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.

Tour Itinerary

  • 8:30 Guide (Kogure) arrives at hotel lobby
  • 9:00 Meet the guests at hotel lobby
  • 9:05 Depart from the hotel and walk to Zojoji Temple
  • 9:20〜10:05 Guide through Zojoji Temple
  • 10:05 Depart from Zojoji Temple and walk to Tokyo Tower
  • 10:15〜11:00 Guide through Tokyo Tower Main Deck (150m)
  • 11:00 Depart from Tokyo Tower and walk to Akabanebashi subway station
  • 11:14 Depart from Akabanebashi Station and head to Tsukiji Market Station via the subway Oedo Line
  • 11:21 Arrive at Tsukiji Market Station
  • 11:25〜11:40 Guide through Tsukiji Market and Namiyoke Shrine on foot
  • 11:40〜12:30 Lunch at Tsukiji Market (sushi restaurant reserved)
  • 12:30 Depart from Tsukiji Market and walk to Ginza
  • 12:45 Guide through the basement of Ginza Mitsukoshi Department Store and Ginza 4-chome
  • 12:54 Depart from Ginza Station and head to Shibuya Station via the subway Ginza Line
  • 13:09 Arrive at Shibuya Station
  • 13:10〜13:30 Guide through Shibuya Scramble Crossing and Hachiko
  • 13:37 Depart from Shibuya Station and head to Omotesando Station via the subway Hanzomon Line, then transfer to the subway Chiyoda Line
  • 13:45 Depart from Omotesando Station and head to Nijubashimae Station via the subway Chiyoda Line
  • 13:57 Arrive at Nijubashimae Station and walk to the Imperial Palace Nijubashi
  • 14:05〜14:35 Guide through the statue of Kusunoki Masashige at the Imperial Palace Plaza and the Imperial Palace Nijubashi
  • 14:43 Depart from Hibiya Station and head to Onarimon Station via the subway Mita Line
  • 14:46 Arrive at Onarimon Station and walk to the hotel
  • 14:55 Arrive at hotel lobby
  • 15:00 Bid farewell to the guests and finish work

Title: What Can You See on a Private Tokyo Day Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report on Zojoji, Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji, Shibuya, and the Imperial Palace

The guest, who had arrived in Tokyo the day before by cruise ship from North America, thoroughly enjoyed today's tour. During our email exchange beforehand, the guest requested a change to the destinations I had originally proposed. Because Senso-ji Temple, Meiji Shrine, and Harajuku were already planned for another tour I would guide the following day, the guest asked to avoid overlap and instead visit Zojoji Temple, Tokyo Tower, Tsukiji Market, Shibuya, and the Imperial Palace. I arranged and carried out the tour exactly as requested, and the guest was very pleased. Although it unfortunately rained in the morning, the guest took many photos at each spot, including the dignified atmosphere and history of Zojoji Temple, the view over the city from Tokyo Tower despite the rain, Tsukiji Market, Ginza 4-chome, the Shibuya Crossing, and the Imperial Palace. The guest also enjoyed eating sushi at Tsukiji Market. During the tour, we had a pleasant conversation about the climate, food, culture, and sports of Japan and North America. In addition, we visited Zojoji Temple and Namiyoke Shrine, where I explained the difference between temples and shrines, as well as how to pass through a torii gate, and the guest learned these customs.

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1SubwayAkabanebashi~Tsukiji Market180JPY
Section 2SubwayGinza~Shibuya210JPY
Section 3SubwayShibuya~Nijubashimae210JPY
Section 4SubwayHibiya~Onarimon180JPY
Total780JPY

Hello and how do you do?
My name is Nobuo Kokure, and please call me Nobby for short, if you want.
Let me introduce myself. I was born in Hayama, a beach resort area, Kanagawa prefecture, south of Tokyo. And I’m now living in Saginuma, Kawasaki city.
When I was a university student, I had the opportunities of doing a home stay with a family In U.S.A., Australia, and England, as a youth exchange student.
After graduation from the university, I started working at American Life Insurance Company, Japan (Alico, Japan), which is a group member company of AIG, now MetLife Insurance Company. I could have a chance to visit the head office and the field offices of U.S.A., Wilmington in Delaware, New York, Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale in Florida, Los Angeles, while I was working for Alico, Japan (Now, MetLife Insurance company).
I had been working for MetLife Insurance Company for about 38 years, in total.
After retiring from the life insurance company, I started working as a tour guide, because I wanted to become a tour guide to introduce culture, history, and manners and customs of Japan in English. It’s so different between my previous job and the guide business, but I like guide business a lot.
I can meet so many people from all over the world and the guide business has been thriving after the pandemic.
I have implemented the tour over 240 times, introduced Japan to more than 4300 tourists from 53 countries.

Not only Tokyo, but I have experienced touring around Nikko, Kamakura, Mt. Fuji & Hakone area, Takayama, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Hiroshima, etc. which are all very famous as a tourist spot in Japan.
If you go on a tour in Tokyo, you must see and visit Asakusa Sensoji Temple which is the oldest Buddhist Temple in Tokyo with histories and Nakamise Shopping Street where you can buy the souvenirs and try to taste Japanese sweets, such as doll cake which is the sponge cake in various shapes filled with red bean paste and Japanese powdered tea ice cream. Another my recommendation in Tokyo to visit is Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, and Shibuya. Meiji Shrine is one of the biggest shrines in Japan with quiet and peaceful atmosphere and magnificent site.
Harajuku and Shibuya are both fun to visit for shopping and experience the Shibuya Crossing.
I usually propose my tentative itinerary and ask if my plan is all right with the customer or not. My hobby is traveling around Japan and foreign countries and going to the gym for exercise.
I would like to work as a guide as long as possible if I’m in good health and my legs are strong, because I love this job.
I put my importance on the mind of OMOTENASHI which means sincere hospitality, though safety during the tour takes precedence, number one priority, before anything else.

I’m very looking forward to seeing you and touring with you in Japan soon.
Thank you!

Best regards,

Nobuo Kokure (Nobby)

Sep 29, 2026
jeffbM3390PI
Nuobo was awesome as our Tokyo tour guide.
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Sep 25, 2026
skipcooney
Customized private tour of Tokyo
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Sep 22, 2026
duncans746
Great guide!
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Nobuo was fantastic, very knowledgeable and shaped…

Sep 13, 2026
Culture25230012656
Very knowledgeable
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