Tokyo: Walk to Nezu Shrine & Walk to Yanaka — Guide May
February, 2026
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
- 09:30 Meet @ Hotel Tokyo
- 09:45～09:50 Take the Chiyoda subway line from Kokkai-gijidomae to Nijubashimae
- 09:50～10:10 Tokyo Station Marunouchi exit, tour Gyoko-dori Avenue
- 10:10～11:30 @ Imperial Palace, tour the East Gardens
- 11:30～11:45 Take the Chiyoda subway line to Nezu
- 11:45～11:55 Walk to Nezu Shrine
- 12:00～12:20 @ Visit Nezu Shrine
- 12:20～12:40 Walk to Yanaka
- 12:40～13:40 @ Stroll and shopping at Yanaka Ginza
- 13:40～14:10 @ Visit Lord Yoshinobu's grave at Yanaka Cemetery
- 14:10～14:40 From JR Nippori Station, via Nishi-Nippori, take the Chiyoda line to Kokkai-gijidomae
- 15:00 Disband @ Hotel
What Is a Private Yanaka Walking Tour in Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visiting from North America. They mentioned that they would be running in the Tokyo Marathon the following day, and that Tokyo was the last of the world's six major marathons (Chicago, New York, Boston, London, Berlin, and Tokyo) they had yet to complete, having already run the other five. They had traveled through Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Osaka, with Tokyo as their final stop, but this was their first trip to Japan, so we coordinated the itinerary in advance by email, and I presented several options for them to choose from. Since they wanted to avoid crowded, touristy areas, they chose the Yanaka-Nezu-Sendagi district, which seemed to match their wishes perfectly. I also guided them along Gyoko-dori, near the Marunouchi exit of Tokyo Station, which is the finish line of the Tokyo Marathon, and seeing the preparations being made for the next day's finish setup seemed to boost their motivation.
In Yanaka, I treated them to beef skewers and fried heart at Nikuno Koshizuka, and daifuku and dango at Yanaka Ginza, which they enjoyed very much and found delicious.
Since we walked quite a lot (about 20,000 steps), they seemed a little tired, and with the marathon the next day, they asked to return to the hotel early, so we finished about 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
They left a wonderful review, and from reading it, I believe they were very satisfied.
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 | Kokkai-gijidomae～Nijubashimae | 180JPY |
| Section 2 | Subway | Otemachi (Tokyo)～Nezu | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Nippori～Nishi-Nippori | 150JPY |
| Section 4 | Subway | Nishi-Nippori～Kokkai-gijidomae | 210JPY |
| Total | 720JPY | ||
Hi, I’m May, your guide in Tokyo. Welcome to Japan!
I have been grown up in Tokyo and working here for more than 45 years, so I’m sure I can share the best attraction of Tokyo with you, such as food, cultural and historic sites, sub-culture, shopping, and nightlife.
Besides the tour guide, I have been working for a travel agent for more than 30 years, I can advise you the travel plan of not only in Tokyo but all over Japan.
I had lots of guests from all over the world here in Tokyo, and most of them gave me great and wonderful review.
I’m sure I can meet all of your demand and expectations, and am ready to welcome you to Japan with the best “Omotenashi” mind, or hospitality.
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We had a great time. Our guide Meiji “May” made our day memorable. Excellent sites and great food, May is very knowledgeable of the sites, has very good English and had very nice details during the tour. Ahh and he has all the nice spots for pictures identified. The restaurant he took us for lunch was excellent, we tried an amazing hoto udon.
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May was a great tour guide. First day in Tokyo, and he helped design our day, hitting the main highlights. He also introduced us to an awesome ramen spot. He’s very knowledgeable and helpful. Really enjoyed our tour. Thank you, May!
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10/10 Recommend
We had an incredible time exploring Tokyo with our guide, May! He was friendly, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable, making every stop interesting with fascinating stories and local insights. His enthusiasm for Tokyo was contagious, and he really helped us curate this tour to fit our interests and make it our own.
The tour was well organized and included a great mix of iconic sights and hidden gems that we never would have discovered on our own. May also shared excellent recommendations for restaurants, shopping, and things to do after the tour, which made the rest of our stay even better. He even remembered that we were celebrating our honeymoon and helped us celebrate in a very memorable way, making the tour that much more special.
This was one of the highlights of our trip to Tokyo, and we highly recommend this tour—especially if you’re lucky enough to have May as your guide. Thank you, May, for such a memorable experience!
Jun 11, 2026
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May was an enthusiastic and well informed guide. He remained engaged throughout the
tour and keep us well supplied with small treats!