Tokyo: Tamagawa Daishi — Guide Yoko
March, 2025
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. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 9:00 Meet @andaz
- 9:40 Tamagawa Daishi
- 11:00 Jidayubori Park Folk House Garden
- 12:30 Lunch @Inaseya
- 14:00 Gotokuji Temple, Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine
- 15:00 Disband @Gotokuji Station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Tokyo began at 9:00, when the guide met the guests at @andaz, and finished at 15:00. The day ran to 6 hours from start to finish. It included lunch @Inaseya at 12:30.
From there the group visited Tamagawa Daishi at 9:40, Jidayubori Park Folk House Garden at 11:00 and Gotokuji Temple, Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine at 14:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Toranomon to Shibuya by subway (180JPY); Shibuya to Futako-Tamagawa by train (230JPY); Nakakouchi to Jidayubori Park by bus (230JPY); Jidayubori Park to Seijogakuen-mae by bus (230JPY); Seijogakuen-mae to Gotokuji by train (170JPY). Across 5 sections the fare came to 1,040JPY per person.
Title: What Is an Off-the-Beaten-Path Private Tour of Setagaya, Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. Due to their schedule, the guide day was changed, and the tour took place on a public holiday.
Since they had no particular destination in mind, I proposed three courses and let them choose from among them. The guests selected the Setagaya course. Apart from Gotokuji Temple, these places are not on the standard destination list, and they are among my recommended spots. We visited Tamagawa Daishi, the Old Farmhouse Garden at Jidayubori Park, and Gotokuji Temple.
Tamagawa Daishi is famous for its underground sanctuary, where you walk in complete darkness feeling your way along. Since one of the guests was quite tall, I was worried they might hit their head, but they said it was fine. As this place is not on the list, I negotiated the underground sanctuary admission fee with the guests in advance, and they kindly covered the guide's portion as well.
At Jidayubori Park, an old farmhouse from the late Edo period has been relocated, and nearby there is a bamboo grove that hardly anyone visits. The guests had already seen the bamboo grove in Arashiyama in Kyoto, but they were very fond of this quiet, deserted spot.
Gotokuji Temple has recently seen an increase in inbound visitors and no longer feels quite so off-the-beaten-path, but on the day of the tour it was as quiet as a weekday, if not more so.
Even though it was a public holiday, everywhere was as uncrowded as a weekday, and I was glad I guided them on this course. It was my first off-the-beaten-path tour, and I was happy to be able to introduce recommended spots in Tokyo that are still not widely known.
The guests were experienced travelers who could use Google Maps to reach the places they wanted to visit, and they mentioned they would go to Fukagawa Fudodo on their own.
On the way to Setagaya, we passed through Shibuya, and when I talked about the Shibuya Scramble Crossing and Hachiko, one of the guests, who was a fan of the Hachiko movie, said they really wanted to go there, so after we parted ways they headed to Shibuya on their own.
I would love to guide this tour again, as it allows me to share the hidden charms of Tokyo.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Hidden Gems Off the Beaten Path Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Subway | Toranomon～Shibuya | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Shibuya～Futako-Tamagawa | 230JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Nakakouchi～Jidayubori Park | 230JPY |
| Section 4 | Bus | Jidayubori Park～Seijogakuen-mae | 230JPY |
| Section 5 | Train | Seijogakuen-mae～Gotokuji | 170JPY |
| Total | 1,040JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at @andaz at 9:00, and the tour finished at @Gotokuji Station at 15:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours in total, from 9:00 to 15:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Tamagawa Daishi, Jidayubori Park Folk House Garden and Gotokuji Temple, Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,040JPY per person across 5 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Yoko is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
I’m Yoko Kusumoto, a government lisenced English-speaking guide.
I have been living in Tokyo for more than 20 years, and it’s my pleasure to show you around Tokyo. I recommend Meiji Shrine and Asakusa if you are first time in Japan. I also recommend off-the-beaton path spots like Fukagawa Fudodo and Gotokuji Temple(lucky cat temple).
I was born and brought up in Kamakura, where the first shogun’s government was established. It will be my pleasure to introduce you my hometown as well.
I live with my husband and one teenage son.
I like traveling, flowers, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, and exploring Tokyo.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Jun 2, 2026
ericahT6840AD
Awesome!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our day with Yoko was great! She took us to some…
Jun 2, 2026
ericahT6840AD
Awesome!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our day with Yoko was great! She took us to some great spots in Tokyo and was so helpful.
We would highly recommend her as a guide. If we are back, we will certainly request her
again!
May 20, 2026
CharKris17
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Walking Tour
We did a six-hour walking tour of Tokyo with…
May 20, 2026
CharKris17
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Tokyo Walking Tour
We did a six-hour walking tour of Tokyo with Yoko and she was an exceptional guide. We saw multiple shrines (Meiji Shrine is a must see), the Imperial Palace, the “crossing” (there is a similar intersection in the Ginza shopping district which was also cool), the Tokyo Station, and the outer market where we ordered some fatty toro nigiri which was an etherial experience. Can’t say enough good things about Yoko. She taught ys a ton about the history of Japan and had a great sense of humor. A+
May 3, 2026
jefftK1794VZ
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fantastic day exploring Tokyo
This was our first time visiting Tokyo and…
May 3, 2026
jefftK1794VZ
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Fantastic day exploring Tokyo
This was our first time visiting Tokyo and spending a day with Yoko as our guide was perhaps the best decision we could have made. Even before we arrived we traded messages with Yoko about what we might like to do. She offered valuable tips which made not only our time in Tokyo more efficient but while in Japan as a whole. We saw so many amazing things but Yoko also gave us a primer in using the Tokyo subway system and navigating some of the stations. I could go on and list all the things we did but each tour will be different. However I would highly recommend Yoko as a guide. Perhaps serendipitous, but we were stopped on the street the day after we toured with Yoko by a couple who had a list of things to do but was unsure how to go about doing the things on their list and where those things were located. I was thankful we chose the best guide so we didn’t have that problem.
Oct 23, 2025
Y6401BOshaunam
Knowledgable, engaging guide Yoko Kusmoto made day of Tokyo history, architecture and insights exceptional. le.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour…
Oct 23, 2025
Y6401BOshaunam
Knowledgable, engaging guide Yoko Kusmoto made day of Tokyo history, architecture and insights exceptional. le.
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Our guide Yoko Kusmoto is exceptional . Her deep knowledge of Japan history, Tokyo’s
architecture and interesting Tokyo places made us appreciate all Tokyo has to offer. Her
smile, infectious laugh, kindness and interest added to our wonderful day.