Tokyo in One Day: @ Yamamoto-tei — Guide Hide

Can You Do a Private Group Tour of Tokyo and Shibamata? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting from North America. At the guests' request, the tour started not with a hotel pickup but with a meeting point in Asakusa.

Because the group was large, taking photos at each spot tended to require extra time, so this is a point to keep in mind.

The guests seemed to find the omikuji (fortune-telling paper) experience at Sensoji Temple enjoyable, and everyone took part in drawing one. After Sensoji, from the candidates I had proposed — Meiji Shrine and Taishakuten — the guests chose Taishakuten, so we visited Taishakuten. One of the guests who had drawn a "bad luck" fortune at Sensoji tried again with the "lion dance omikuji" at Taishakuten, and drew the very best fortune, which delighted everyone.

After visiting Yamamoto-tei, we moved on to Tsukiji. Since they had mentioned wanting to eat sushi during our earlier conversations, we went into a sushi restaurant, but they felt there was nothing there for them to eat, so they only had drinks and then had lunch at the food court "Uogashi Shokudo." The sushi menu was a bit disappointing, but overall I think they were pleased, which I was glad about.

Point for reflection: When tourists say "I like sushi" or "I eat sushi," do not take it at face value; show them the specific menu (photos and prices) in advance to confirm. A conveyor-belt-style sushi place might actually be better, as it tends to offer a wider variety of menu options.

Request: Just before the tour, there was a request to change the number of guests from 10 to 11, and although I replied by email with a CC to [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) asking them to confirm, the page for this booking still lists 10 guests. Does this change in the number of guests have no effect on the pricing?

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

Tour Report by Hide

I registered as a national guide in February 2015 and began working as an interpreter guide in 2019. I have been guiding throughout Tokyo (I was born and raised in Setagaya and went to elementary and junior high school in Aoyama, Minato-ku. I am familiar with sightseeing spots and gourmet food in this area, including Shibuya), and I now live in Kanagawa (Yokohama where I have lived more than 30 years, and Kamakura, Odawara, Hakone)
I worked for the Japanese branch of an American advertising company for over 30 years and, thus, have deep knowledge of marketing and branding.
My hobbies are travel (domestic and international) and bicycling (I have participated in the Tour de Okinawa citizens’ race every year since 2017. I ride approx. 7,000 kilometers a year). When traveling in Japan, I enjoy traditional crafts, local products, food, and sake from each region. I am also active in a band as a third hobby, performing live once a year for ten years.
As a guide, I mainly guide small groups (about 4-5 people), where I can communicate more closely and politely with them, rather than large groups.
My activity aims to deepen the understanding of Japanese traditional culture and the Japanese people among foreign visitors and to make a small contribution to making Japan the number one country to revisit in their hearts.