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
- 10:00 Meet at Hotel Mystays Premier Hamamatsucho, however everyone gathered at 10:20, which was late. It took time to exchange the Tokyo Metro 24-hour tickets at the station. I learned for the first time that the Toei Subway doesn't work well with the machine.
- 11:00 Asakusa (Skytree photos), spent a lot of time shopping and taking photos. Took a break at the smoking area
- 13:05 Akihabara, shopping at Don Quijote took time. Also enjoyed the crane games
- 14:35 Meiji Jingu, took a break at the smoking area
- 15:40 Harajuku, shopped at the Nike store
- 16:15 Shibuya, Scramble Crossing
- 16:40 Dismiss at Shibuya Parco
Title: What Is a Private Tokyo Walking Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Meiji Shrine and Akihabara
The weather was pleasant, neither too hot nor rainy, which was fortunate. The tour started after the guests purchased a 24-hour Tokyo Metro pass at the hotel, but at Daimon Station on the Toei line the ticket could not be issued by scanning the barcode, so it took a little extra time. This was the first time I learned that some vending machine models cannot issue these tickets. The tour involved a lot of shopping and smoking breaks, and the guests enjoyed themselves at a slow pace, but we managed to finish only 30 minutes behind schedule. The guests love shopping and spent quite a lot of time at the Don Quijote in Akihabara. They also bought many charms at Meiji Shrine. A tip was received.
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 | Daimon (Tokyo)～Asakusa | 220JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Asakusa～Suehirocho (Tokyo) | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Shin-Ochanomizu～Meiji-jingumae | 210JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Meiji-jingumae～Shibuya | 180JPY |
| Total | 790JPY | ||
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.