Tokyo in One Day: Shibuya Station & Tsukiji Station — Guide Masa

Title: What Can You See on a Private One-Day Tour of Tokyo in the Rain? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, Ueno, Yanaka, and Tsukiji

The guest was a visitor from North America, traveling in Japan for the first time. They had arrived about a week earlier and were traveling in Japan alone. The stay in Japan was only eight days, and they had already visited Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara. The previous day they had taken a day trip to Mount Fuji, and they planned to depart from Haneda Airport the next day.

The guest mentioned, "I couldn't enjoy the cherry blossoms in the Kansai area. Today I'd like to see at least a little bit of the blossoms." It was a slightly chilly tour with light rain falling throughout.

First, we went to Asakusa. We started in front of Kaminarimon Gate. I explained about "Sensoji Temple and the history from Edo to Tokyo," "what the five-story pagoda is for," "what Buddhism is," and "the difference between Buddhism and Shinto." We took commemorative photos in front of Kaminarimon, the five-story pagoda, and various other spots. The weeping cherry blossoms on the temple grounds had mostly fallen. We took a leisurely stroll through the crowded Nakamise shopping street.

There were questions such as, "What are the main religions in Japan?", "How many Buddhists are there in Japan?", and "Besides Buddhism, what other religions do people believe in?" There was also a question: "I see many people wearing kimono on the temple grounds. Why is that? Are they all Japanese?"

The guest purchased a large number of "omamori" (amulets) as souvenirs for their grandchildren.

We moved on to Ueno and the National Museum. The guest said, "I'm very interested in Japanese history." They seemed especially fond of Buddhist statues and Buddhist paintings, and said, "I now understand Japan's long history well." Here again, they purchased "ukiyo-e postcards" and "folding fans" as souvenirs for their grandchildren.

We moved on to the Yanesen area. We strolled through the streets of Yanaka Ginza. I explained "the history and current state of Yanaka." The guest said, "I could imagine what old Japan was like."

Then we went to Tsukiji. Despite the light rain, it was quite crowded. After taking a quick look around Tsukiji Uogashi, we took a leisurely stroll through the outer market. I explained about "the history of the fish market since the Edo period" and "the difference between Toyosu Market and the Tsukiji outer market." There were questions and comments such as, "Do all Tokyo residents come here to buy fish?" and "It's crowded, but it does seem like there are a lot of tourists."

The guest wanted to try something to eat, so they tried "tuna sushi." The guest mentioned that their family members love "oysters" and "crab," and that one enjoys fishing as a hobby, going out to sea by boat every day. The guest said, "Next year, I will definitely bring my family and come back again."

There were comments and questions such as, "Tokyo is so clean, with no litter on the streets," "The public restrooms are clean," "There are no trash bins on the streets. Why is that?", "Everyone is quiet on the trains," and "I don't see any homeless people."

I saw the guest off at Shibuya Station, where we parted ways.

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

Tour Report by Masa

Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.