Tokyo in One Day: Asakusa & Nezu Festival — Guide Danda
September, 2026
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
- 10:00 Meet at hotel
- 10:30 Asakusa
- 12:30 Nezu Shrine, Yanaka district
- 13:30 Lunch at Hachidaime Denzaemon
- 14:30 Yanaka Cemetery, Yanaka Ginza
- 15:40 Nezu Festival
- 16:20 Disband at hotel
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 10:00 at hotel and ended at 16:20. The day ran to 6 hours and 20 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch at Hachidaime Denzaemon at 13:30.
Over the course of the day the route took in Asakusa at 10:30, Nezu Shrine, Yanaka district at 12:30, Yanaka Cemetery, Yanaka Ginza at 14:30 and Nezu Festival at 15:40.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Hibiya to Asakusa by subway (210JPY); Asakusa to Ueno-hirokoji by subway (180JPY); Yushima to Nezu by subway (180JPY); Nippori to Nishi-Nippori by train (160JPY); Nishi-Nippori to Nezu by subway (180JPY); Nezu to Hibiya by subway (180JPY). Across 6 sections the fare came to 1,090JPY per person.
Title: What's a Private Old-Town Tokyo Walking Tour of Asakusa, Nezu, and Yanaka Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from Europe. The day before, they had joined a guided tour of the Imperial Palace, the gardens, and Tsukiji, and in the evening they took part in a Shinjuku food tour. Today, since they wanted to see old townscapes, I guided them around Asakusa, Nezu, and Yanaka as they had requested. At a chopstick shop in Nakamise, they tried picking up konnyaku, and while it was impossible with ordinary chopsticks, they were amazed and delighted that they could easily grasp it with non-slip chopsticks, both enjoying it with big smiles. At Nezu Shrine, they thoroughly enjoyed passing through the row of red torii gates, though Yanaka did not seem to capture their interest as much. Since they had requested a local, typical Japanese restaurant for lunch, we went to a traditional restaurant. There was a wait of five parties and it took about 20 minutes to be seated, but as always the staff were courteous, the atmosphere was excellent, and they were satisfied to enjoy a delicious meal for the first time in Japanese style on tatami with a low table (they especially praised the stir-fried vegetables). At Yanaka Ginza, at a kimono shop priced at one yen per gram, they purchased one item, which weighed 956 grams and came to 1,052 yen including consumption tax, which also pleased them. As it happened to be the Nezu Festival today, we returned to Nezu once more at the end to see the mikoshi being carried. However, when heading from Nippori to Nishi-Nippori, the JR Yamanote Line was stopped due to an accident and the Keihin-Tohoku Line was also delayed, so we waited nearly 15 minutes on the platform. Back around Nezu Station, they were pleased to film video up close of the lively scene of the mikoshi being carried. Having arrived in Japan two nights earlier via Dubai, and after the demanding schedule of the previous day, one of the guests was tired throughout and rather quiet due to drowsiness, while the other was energetic and enjoyed sightseeing and shopping, chatting with me about various things.
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 | Subway | Hibiya～Asakusa | 210JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Asakusa～Ueno-hirokoji | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Yushima～Nezu | 180JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Nippori～Nishi-Nippori | 160JPY |
| Section 5 | Subway | Nishi-Nippori～Nezu | 180JPY |
| Section 6 | Subway | Nezu～Hibiya | 180JPY |
| Total | 1,090JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at hotel at 10:00, and the tour finished at hotel at 16:20.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours and 20 minutes in total, from 10:00 to 16:20.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Asakusa, Nezu Shrine, Yanaka district, Yanaka Cemetery, Yanaka Ginza and Nezu Festival.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,090JPY per person across 6 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Danda is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Nice to meet you. I am delighted to introduce myself. My nickname is Danda. I live in Saitama prefecture next to Tokyo, but I was brought up in Kanazawa, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. My favorite things are bonsai and hiking. Also, I have been a big fun of history and sumo since my childhood. As for the guide, I have enjoyed making communication with foreign visitors since 2019. I have taken more than 30 private groups to not only major scenic spots but also their favorite places such as tea ceremony, maid cafe, sumo tournament, bonsai village, fire ritual and so on. I can arrange the original tour based on your requests and curiosity. It will be only for you. I look forward to meeting you soon. Thank you.
Apr 21, 2026
Sabrina_F
Viator review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Balade riche en découvertes
Nous avons passé un super moment avec Danda.…
Apr 21, 2026
Sabrina_F
Viator review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Balade riche en découvertes
Nous avons passé un super moment avec Danda. D Asakuza au jardin de Hama rikyu en passant par Ginza et ses boutiques sans oublier le marché aux poissons. Nous avons appris plein de choses sur le Japon et avons pu acheter sur ses conseils du matcha et des baguettes personnalisées. 4h au top avec ma fille de 15 ans. En anglais.
発見に満ちた散策
私たちはダンダさんととても素晴らしい時間を過ごしました。浅草から浜離宮庭園、銀座のショップ、そして魚市場まで巡りました。日本について多くのことを学ぶことができ、また彼のアドバイスのおかげで抹茶や名入れの箸を購入することもできました。15歳の娘と一緒に過ごした4時間は最高でした。英語での対応でした。
Apr 14, 2026
davidjonesresponseen
Viator review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Walking tour with Danda in Tokyo
Excellent walking tour, we followed our…
Apr 14, 2026
davidjonesresponseen
Viator review: Tokyo 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Walking tour with Danda in Tokyo
Excellent walking tour, we followed our guides recommendations are were very pleased.
Great combination of Historic places, shrines, beautiful gardens and local shops and
restaurants/ bars. Our guide Danda was very informative and fun.
Apr 10, 2026
Anna_O
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour with great guide
Excellent tour with a very good guide…
Apr 10, 2026
Anna_O
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour with great guide
Excellent tour with a very good guide (Danda). The tour was well organized and the guide
communicated with us before finalizing the itinerary.
Mar 25, 2026
Nahmjee_L
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour guide and experience.
Danda was great with my family. He…
Mar 25, 2026
Nahmjee_L
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great tour guide and experience.
Danda was great with my family. He was thoughtful, kind and patient with our family and
we felt welcomed and comfortable with him. He went above and beyond to make sure we
were all set and prepared for great Japan trip experience. Highly recommend him!