Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Sam

Title: What's a Private Group Tour of Tokyo's Modern Culture Spots (Harajuku, Shinjuku & Sunshine City) Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a large group of eight visiting Japan together.

I was curious about the name of the hotel set as the meeting point, so I looked it up and found that there are two similarly named hotels in Asakusa. Because the word "International" appeared in the guests' email, I was able to identify the correct one, but this made me keenly aware that when there are multiple hotels with similar names, confirmation is essential.

After first taking a commemorative photo at Kaminarimon, we spent most of the time in youth-oriented areas such as Harajuku. I guided the group to a café popular for its 3D latte art, as the guests had requested it in advance. We headed there around the 10:00 opening time, but it was somewhat crowded and we ended up having to wait. For this café, it seems that around 11:00 tends to be less busy and easier to get a seat.

Since I realized that everyone was more interested in contemporary culture than historical sites, I left Meiji Shrine off the itinerary and instead guided them to the Godzilla Head in Shinjuku and the "Shinjuku East Exit Cat," among other spots. I had heard that many of the guests were fond of Pokémon, so at the end I took them to the Pokémon Mega Center in Sunshine City, but the mood became a little divided between those who wanted to keep shopping and those who wanted to have a meal. At this point, with permission from the group, we ended the tour a bit early.

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Tour Report by Sam

Hi. My name is Masafumi Miyazaki. Please call me “Sam”. I am a government-licensed guide.
I was born in Tokyo and was raised in the suburbs of Tokyo called Tama area. When I was in university, I majored in western dramas, so I am good at playing like an actor.
I like reading, listening to the music, and walking. I belong to several walking clubs, and sometimes I guide the members around Tokyo.
One of my strengths as a guide is that I know well about kombu, Japanese kelps. In December every year, I work at a traditional kombu shop in Tsukiji Fish Market. At that shop, I learned a lot of things related to kombu or other ingredients for washoku. I can explain the different characteristics of them to you.
Also, I am familiar with Japanese flowers and plants. If you stroll around a Japanese garden with me, I am sure you will be able to enjoy beautiful flowers and unique plants in every season.
I look forward to meeting you. Thank you.