Tokyo in One Day: Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo & Ueno Park — Guide Danda

Title: What Is a Rainy-Day Private Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Ryogoku, Asakusa, and Ueno

The guests were a family visiting from North America. The booking was originally for six, but some of the group chose to go their own way, so I guided four of them. Because the weather forecast the day before was poor, I asked via a messaging app in the evening whether they would like to push back the start time, and we agreed to change it from 8:00 to a 10:00 start. Since there had been almost no prior communication, the itinerary was completely undecided, but the guests were very pleasant and said something like, "Wherever is good — we'll leave it to you." As it was still raining heavily, I first recommended the Edo-Tokyo Museum, and they happily agreed, so we headed to Ryogoku. When we arrived there was quite a line, and one of the guests joked, "Everyone thinks the same thing." It took about 30 minutes to buy tickets. During that time, however, we were able to talk about many things, including introductions and the current situation in Japan (especially prices), so it was good in terms of building communication, and I think the wait did not feel very long. I had assumed that a licensed guide-interpreter would be admitted free, but the staff said a ticket was required, so the guests purchased one for me. I had also thought we could see the museum in about an hour, but there was surprisingly much to see, and it took considerably longer than planned. There were many questions along the way (I could not answer what used to be inside the Asakusa tower), and the guests enjoyed themselves, taking photos sitting inside a palanquin and carrying a night-soil bucket. By the time we reached Asakusa the rain had finally stopped, so we were able to sightsee without umbrellas. The guests were very fond of traditional structures such as the five-story pagoda and the gates, and took many photos — I lost count of how many times I heard, "Come over here, we're taking a photo." Everyone bought incense and bathed in the smoke of the large incense burner. Next, in front of the insect-food vending machine in Ameyoko, I suggested that the guests try it as a valuable future source of protein, which made everyone laugh, and one of them in particular found it so amusing that they bought a pack of four giant cricket cookies as a souvenir. There was a big cricket sitting right on top of the cookie, exactly as pictured (it was the first time I had actually seen anyone buy one). Finally, at Ueno Park, the guests were moved by the quiet atmosphere of the fresh greenery. As they had arranged to meet up with the rest of their group at Ueno Park, we parted ways there. It was a fun day, and I was able to talk with the guests about all sorts of topics throughout.

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

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.