Tokyo in One Day: Meiji Shrine. — Guide Minoruasai

What Is a Private Tokyo Sightseeing Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group of visitors from North America. They arrived in Tokyo after a group trip that included a visit to Asia. This day was a free day for them, so they booked a tour, while ten other members of their larger group went to Mount Fuji. This group, however, lived in a region with many high mountains that they see all the time, so they preferred to skip Mount Fuji and explore Tokyo instead, which is why they booked a [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) tour. Since the itinerary had been finalized in advance through email, we reconfirmed it before setting out. Everyone walked with a very steady step, and they were a cheerful and lively group, which made for an enjoyable outing. For lunch they said something light would be fine, so we decided on ramen. I explained the various types of broth, and they preferred a tonkotsu (pork bone) based broth, so we went to a ramen restaurant. Everyone finished their bowls completely and were delighted, saying it was "very delicious." One thing that felt a little different from the usual tour was how much they enjoyed the observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Looking out at the buildings and parks below, they asked detailed questions like "What is that?" and I answered each one carefully, and they commented that it was "a very fun place." I had intended to see them off at their hotel in Tsukiji, but at Shibuya Station on the Ginza Line they said, "It's fine, we can get back on our own. We've already gone well over six hours, so we can part ways here. We are grateful for all the rich information you shared with us about Japan." With those words, we parted.

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Tour Report by MINORUASAI

I acquired national guide license in 2014, and I have been doing guide work full fledged since 2016. In my career before starting guide work, I was a business man and made more than 1,000 business trips both abroad and in Japan, and that experience is my foundation as a guide because I came to know so many places both abroad and in Japan. I have been taking care of both group and individual tourists, and the number of foreign guests I have taken care is close to 2,500 so far. I am based in Tokyo, but I can cover guide work in many prefectures throughout Japan. When I take care of foreign guests, my major concern is to listen attentively to them, find out what they want to know and do in Japan, and give them appropriate guiding in accordance with what I heard from my guests. I would like to provide tailor made tour as much as possible for every precious guest who kindly chose Japan as the tour destination.