurant street on the way. After that, we walked from Tokyo Station along Gyoko-dori to the Imperial Palace. One of the guests was interested in Japanese gardens, but since we had to skip entering the East Gardens due to time, I recommended it as a destination for another day and explained it using the information board. At Nezu Shrine, they experienced worship in the Shinto style, and they enjoyed taking many photos of the vermilion senbon torii gates. In the Yanaka shopping street, some of the guests bought souvenirs such as cat-shaped chopstick rests. In the Nakamise shopping street as well, one of the guests bought a strap with a small charm attached, seeming to prefer small and cute items. In the Yanaka shopping street, at an old-fashioned senbei cracker shop, they ate one soy-sauce-flavored and one sugar-coated soy-sauce cracker while walking, but since I had explained that the tempura in Asakusa is delicious, they held off from eating too much and looked forward to lunch. Soon after arriving in Asakusa, they had tempura soba at Sandaya and warmed up. They seemed satisfied. In observing the streets of Tokyo, one of the guests noted that there were few dogs seen in the city, no trash cans, that the city was clean and tidy, that there were few overweight people, and that no one was smoking while walking.

After lunch, we strolled through Sensoji, where one of the guests tried a strawberry skewer candy in the Nakamise shopping street. Only one of the guests tried an omikuji fortune and drew a "good luck" result. At the water purification fountain, only one of the guests, because it was cold, touched the water to purify themselves. On the Ginza Line heading from Asakusa to Harajuku (Meiji-jingumae), everyone was able to sit for about 25 minutes, and being tired, they dozed off and relaxed. We walked along the very crowded Takeshita Street, and they reacted to the real rainbow-colored cotton candy and the piglets seen through the glass of a piglet café. During our conversation before reaching Takeshita Street, one of the guests expressed a wish to visit a place called "Age.3." As a guide, it was a shop I had never heard of, and I had been pronouncing it "Age Three," but when I researched the details after the tour, I found it is pronounced "Agesan," a name that plays on the idea of deep-fried ("age") sandwiches. Checking on Google Maps, I found it was located quite close to Takeshita Street, so I guided them there and said goodbye.

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

Tour Report by Noripy

Hello, I’m Noripy.
I am a lively woman in my 60s who loves having fun. My charm lies in my bright and approachable personality. Drawing on over 30 years of international experience, I began working as a tour guide in 2023. I have conducted over 100 tours annually, ensuring that my clients enjoy Tokyo and its surrounding areas. I have received high praise from a wide range of customers, from teenagers to people in their 80s. I cater to solo travelers, couples, newlyweds, families, and groups of up to about 10 people. Living in the heart of the city, I actively guide tours primarily in Tokyo. In addition to being certified in English, one of my strengths is being able to communicate effectively in Spanish as well.
I’m looking forward to meeting you all in Tokyo!