Tokyo in One Day: Shinjuku-gyoemmae & Shibuya — Guide Masa

What Can You See on a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report on Tsukiji, Asakusa, Yanaka, and Shibuya

The guests were visiting Japan for the first time, arriving from Europe. The purpose of this trip to Japan was to board an 11-day cruise departing from the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, starting the day after next. They had arrived at Haneda Airport the previous night and taken a taxi to their hotel. The night before, they had joined a food tour in the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku. They said they wanted to see the main sights of Tokyo today, and to relax at the hotel the following day. They also mentioned they wanted to enjoy eating from food stalls.

Although it was overcast, we were able to finish the tour without rain. It took some time to meet the guests (as described later), so we departed about 30 minutes later than planned.

First, we went to Tsukiji. As always, it was very crowded. I explained "the history of the fish market since the Edo period" and "the difference between the 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 is crowded, but it does seem there are many tourists." They said they wanted to try something, but not raw fish. In the end they purchased and sampled grilled king crab, shumai dumplings, and fried oysters. They also purchased matcha.

After that, we moved to Asakusa. We started from the front of Kaminarimon Gate. I explained "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 at Kaminarimon and various spots, and slowly strolled along the fully packed 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 follow?" There was also a question about why one sees people wearing kimono within the temple grounds.

Since they expressed a wish to go somewhere off the usual tourist track and not crowded, we headed to the Yanaka-Nezu-Sendagi area. About Yanaka Ginza, they commented, "It is quiet and calm; this is the kind of place we wanted to visit." At a bakery, they purchased and sampled sandwiches. They also had beer at a standing bar. At Nezu Shrine, we passed through the torii gates and paid our respects. The azaleas were nearly in full bloom. They said, "Unlike Asakusa, it is quiet, and I prefer this."

We moved to Shibuya. Looking at Shibuya Scramble Square, they said, "I do not want to walk inside there." There were also questions such as "About how many people cross at once?" and "Why did it become famous?" We also took photos in front of the Hachiko statue.

There were comments and questions such as "The city is clean and there is no litter on the ground. We sometimes travel to various parts of Europe, but everywhere is full of trash," "There are no trash bins on the streets. Why is that?" "Everyone is quiet on the trains," "The subway is far better made than the London Underground," and "There are vending machines everywhere."

We saw them off at Shinjuku-Gyoemmae Station and 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.