Tokyo in One Day: Hotel Nishi-Shinjuku Gochome — Guide Danda

Title: What's a Private Walking Tour of Tsukiji, Yanaka, and Rikugien Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

I guided guests visiting from North America. They were very friendly and lively, so we were able to create an enjoyable time together. In advance, I had proposed three routes starting from Tsukiji (east, north, and west), and since they chose the north route, we visited Nezu Shrine, Yanaka, and Rikugien Garden. During our meeting, they specifically told me they wanted tempura soba for lunch, which made it easy to choose a restaurant. At Tsukiji, the guests enjoyed shopping and sampling food in many places, so although we went considerably over the planned time, they were very satisfied. Since they were interested in kitchen knives and ceramics, I introduced places such as Tagama in Kappabashi, and they decided to go there after today's tour. Also, while transferring at Hibiya Station, one of the guests received a joyful phone call from a close friend saying they had just been proposed to, and we became quite lively over that story. When I asked whether people always kneel down to propose, the answer was "of course," and I was asked "what do Japanese people do?" so I explained the Japanese temperament along with my own personal story, which drew a surprised "Really?" reaction. One of the guests loved flowers, so they were delighted by the azaleas at Nezu Shrine and Rikugien Garden, taking many photos and having a great time. The azalea garden at Nezu Shrine had many people lined up, so we only viewed it from the outside, but I think that was plenty (was the 800 yen entrance fee a price increase?). At Nezu Shrine they tried mitarashi dango, and in Yanaka they tried soy sauce senbei, both of which they found delicious — the senbei especially was rated as good, so they purchased shinagawa-maki at a nearby convenience store. For lunch, at a soba restaurant near Rikugien Garden, they finally had their long-awaited tempura soba and said "delicious" and "the atmosphere is nice too" as they enjoyed it. It was here that I first learned one of the guests was a vegetarian (fish is OK), so perhaps the soba restaurant had been thoughtfully chosen. At the end, when I asked which place was their favorite, one said "Rikugien" and the other said "Tsukiji." I explained the way to Tawaramachi, and we parted ways. The weather was good, and it was a wonderful day guiding such a cheerful and warm group, and I would be glad to spend time with them again.

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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.