Tokyo in One Day: Departure: Yotsugi & Shibuya — Guide Masa

Title: What Is a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Asakusa, Akihabara, Harajuku, and Shibuya

The guests were a group visiting Japan for the first time from Asia. They were staying in Japan for ten days. In Tokyo, in addition to a day trip to Mount Fuji, they planned to visit Disneyland, then travel to Kyoto and Osaka, and depart from Kansai International Airport. They had arrived at Narita Airport the previous day and taken the train to their accommodation, a bed and breakfast. The night before, they enjoyed yakiniku nearby. They told me that, despite the short stay, they wanted to enjoy as many places and as much Japanese food as possible before returning home.

The tour took place in colder-than-usual weather, with chilly winds and rain.

We first went to nearby Asakusa. I explained the history of Senso-ji Temple and the transition from Edo to Tokyo, what a five-story pagoda is, and the difference between Buddhism and Shinto. The guests asked questions such as "Do all Japanese people believe in Buddhism?", "What kind of teachings does Buddhism have?", "How do Shinto and Buddhism differ?", and "Are there any Catholic believers in Japan?"

The Nakamise shopping street was as crowded as ever. The guests bought and sampled strawberry candy.

We moved on to Akihabara. In the light rain, we visited Bic Camera and Don Quijote. The guests bought Pokemon goods and a large amount of snacks and packed them into their suitcases, telling me they were souvenirs to hand out to neighbors after returning home.

We then moved to Harajuku, first visiting Meiji Shrine. I explained what Shinto is, the difference between Buddhism and Shinto, and the history of Edo and the Meiji Restoration. The guests remarked, "It's wonderful to have such a green park in the center of the city," and we strolled briskly through the grounds. We also walked along Takeshita Street.

We moved to Shibuya, where I explained the history of the area. We walked across the Shibuya Scramble Crossing and took commemorative photos in front of the Hachiko statue.

As everyone loved ramen, we had a late lunch at a ramen shop. It seemed they all preferred tonkotsu ramen. They mentioned that ramen is also very popular where they come from.

The guests also commented, "Japanese people are all so polite," "Why are there no trash cans?", "The public restrooms in Japan are clean and pleasant," and "We don't see any homeless people."

I saw the guests off at Oshiage Station, ending the tour.

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.