Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Lance

Title: What Is a Private Food and Culture Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan, some based in North America, some based in Oceania, and one originally from Africa, who had been friends for many years. The guests worked in fields related to large-scale video equipment used for live events at separate companies, and they enjoyed traveling together nearly every year. When I asked what had connected them so strongly, they answered simply, "Because we all love a good drink."

One of the guests had requested "local Japanese food," so we went to a well-known restaurant in Tsukiji famous for its simmered fish, which had recently been featured on a Japanese TV program, and we savored nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch). The place was a little small and old, but the guests said, "This is exactly the kind of place I like." Afterwards, at another restaurant, we enjoyed wagyu beef, grilled skewers of king crab from Hokkaido, and sake. Looking at the bustling, cluttered streets of Tsukiji, one of the guests again said, "This is really my kind of place."

The guests were quite knowledgeable about Japan. At Nakamise, seeing the swords, they spoke of Miyamoto Musashi; seeing the giant straw sandal at Senso-ji Temple, they recalled the great straw sandal at Ko-no-Gongen in Hanno City; and they even knew about the ninja tool (kunai) that was being sold alongside shuriken.

At Meiji Shrine, when I introduced the offering sake barrels, one of the guests asked, "Is there any sake left inside?" so I answered, "It seems Emperor Meiji drank it all." When I explained that Emperor Meiji took the lead in promoting Westernization, wearing Western clothing and consuming beef and milk, one of the guests laughed and said, "Thanks to him, we can enjoy Kobe beef too."

One of the guests drew an omikuji fortune reading, "Take on the hardest challenges with all your effort," and shared a wry smile with another member of the group.

A notable stop on the tour was Meiji Shrine. Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Tokyo dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, set within a vast forested area of over 100,000 trees donated from across Japan. It is one of the most visited shrines in the country, especially during the New Year, and its rows of sake barrels offered to the enshrined deities are a well-known sight along the approach.

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Tour Report by Lance

I have been working as a tour guide once a week since 2024.
I grew up in Osaka and studied in Kyoto,
I have been working for the lvestock division of the national organization of agricultural cooperatives.
Japan depends on imports for most of its livestock feed ingredients.
I visited 10 countries on business and stayed in New Orleans working for a subsidiary company for 3 years.
I visited 10 other countries with my wife for sightseeing.
I also started writing Haiku, Japanese traditional poem, after retiring.
One of my favorite is ” Bundled up, you are like a Matryoshka.”
Looking forward to see you!