Tokyo in One Day: Meiji Shrine — Guide Tatsuki
October, 2024
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
- 8:00 Pick up at Hotel
- 8:15 – 8:50 Travel from Tameike-Sanno Station to Asakusa Station
- 8:50 – 10:30 Komagatado, Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa Shrine, Nakamise, Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
- 10:30 – 10:45 Travel from Asakusa Station to Suehirocho Station
- 10:45 – 11:20 Stroll around Akihabara, shopping at Bic Camera AKIBA
- 11:20 – 11:45 From Kanda Station to Shibuya Station
- 11:45 – 13:00 Scramble Crossing, Hachiko, Miyashita Park, lunch at Scramble Square
- 13:00 – 13:10 From Shibuya Station to Meiji-jingumae Station
- 13:10 – 14:00 Visit Meiji Shrine
- 14:00 – 14:20 Travel from Yoyogi Station to Tameike-Sanno Station, disband
Title: What Can You See on a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, Shibuya, and Meiji Shrine
Communication had been handled entirely through a messaging app from the start, so the prior exchanges were not recorded in the system. The guests had wished to visit Meiji Shrine, Shibuya Crossing, Shinjuku Gyoen, and Akihabara, and planned to visit Senso-ji on their own the following morning. However, since Shinjuku Gyoen is closed on Mondays, I rearranged the itinerary to include Senso-ji on the tour and move Shinjuku Gyoen to the next day. We arrived in Asakusa early, so we first visited Komagatado, the birthplace of Senso-ji, and since the Nakamise shopping street was just beginning to open and less crowded, the guests took many photos at the Kaminarimon gate and within the temple grounds. On the way back, we passed through Nakamise again, and the guests were amazed by how crowded it had become. They mentioned wanting to stop at a Nintendo store somewhere during the day, and they were able to get the Nintendo Switch they wanted at a large electronics store in Akihabara. At the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, they wanted to take a photo with the Hachiko statue, but the line looked like it would take about a 30-minute wait, so we opted for a photo from the side instead. Here they said they wanted to have wagyu beef for lunch, so we went to Shibuya Scramble Square. The first place we looked at was 15,000 yen per person, which was quite expensive, and the shabu-shabu lunch restaurant had a long waiting line, but a place serving wagyu beef bowls could seat us at the counter, so I helped them order the 3,500 yen meal and they dined together. From the far exit of Meiji-Jingumae Station, I explained about the Omotesando buildings covered in a recent training session, and then we visited Meiji Shrine. After the tour, the guests planned to go to Ginza on their own, so I offered to end the tour in Ginza, but since they wanted to drop off their luggage at the hotel first before heading out, we parted ways at Tameike-Sanno Station. They took a great many photos and posted them to social media on the spot, so I chose a route that would be as photogenic as possible.
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 | Tameike-Sanno～Asakusa | 210JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Asakusa～Suehirocho | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Subway | Kanda～Shibuya | 210JPY |
| Section 4 | Subway | Shibuya～Meiji-jingumae | 180JPY |
| Section 5 | Subway | Yoyogi～Tameike-Sanno | 290JPY |
| Total | 1,070JPY | ||
I am Tatsuki Endo, English speaking guide, as well as Kikisake-shi (Sommelier of Sake) and Beer navigator.
My usual activity is walking tours around Tokyo area, including Yokohama, Kamakura and Hakone. There are a lot to see, just let me know what your interests are and I can suggest where to visit.
If you are interested in hidden gem, here are some examples;
Kawasaki, located between Tokyo and Yokohama near Haneda Airport, is the second station of the fifty-three stations of the Tokaido, the 400 years old highway towards Kyoto from Edo (old name of Tokyo). You can do Hand-cut glass experiment, stopping at a bar for sake tasting, visiting Kawasaki-Daishi temple that receives 3 million worshippers in the new year period.
Another spot is Echigo-Yuzawa in Niigata prefecture, 75 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen train. Echigo-Yuzawa is “Onsen” (hot springs) town. You can enjoy visiting Sake brewery, skiing in winter, veiwing Sakura (cherry blossom) in spring. Appreciation of contemporary art displays in open air and old carvings at temples, in neighboring towns will be also memorable experience.
I am so excited to show you around !
Tatsuki
Government Licensed Guide Interpreter (English)
Kikisake-shi (Sommelier of Sake)
Beer Navigator
Jul 22, 2026
melanierK3084ZH
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Memorable!
Our private tour with Tatsuki was fabulous! He was friendly,…
Jul 22, 2026
melanierK3084ZH
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Memorable!
Our private tour with Tatsuki was fabulous! He was friendly, knowledgeable and kind. Our visit to the Gotokuji Temple was our first time at a temple. Thanks to Tatsuki, we had a enriching and fun experience! He even researched the time to catch the cat train for our return. At our lunch together, Tatsuki generously answered all of our questions. As Tatsuki is also a sake sommelier, my husband enjoyed learning about and trying different sake! It was hot (97 degrees!). Tatsuki was so thoughtful about our wellbeing. He even had a cooling pouch and hydration packs for us when we needed it. This made our visit to the Imperial Palace gardens manageable. Tatsuki made our day so smooth. Thanks to him, we didn’t have to think about logistics and we saw more. We enjoyed his company and commentary.
Jun 28, 2026
Narzahni_C
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Excellent Tour Guide
I had a wonderful experience with Tatsuki. He was…
Jun 28, 2026
Narzahni_C
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Excellent Tour Guide
I had a wonderful experience with Tatsuki. He was professional, informative, articulate, and incredibly kind throughout the tour. He shared fascinating insights about Tokyo’s history and culture while making the day enjoyable and personalized. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and friendly guide.
May 27, 2026
nomadicmongrel
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great introduction to the city
Tatsuki Endo showed us around some Tokyo…
May 27, 2026
nomadicmongrel
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great introduction to the city
Tatsuki Endo showed us around some Tokyo highlights as it was our first time here. He helped us navigate the public transport, answered all our endless questions, showed us cool land marks, showed us some insider look out points for minimum crowds but maximum views, introduced us to Sake and taught me how to use chopsticks! We had the best day and it was a fabulous introduction to a fabulous city. Thank you Tatsuki!
Apr 20, 2026
B8510VNrichardf
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
The Perfect Shore Excursion to Explore Tokyo
Four of us…
Apr 20, 2026
B8510VNrichardf
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide from Yokohama
The Perfect Shore Excursion to Explore Tokyo
Four of us had a great Tokyo adventure with Tatsuki. He met us in the Yokohama cruise terminal on time and escorted us on a series of trains to Tokyo, including a diversion we requested to ride the Shinkansen bullet train. Having a knowledgable local guide made the experience much easier and trouble free than doing it on our own, and based on reports from shipmates it sounds like doing the tour this way on foot and by train was more enjoyable and memorable than experiencing Tokyo via car or bus tours. Tatsuki spoke perfect English and provided a wealth of information about the places we visited. Highly recommended!