Tokyo in One Day: Koishikawa Korakuen & Nezu — Guide Toru
February, 2026
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
- 09:00 Meet at the hotel
- 09:10 Pick up the guest's upcoming JR tickets at Shinjuku Station.
- 09:30 Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
- 10:45 Goma fire ritual at Fukagawa Fudodo
- 11:50 Lunch at a standing sushi bar in Monzen-Nakacho
- 13:00 Tea ceremony experience in Yanaka
- 13:50 Visit a Japanese painting gallery
- 14:20 Visit Nezu Shrine
- 15:00 See off at Kasumigaseki Station and disband
Title: What's a Relaxed Private Tour of Tokyo's Quiet Cultural Spots Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
1. The tour and the guests' reactions The guests were visitors from North America, and one of them was scheduled to run the Tokyo Marathon the following day. They requested a relaxed sightseeing experience the day before the marathon, so I arranged a tour that avoided crowds, which they greatly appreciated. At Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, they were moved by the lovely fragrance of the plum blossoms still in bloom, and they happily took many photos of the early-blooming kanhizakura cherry blossoms. They enjoyed amazake from a stall along the way and were surprised by the natural sweetness of the rice. During the goma fire ritual at Fukagawa Fudoson Temple, they were deeply moved by the flames of the sacred fire and the sound of the great taiko drums. They had their Apple Watch purified in the goma flames and were delighted, saying they would wear it while running the marathon the next day. At the tea ceremony experience in Yanaka, they were pleased to receive a serving of tea made with antique tea utensils. At Nezu Shrine, they enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.
2. Other impressions and notes Following the guests' wishes, I planned an itinerary that avoided popular but crowded spots such as Asakusa and the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, and instead chose places and attractions that strongly preserve traditional Japanese culture yet are not overrun with tourists. The guests were very happy with this plan, and as a guide I felt a great sense of accomplishment and joy. They shared the race number for the next day's Tokyo Marathon, so I would like to cheer them on by checking their running position on the official Tokyo Marathon website.
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 | Train | Shinjuku～Suidobashi | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Suidobashi～Monzen-Nakacho | 330JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Monzen-Nakacho～Nippori | 370JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Nezu～Kasumigaseki (Tokyo) | 180JPY |
| Total | 1,060JPY | ||
Hello, I am Toru, a certified National Guide. I have been guiding since 2017, primarily in the Tokyo area, which includes Hakone, Kamakura, and Yokohama. To make your stay in Japan unforgettable, I always discuss a tour plan with my guests via email before their arrival. Please share your preferences, including the places you’d like to visit and the experiences you’d like to try during your stay in Tokyo. If this is your first visit to Japan, I’m excited to help make your time in Tokyo even more enjoyable by suggesting sample itineraries and offering travel tips.
For more information about me, please visit my profile site.
https://japan-cultural-traditional-experience.com/hello-welcome-to-japan/
For your reference, please feel free to visit my blog, which features popular sightseeing spots and interesting experiences.
https://japan-cultural-traditional-experience.com/
I look forward to meeting you soon!
July 2, 2026
David S
Tripadvisor : Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
Incredible experience at the Markets!
Toru…
July 2, 2026
David S
Tripadvisor : Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
Incredible experience at the Markets!
Toru was an AMAZING host and tour guide. He went above and beyond with communication prior, during, and after to make sure my Son and I had an incredible experience. He was unbelievably knowledgeable and catered the tour to what we wanted as well. The sushi breakfast was unreal! Learning all about both Toyosu and Tsukiji markets was an experience we will never forget. 10 out of 10 for sure!!
Jun 6, 2026
meltemg957
Unique experience with a highly knowledgeable guide
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide…
Jun 6, 2026
meltemg957
Unique experience with a highly knowledgeable guide
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
This was our first time visiting a fish market, and from the time we booked the experience, Toru-san has been amazing. He helped us get to Toyosu market, where the tuna auction takes place, at the right time to get the best views and explained everything about how the auction works and made sure we didn’t miss anything. (You will need a knowledgeable tour guide because everything happens so fast and you might miss it!) We learned so much during such a short time about how the delicious tuna you eat at a sushi restaurant ends up in front of you. After the auction Toru-san took us to Okame, a great sushi restaurant, where we got to experience delicious sushi breakfast. Our next stop was Tsukiji market, and again we got to try all sorts of food and learn more about the market and got to meet some of the vendors. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. If you are interested in cooking, Japanese cuisine, or know someone home, this tour will give you the opportunity to do some shopping for unique souvenirs.
We had to get to Toyosu market before 5 am, and while you might think it’s too early, but why not do something fun and delicious with your jetlag? It was so worth it and I’m glad we chose to spend our first morning in Tokyo with Toru-san. The other advantage of being so early was that the market was not as crowded and we got to enjoy our time without having to wait in line.
Thank you, Toru-san!
Jun 4, 2026
bluejerky1
Turo was knowledgeable and the tour was fun and fun and informative. Highly recommend.
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction…
Jun 4, 2026
bluejerky1
Turo was knowledgeable and the tour was fun and fun and informative. Highly recommend.
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
The tour was great. We got to learn a lot about sushi and really enjoyed our time in the
market as well.
May 29, 2026
Eva P
Fabulous experience with Toru!
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
Toru was…
May 29, 2026
Eva P
Fabulous experience with Toru!
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
Toru was a fantastic guide and made our experience one to remember. He picked us up
from the hotel and clearly knew how to be there early to get a good view. He also took us to
a delicious sushi place thereafter which the whole family enjoyed.