Tokyo in One Day: Shin-okachimachi & Shibuya — Guide Masa

Can You Do a Private One-Day Tour of Tokyo Covering Tsukiji, Asakusa, Harajuku, and Shibuya? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan for the first time from North America. The group was expected to be larger, but one member's arrival was delayed by one day, so today I guided the group as it was. They had arrived at Narita Airport the previous evening and taken a series of trains to their hotel. The purpose of this visit to Japan was a longer trip, with several days in Tokyo, followed by Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, before returning to Tokyo and flying home. For today, they wanted to visit the main areas of Tokyo and get a sense of the transportation situation.

It was a rainy and chilly day, so we toured while holding umbrellas.

First, we went to Tsukiji. Despite the rain, it was as crowded as ever. I explained the history of the fish market dating back to the Edo period, and the difference between the Toyosu Market and the Tsukiji Outer Market. They asked whether all Tokyo residents come here to buy fish, and commented that although it was crowded, it seemed there were many tourists. They wanted to sample something, and in the end they purchased and tried "mochi with strawberry" and "matcha soft serve."

After that, we moved to Asakusa. Despite the rain, it was quite crowded. We started from in front of the Kaminarimon gate. I explained the history of Sensoji Temple and the shift from Edo to Tokyo, the purpose of the five-story pagoda, what Buddhism is, and the difference between Buddhism and Shinto. We took commemorative photos at the Kaminarimon and various spots, and strolled slowly through the crowded Nakamise shopping street. They asked what the main religions of Japan are, how many Buddhists there are in Japan, and what other religions people believe in.

We moved on to Harajuku and visited Meiji Shrine. I explained about Shinto, the torii gate, Emperor Meiji, and why sake barrels and wine barrels are displayed. They asked what kind of religion Shinto is and how Buddhism and Shinto differ. Despite the rain, a wedding ceremony was taking place, and they took photos. We rested at Forest Terrace Meiji Jingu.

We also strolled along Takeshita Street. They noticed a "cat cafe" and mentioned that the next day they planned to visit a sumo stable and a cat cafe in Asakusa.

We moved to Shibuya. At the request of one of the guests to eat ramen, we first went to Hidakaya. After that, we looked at Shibuya Scramble Square and crossed the scramble crossing on foot. They asked roughly how many people cross at once and why it became famous. We also took photos in front of the Hachiko statue. They commented and asked why the city is so clean with no litter, and why there are no trash cans on the streets.

I saw them off at Shin-Okachimachi Station, ending the tour.

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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.