Tokyo in One Day: Otemachi Station & Tochomae Station — Guide Masa

What Is a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, and Shibuya

The guests were a group visiting Japan from Oceania. It was everyone's first visit to Japan. They had arrived at Narita Airport the previous evening and taken the Narita Express to their hotel. Their stay in Japan was planned for two weeks. After spending four days in Tokyo, they intended to visit Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Hiroshima, and then depart from Kansai Airport. They said they were looking forward to "experiencing an onsen" and "seeing Mount Fuji." It was a clear day, but the tour took place in strong winds and somewhat chilly weather.

First, we went to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. I explained "about the Edo period and the Meiji Restoration," "why the capital changed from Kyoto to Tokyo," "why Edo Castle became the Imperial Palace," and "the current challenges facing the Imperial Family." There were questions such as "Does the Emperor really live inside here?" "Does the Emperor hold political power?" and "Is the Imperial Family respected and loved by the people?"

At 10:30, we took a light break at a cafe inside the station. We moved to Harajuku. At Meiji Shrine, I again explained "about the Meiji Restoration," "about Emperor Meiji," and "why wine barrels are displayed there." The guests said, "It's wonderful that there is such a green place in the city center. It feels great."

We then moved to Shibuya. Since the guests said, "We'd like to eat ramen," we had lunch at a ramen restaurant. The guests experienced the Scramble Crossing and took commemorative photos in front of the Hachiko statue. There were questions such as "Why are there so many people here? Are they mostly Japanese, or mostly tourists?" and "What was it like during Halloween?" We returned to Harajuku and went to Takeshita Street, one of the guests' requests. They were surprised by the huge crowds. At a souvenir shop, the guests bought a matcha tea bowl and chopstick rests as souvenirs. The guests also commented, "Japanese people are all so polite." "The streets are so clean. Why is there no litter?" "Why are there no trash cans on the streets?" and "The public restrooms are clean and pleasant." I saw them off at Tochomae Station, where we parted ways.

Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Masa

Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.