This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 9:00 Meet at Courtyard by Marriott Tokyo Ginza
- 9:35 Imperial Palace East Gardens
- 11:25 Shibamata. After visiting Taishakuten Temple, snacks at a dango shop
- 12:50 Asakusa, one person felt unwell and returned to the hotel by taxi from here. Took photos of Skytree and visited Sensoji Temple
- 13:45 Lunch @ Handmade Soba Towada (we were told mipig café admits entry from 14:00, so this also served to kill some time)
- 14:05 mipig cafe Asakusa branch (guests only) until 14:45
- 15:00 Disband at Kanda Station on the Ginza Line (guests headed to Harajuku)
What Is a Private Tokyo Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Higashi Gyoen, Shibamata, and Asakusa
The weather was fairly good, and the tour proceeded smoothly. Since the guests had no IC cards, we started by purchasing 24-hour subway passes. At the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Higashi Gyoen), it became apparent that one of the guests was not feeling well, so we proceeded with the tour taking frequent breaks. In Shibamata, this guest did not go up to Taishakuten Temple and rested at a shop instead. The hydrangeas at Taishakuten were beautiful and well received. After moving from Shibamata to Asakusa, this guest decided to return to the hotel, so we called an Uber and saw them off. After visiting Sensoji Temple, we looked into the mipig cafe as requested, but were told to come back in 15 minutes, so we passed the time by eating soba. The guests seemed to enjoy the mipig cafe and even showed me their photos. The original plan was to see them off in Harajuku and end the tour there, but we ran out of time, so I gave directions to Takeshita Street in Harajuku and the guiding concluded on the Ginza Line. Received a tip.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Free Pass | Ginza～Takebashi | 700JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Otemachi～Ayase | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Ayase～Shibamata | 350JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Shibamata～Asakusa | 380JPY |
| Section 5 | Free Pass | Asakusa～Kanda | 0JPY |
| Total | 1,430JPY | ||
My name is Eiji Kobayashi (Mr.), and I will be your guide during your stay in Tokyo.
Please call me Koba.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter of Japan and an expert in Japanese history and culture, and also in nursing and health. I usually work as a Public Health Nurse (PHN) at a Public Health Center in Tokyo, and I hold a Registered Nurse (RN) license. Additionally, I have a Ph.D. in medical science.
Born in 1957 and raised in Tokyo, I have worked for 33 years mainly in the research and development area for some pharmaceutical companies. Then, I changed my career to nursing and entered a university to obtain a PHN and RN license. I took the Licensed Guide for preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and volunteered in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.
Jul 21, 2026
scottsD8777AR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Great Touring Tokyo
Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly…
Jul 21, 2026
scottsD8777AR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Great Touring Tokyo
Koba is an excellent tour guide. We greatly appreciated his knowledge of the history of Tokyo and Japan and his very pleasant demeanor. He is a true gentleman and was a pleasure to tour with in Tokyo.
Jul 9, 2026
Quest36994121691
First visit to Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This was our first visit…
Jul 9, 2026
Quest36994121691
First visit to Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
This was our first visit to Tokyo, and our tour with Koba made the experience truly exceptional. We’re a family of four with two teenage boys (14 and 16), and Koba was wonderfully kind, patient, and engaging with each of us. The experience started even before we arrived—his first communications laid out a thoughtful, customized itinerary that perfectly matched our interests as first-time visitors. Our six hours together were full, seamless, and incredibly rewarding. Koba’s deep knowledge of the city, his attention to detail, and his warm, easygoing approach made the tour an ideal fit for our family. It was the perfect way to get a broad yet meaningful introduction to Tokyo in a short time. We’re so grateful he was our guide and highly recommend him to anyone visiting the city.
Jul 8, 2026
Χρονης Π
A beautiful tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
It was a perfect experience…
Jul 8, 2026
Χρονης Π
A beautiful tour
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
It was a perfect experience see learned a lot about Tokyo and our guide Koba was perfect in every way and very helpful. We had a perfect time together.Thank you Koba
Jul 5, 2026
I3699SBjonathanw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
6hr Tokyo guide great experience
Koba was so nice to my family…
Jul 5, 2026
I3699SBjonathanw
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
6hr Tokyo guide great experience
Koba was so nice to my family and I. He was patient and helped carry a large toy my daughter won. I wished we had another day. Having a guide saved us hours of navigating the subway and metro.