Tokyo in One Day: Meiji Shrine — Guide Toshi
March, 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
- 08:30 Tour begins, heading to Meiji Shrine by subway (from Kita-Sando).
- 09:00 Visit Meiji Shrine
- 10:00 After finishing, head to Takeshita Street (from Minami-Sando).
- 11:15 After strolling along Takeshita Street, head to Asakusa by subway.
- 11:40 Arrive at Asakusa, visit the 8F of the Culture and Tourism Center, Nakamise, Senso-ji Temple, and Asakusa Shrine. Also, had lunch with vegetarian sandwiches at a kebab shop.
- 13:45 Head to the Imperial Palace by subway. We tried to go to the special public opening of Inui-dori, but the wait seemed long, so we changed to the East Gardens and entered through Otemon Gate.
- 14:15 Stroll through the East Gardens
- 15:00 Exit through Kitahanebashimon Gate and head to Shibuya by subway.
- 15:40 Arrive at Shibuya, disband at the Scramble Crossing.
What Is a Private Cherry Blossom Walking Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
Visiting Japan for the first time, the guests seemed to find the cherry blossoms rare and beautiful, and took many photos. Even when I mentioned that we would go to spots where the blossoms were in fuller bloom, they kept taking pictures. On Takeshita Street, they spent a relatively long time choosing souvenirs at the very first shop that caught their eye. Even when I said there were similar shops at Nakamise, I think the same feeling as with the cherry blossoms — not wanting to miss this chance — led them to want to buy something right away. They seemed a little disappointed about giving up on Inui Street, but when I explained that the East Gardens have a similar charm, and that if it was just about cherry blossoms, Shinjuku Gyoen, which the guests planned to visit the next day, has more trees and more fully bloomed ones, they seemed to understand. One of the guests walked along energetically, which was a great help.
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 | Free Pass | Nishi-Shinjuku～Kita-Sando | 700JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Meiji-jingumae～Asakusa | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | Asakusa～Otemachi | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Free Pass | Takebashi～Shibuya | 0JPY |
| Total | 700JPY | ||
I have worked as a diplomat for 48 years until last year(2024), so I think I am good at explaining anything about Japan in English. Though I’m a novice as tour guide, l promise that I will make detailed and thorough preparations for guiding you and to make your trip smooth and enjoyable. I myself like to experience various means of transportation and interested in local culture, history and food. You may be a bit concerned about my age(71 years old), but I am quite fit for work. Just to prove this I wish to say that I played 5 rounds of golf this summer month of August, 2025.
Apr 16, 2026
127dougg
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Very enjoyable to have a day being toured about with no…
Apr 16, 2026
127dougg
Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Very enjoyable to have a day being toured about with no need for us to do all the advance planning.
We had Mr. Toshihisa as a guide for a day in Hakone. We might have been able to do the route ourselves but it was great to have a day with no planning, it was all done ahead of time by Toshi. We got an early start to avoid spending too much time in queues, which was great. Toshi is very knowledgeable and shared many explanations, stories and anecdotes with us, which was most appreciated. The Hakone FreePass made it very easy to navigate all of the various styles of transportation – highly recommended. Overall for us, this was a great experience.
Oct 25, 2025
Julia_G
Tokyo gardens and museums.
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Toshi is an excellent guide. He crafted a…
Oct 25, 2025
Julia_G
Tokyo gardens and museums.
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Toshi is an excellent guide. He crafted a beautiful tour of places I would not have found on
my own.
Oct 14, 2025
M
Manohar_S
Superb must see
Viator review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Very scenic and beautiful trip… Mr Toshi…
Oct 14, 2025
M
Manohar_S
Superb must see
Viator review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Very scenic and beautiful trip… Mr Toshi San was a very well educated and friendly guide…
he took us to all the most beautiful and scenic places.. he also was very helpful person and
made sure we had a good vegetarian lunch
Oct 7, 2025
Robert_H
Lots of walking. We are…
Viator review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
Lots of walking. We are…
Oct 7, 2025
Robert_H
Lots of walking. We are…
Viator review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
Lots of walking. We are all 70+ with 1 guest using a walker, and the guide was very
accommodating and flexible to our restrictions. Guide was knowledgeable and interesting.
Excellent English. Very good at helping us navigate the trains and subway.