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.
Tour Itinerary
- １．10:00 Meet up ＠Hotel Kyobashi
- ２．10:30 ＠Ginza
- ３．11:00 ＠Imperial Palace (Sakuradamon Gate, Nijubashi Bridge, Main Gate)
- ４．12:00 ＠Tsukiji
- ５．12:20 Lunch ＠Tsukiji Tamazushi Harumi-dori Branch
- ６．13:10 ＠Kabukiza Theatre
- ７．13:45 ＠Asakusa
- ８．15:30 ＠Shibuya (Scramble Crossing, Hachiko Statue)
- ９．16:30 Dismiss ＠Hotel Kyobashi
Title: What Is a Private Tokyo Tour Like for Guests from North America? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting Japan from North America, some of whom were visiting Japan for the first time. One of the guests had visited Japan for sightseeing about twenty years ago. The guests often enjoy sushi and other Japanese food at a Japanese district in their home area, so they are quite familiar with good sushi. While one of the guests had eaten it several times before, they commented that "today's uni was delicious." One of the guests loves matcha both for its health benefits and its taste, and in Asakusa, despite the large crowds and a long line (waiting about twenty minutes), they purchased matcha, matcha ice cream, and Kyoto Uji matcha at a well-known matcha shop. They plan to visit Kyoto after Tokyo, and one of the guests said they intend to join a Kyoto Uji matcha tour even if the others did not come along. During their stay in Tokyo, the group also planned to watch a full kabuki performance.
A conversation about baseball began during lunch, sparked by one of the guests wearing a Dodgers T-shirt, and it turned out that some of the guests had been longtime Dodgers fans. One of the guests photographed the various advertising billboards featuring Shohei Ohtani that they saw around the city. One of the guests, who had an active international background, took up gardening enthusiastically after retirement and was an expert on garden plants whose knowledge far exceeded my own as a guide. They explained that the podocarpus at Tokyo Station, which is often used for garden trees and hedges in Japan, is pruned differently than in North America. They were also very keen on photographing the pines at the Imperial Palace. I heard that they have a black pine planted in the garden of their home.
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 | Free Pass | Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Kyobashi Station～Ginza Station | 900JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line Ginza-itchome Station～Sakuradamon Station | 0JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line Tokyo Station～Hibiya Line Tsukiji Station | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Free Pass | Toei Asakusa Line Higashi-ginza Station～Asakusa Station | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Free Pass | Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Asakusa Station～Shibuya Station | 0JPY |
| Section 6 | Free Pass | Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Shibuya Station～Kyobashi Station | 0JPY |
| Total | 900JPY | ||
Hello, I’m Noripy.
I am a lively woman in my 60s who loves having fun. My charm lies in my bright and approachable personality. Drawing on over 30 years of international experience, I began working as a tour guide in 2023. I have conducted over 100 tours annually, ensuring that my clients enjoy Tokyo and its surrounding areas. I have received high praise from a wide range of customers, from teenagers to people in their 80s. I cater to solo travelers, couples, newlyweds, families, and groups of up to about 10 people. Living in the heart of the city, I actively guide tours primarily in Tokyo. In addition to being certified in English, one of my strengths is being able to communicate effectively in Spanish as well.
I’m looking forward to meeting you all in Tokyo!
Sep 10, 2026
Sonal_G
Noripy is just the best
Viator review: Tokyo Vegetarian and Halal Food Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Noripy is such a…
Sep 10, 2026
Sonal_G
Noripy is just the best
Viator review: Tokyo Vegetarian and Halal Food Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Noripy is such a great guide and just a wonderful human being that felt like an old friend. We had first visited Tokyo eight years ago, so we had not planned on getting a tour, but we felt like we got both a Food Tour and a cultural tour with her and we were so grateful for both. My daughter is moving to Japan, and so we were excited to be here but we were disappointed that we had not been able to find vegetarian food as easily. Noripy had tips and tricks and language she suggested we use and helped us with our first vegan ramen which was excellent. I highly recommend anything you can do with a Noripy, you should run and go do it! She trained at Boston University and international relations, and had ties with both my daughters from her schooling which tickled us with delight. She is a spry woman and the kindest soul and I’m so glad our paths crossed as Tokyo came to life through her welcoming eyes. We were nervous about going on this tour because we had a bad experience with a different tour with someone else the night before, but she restored our faith in humanity and tour guides and that was a tall order.
Jul 3, 2026
Jody D
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Best Post cruise tour ever
It was…
Jul 3, 2026
Jody D
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Full Day Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle from Yokohama
Best Post cruise tour ever
It was a GREAT TOUR with Noripy! With a family of many different ages and walking levels this was fantastic. We were picked up from our cruise in Yokohama and dropped off at Haneda airport. We had about 10 hours before our flight and it went flawlessly.
June 19, 2026
Alec T
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Tokyo in 4 hours
Noripy was excellent! She guided us through…
June 19, 2026
Alec T
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo in 4 hours
Noripy was excellent! She guided us through several parts of the city: Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, Tokyo Tower, Sangedatsumon, Zojo-ji, Meiji Jingu, and Golden Gai. A great way to see many Tokyo sites and get acquainted with the city on your first day!
Jun 16, 2026
Hema_R
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lovely experience. My…
Lovely experience. My guide was an absolutely adorable lady…
Jun 16, 2026
Hema_R
Viator review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Lovely experience. My…
Lovely experience. My guide was an absolutely adorable lady who managed to fit all the iconic Tokyo spots into my 6-hour tour without anything feeling rushed. She was knowledgeable, organised, and genuinely kind. Toward the end she even helped me with some shopping, which I really appreciated. A wonderful introduction to Tokyo and a guide I’d happily recommend….