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
- 12:00 Meet @ The Royal Park Canvas Ginza
- 12:15 @ Ginza 4-chome, Mitsukoshi Department Store
- 13:15 @ Asakusa
- 14:30 @ Ameyoko
- 15:30 @ Imperial Palace
- 16:30 @ Meiji Shrine
- 18:30 @ Disband @ Shibuya
What's a Full-Day Private Walking Tour of Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Ginza, Asakusa, and Shibuya
[Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) guide led a full-day private sightseeing tour of Tokyo for a group visiting from Europe. Starting from within walking distance of their accommodation, the group explored the basement food floor of a department store in Ginza 4-chome, browsing beautifully arranged bento boxes and sweets in a variety of colors, before heading to Asakusa. On the Nakamise shopping street, which was lively with school excursion students, the group enjoyed dango before visiting the main hall. From Rokku, they walked along the Shin-Nakamise shopping street and stopped by a dog cafe along the way. At Ameyoko, one of the guests visited one shop after another looking for sneakers. After paying a visit to Meiji Shrine, everyone bought soft serve ice cream and took a break. In the evening, when the crowds had grown, the group was thrilled at the Shibuya scramble crossing. Having seemed sleepy throughout the day, one of the guests suddenly regained energy and thoroughly enjoyed Shibuya.
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 | Free Pass | Ginza～Asakusa | 600JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Asakusa～Ueno | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Yushima～Nijubashi | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Nijubashi～Meiji-jingumae | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Meiji-jingumae～Shibuya | 0JPY |
| Total | 600JPY | ||
I thoroughly enjoy helping foreign visitors discover more about Japan with the latest information. Since 2016, I have conducted approximately 100 tours annually, primarily in Tokyo, Kamakura, Fuji, Hakone, and Nikko, catering especially to individual travelers.
From my experience as a guide, I believe that my happiness is directly tied to the happiness of my guests. Having lived in two overseas locations for a total of seven years and traveled to 65 countries worldwide, I possess extensive travel know-how and a deep understanding of travelers’ sentiments.
In Tokyo, I am particularly knowledgeable about the city’s geography, architecture, history, and culture. I would be delighted to accompany you and share the past, present, and future of this vibrant city. Whether it’s exploring the bustling streets of Shibuya, the serene temples of Asakusa, or the modern marvels of Odaiba, I can provide insights and stories that bring each location to life.
Additionally, my time abroad has given me a unique perspective on how to make travel experiences memorable and enjoyable. I understand the nuances of different cultures and can tailor my tours to meet the specific interests and needs of my guests. My goal is to ensure that every tour is not only informative but also engaging and fun.
I look forward to the opportunity to guide you through the wonders of Japan, sharing my passion for this beautiful country and creating unforgettable memories together.
Mar 28, 2026
Clark C
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Enjoying the peak of Sakura 2026 Tokyo
We were met at…
Mar 28, 2026
Clark C
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Enjoying the peak of Sakura 2026 Tokyo
We were met at our hotel by Hiro Chikata, a lovely man! He was very informative and presented many interesting facts as the day unfolded! It was an honor to share his company for the day! We visited the Imperial Palace, the Asakusa Sensoji Temple, as well as the Ueno Sakura Walk which was in full bloom! But, the highlight of our day was starting our morning at Shinjuku Gyoen Garden Park! Walking amidst the beauty of the 2026 Sakura peak was breathtaking! Thank you Hiro for teaching and guiding us. You made our day very memorable!
Jul 3, 2025
jenniferwood15820
Highlights of Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
HIRO took us to the most important landmarks in…
Jul 3, 2025
jenniferwood15820
Highlights of Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
HIRO took us to the most important landmarks in Tokyo. He was very informative and made
sure we went to every place that we wanted to see. Tokyo is very large and spread out so it
was nice to have a guide like HIRO that can take you around so you can navigate the city.
Jun 21, 2025
Nemuca6880
Amazing Tour with Hiro Chikata!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
I am so glad we booked a…
Jun 21, 2025
Nemuca6880
Amazing Tour with Hiro Chikata!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
I am so glad we booked a private tour through Trip Advisor (6 hour) and that Hiro Chikata was our tour guide! He was a great guide through Tokyo for our first day in Japan. We arrived late the night before into Japan, so our tour started at 10am. He was waiting promptly for us in the lobby of our hotel. We got right to the tour and were able to hit everything on our itinerary. We took the subway and he helped us purchase a 1-day pass that saved us a lot of money. Instead of using our SUICA for every train, this one day pass cost us ¥900 for the 3 of us! We were even able to use it the next morning before it expired. Be aware the subway machines don’t like foreign credit cards so I thankfully had enough yen to pay in cash. My credit cards worked everywhere else just fine (shops, Shinkansen trains etc)- just not the subway for some reason- he said it is normal.
Since I was interested in obtaining a goshuin at temples/shrines, he showed us the proper procedure for how to visit and helped me find the goshuin at all the temples/shrines. I was so happy! He took photos of us as a family at all the spots and i am so thankful to have those!
We stopped at a large department store and oh wow! I was overwhelmed with the food choices and bakery items. It is so amazing! We purchased lunch and went to the roof to sit outside and have a nice lunch.
We continued on our tour, seeing more of Tokyo and I was thankful to Hiro to provide history about the locations as well as tips while there. He was able to quickly get us to each spot and saved us so much time. If we had done it ourselves, it would have taken us so much longer!
He was such a pleasant host and I am so very thankful for our time together. I wish him the best and hope others are able to experience a tour with him! Thank you Hiro!
Jun 12, 2025
R1719GNcindyw
Wonderful two-day private tour!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We took the 2-day tour with Hiro Chikata.…
Jun 12, 2025
R1719GNcindyw
Wonderful two-day private tour!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We took the 2-day tour with Hiro Chikata. Hiro was a wonderful guide! He was so organized and reached out to us months in advance and planned a perfect itinerary and allowed us to substitute for some specific sites. He was able to get us to all of the things we planned and explained everything wonderfully. I feel like I learned more about Tokyo in two days then I had in a lifetime. Hiro made sure that we had everything we needed, and it made for a wonderful experience with my daughter. We never would have been able to see all the things we saw if we tried to do this on our own, and we definitely would not have understood even a quarter of what we took away from our tour.