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 hotel
- 9:15 Shinjuku Station
- 9:25 Harajuku Station
- 12:45 Shibuya Station
- 13:20 Asakusa Station
- 14:10 Asakusa Station
- 14:20 Ueno Station
- 15:00 Disband at Ueno Park
What's a Full-Day Private Walking Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America. It was their first time in Japan, but they had already traveled through Kyoto, Osaka, Shirakawa-go, and Kanazawa, and planned to enjoy Tokyo as the final part of their trip, so they were already accustomed to riding the trains. During our travel time, the guests had many questions arising from their previous experiences—things they had wondered about or wanted to confirm—and we talked almost nonstop with one another.
At Meiji Jingu, they were delighted by the water lilies and irises in the inner garden, and they noticed the azaleas whose blooming season had ended, so I mentioned that if they had come two months earlier, they would have seen them in full bloom. We walked while explaining various sights along Takeshita Street, Cat Street, Miyashita Park, and the Shibuya crossing. At Senso-ji Temple, a memorial service happened to be underway and the sound of sutra chanting could be heard, and they were delighted to hear it for the first time. At Ueno Park, they enjoyed the hydrangeas along the path. After giving an overview of the history of Kanei-ji Temple, I took them to Shinobazu Pond and the Great Buddha, then explained the way to the station and ended the tour.
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 | Train | Shinjuku～Harajuku | 160JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Shibuya～Asakusa | 260JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Asakusa～Ueno | 180JPY |
| Total | 600JPY | ||
Hello!
I’m Maddie, an English-speaking tour guide.
As a guide, I have been attending bus tours, Tokyo walk-around tours, and also, sumo wrestling tournaments tours.
I have lived in Tokyo for nearly 30 years and have enjoyed walking around this city, full of wonder, mixture of nature and artificial structures. I am happy to share my experience with you.
My hobbies are reading books including Manga, watching films including Anime. I like to watch various sorts of sports. I like to visit museums. And I am a tea ceremony practitioner, so I am quite familiar with green tea (matcha) and Japanese sweets.
I am looking forward to seeing you!
Jun 4, 2026
vadk2026
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo2026
We had an excellent 6-hour walking tour around Tokyo with Maddie.…
Jun 4, 2026
vadk2026
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo2026
We had an excellent 6-hour walking tour around Tokyo with Maddie. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the city’s history and culture come alive with interesting stories and local insights. The tour was well-paced, organized, and tailored to our interests. We saw so much in a short time and learned things we would never have discovered on our own. Highly recommend Maddie for anyone visiting Tokyo!
May 30, 2026
Heather_O
Viator review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Perfect intro to Japan!
We had a 4 hour private tour on…
May 30, 2026
Heather_O
Viator review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Perfect intro to Japan!
We had a 4 hour private tour on our first morning in Tokyo, and it was the perfect introduction to Japan! We had been contacted by our guide Maddie before the tour, and we told her a few of the places we wanted to visit. She helped us navigate the train station and walked us through all the areas we wanted to see, as well as many other stops along the way that we wouldn’t have seen without her. Maddie was very knowledgeable and friendly, and spoke very clear English. She knew exactly which routes to take, and we would have taken at least twice as long if we tried to go to all those areas without her. She was a great guide and we wished we could have taken her along for the rest of our trip!
May 29, 2026
jasonbO4660LV
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Afternoon in west Tokyo
Maddie was an excellent, knowledgeable guide who maintained…
May 29, 2026
jasonbO4660LV
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Afternoon in west Tokyo
Maddie was an excellent, knowledgeable guide who maintained flexibility as requirements
changed dynamically.
May 8, 2026
sebastianzO2366GR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great
We had a good time walking with Maddie through Tokio. She…
May 8, 2026
sebastianzO2366GR
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great
We had a good time walking with Maddie through Tokio. She provided us with a lot of
interesting facts and was always kind and helpful. Even with spontaneous ideas.