Tokyo in One Day: Shinjuku Station & Shibuya Station — Guide Masa

Title: What Is a Private One-Day Tokyo Tour Like in Bad Weather? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan from Europe, all traveling to Japan for the first time. They were staying in Japan for about two weeks. From the day after next, they planned to travel to Kanazawa, Kaga Onsen, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima before returning to Tokyo and heading home.

The previous evening, they had arrived at Narita Airport from Europe via a connecting flight, then took the Narita Express to Shinjuku. The night before, they strolled around the Kabukicho area near their hotel and enjoyed ramen. Tomorrow they plan to visit teamLab and Tokyo Skytree. All of them had already set up Suica cards on their phones. They also mentioned that the surrounding noise had been quite loud, so they had not slept very well.

This turned out to be a tour under the worst possible weather, with thunder, snow, and then rain in succession.

First, we headed to Asakusa, as requested. As always, it was extremely crowded. I explained about "Sensoji Temple and the history from Edo to Tokyo," "what a five-story pagoda is," "what Buddhism is," and "the difference between Buddhism and Shinto." There were further questions such as "Do all Japanese people believe in Buddhism?" and "What kind of teaching is Shinto?" They drew omikuji fortunes, and the guests purchased omamori charms (they were concerned about a safe childbirth for a family member). We strolled along the Nakamise shopping street, and they bought folding fans as souvenirs. Along the way, they also bought and tried strawberry candy.

Next, we moved to Tsukiji. Despite the bad weather, there was a large crowd. I explained about "the history of the fish market since the Edo period" and "the difference between Toyosu Market and the Tsukiji Outer Market." We browsed various shops and bought coffee at a cafe. There were questions such as "Why are there so many people here?" and "Do all people in Tokyo come here to buy fish?" They said they really wanted to eat sushi here, so we went for an early lunch at a sushi restaurant in Tsukiji. They ordered quite a large amount of sushi, but finished it all. They said, "This is far fresher and more delicious than the sushi restaurants back home."

From there, we went to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. We strolled through the East Gardens, where a few early-blooming cherry trees could be seen, and we took commemorative photos in front of them. I explained about "the transition from the Edo period to the Meiji era," "the Meiji Restoration," "why Edo Castle became the Imperial Palace," and "an overview of the current Imperial Household." They commented, "The pine trees are beautiful," and asked questions such as "Does the Emperor really live inside here?" and "Does the Emperor hold any political power?" Around this time, the rain finally stopped.

We moved to Shibuya. I explained about "the history of Shibuya." We walked across the Scramble Square area and took commemorative photos in front of the Hachiko statue. We then went to Shibuya Parco, where they bought Pokemon goods as a souvenir for a family member. They commented, "Japanese people are all so polite," "There is no litter on the streets," and "Japan's public toilets are clean and pleasant. The public toilets in Europe are terrible." They also said, "The subway is clean and quiet. We don't have a system like this back home."

I saw them off at Shinjuku Station, and 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.