Tokyo in One Day: Hotel Gracery Ginza — Guide Danda

What's a Private One-Day Tokyo Family Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

I guided a group visiting Japan via the Middle East. The day before, they had encountered a severe storm during their transit and were told their flight might be delayed, so I let them know it would be fine to move the tour to the 30th. However, they replied that they only had one day in Tokyo and would be heading to Hakone around midday on the 30th, so they wanted to keep the 29th, adding that one of them might not be feeling well and could cause some trouble. Because of this, I was prepared for a possible same-day cancellation, or at least to shorten the planned route, but when I met them in the morning everyone except one of the guests was full of energy and clearly looking forward to the tour, so I was pleasantly surprised. One of the guests had not eaten breakfast (I later learned there was a nut allergy) and was quite out of sorts until getting something to eat, but after having something bought at a convenience store in Ginza while sitting in the plaza in front of Tokyo Station, and again at the rest area in front of the bamboo grove at the East Gardens, they became full of energy, which was a relief. After that they were playful and called my name many times to chat with me. At one point, when I started going down the up staircase at the subway, I was told, "No, that's not right, you have to walk over here." So I am grateful to have spent such an enjoyable time with the group.

Today, learning from the previous day, I skipped the Inui Street area and went to the East Gardens instead, where the guests enjoyed the scenery of cherry blossoms, stone walls, and the moat. When I clapped my hands together with the guests to gather the koi, other foreign tourists began to gather and all started taking photos at once, which left me a little flustered. After that the guests kept clapping and having fun. I talked to them and gave them quizzes, doing everything I could to keep them from getting bored, and it was a nice touch that the parents in the group had given each of them a camera to carry (it reminded me of when I gave disposable cameras to my own children). For lunch, thinking about a place that could accommodate the nut allergy, I chose a restaurant near Meiji Shrine at Yoyogi, and the staff were truly attentive and thorough, which was reassuring. The guests were very satisfied, including with the food. After that we moved quickly, but they were amazed by the beautiful scenery of Zojoji Temple, and remarked that they could have taken more time if not for climbing the stairs at Tokyo Tower. Once again I felt how difficult it is to balance time management with consideration for the guests. Incidentally, everyone cleared the 600 steps in about ten minutes in high spirits. Finally, at the guests' request, we took a commemorative photo together in front of Nissan Crossing, and after receiving words of thanks from everyone, we parted ways. They were a very close-knit group.

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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.