Tokyo in One Day: Nihon-odori Station & Yokohama Station — Guide Masa

What Is a Private Tokyo Sightseeing Tour Like for Older Guests? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting Japan for the first time from North America. They arrived at Narita Airport the previous evening and traveled to their hotel by chauffeured car. The main purpose of this visit to Japan was a cruise around Japan departing from Yokohama Port starting the next day. They were able to walk but wished to go around slowly at an easy pace. They mentioned, "It's much hotter and more humid than we're used to, and we're struggling with it. That said, this past winter had unusual weather too, with little snow and a lot of rain." In the intense heat, this became a tour where we took many breaks and went around slowly. From the station near the hotel, we traveled via Yokohama Station and Ueno Station to Asakusa first. We walked around Sensoji Temple, Asakusa Shrine, and the Nakamise shopping street. I explained "an overview of Japanese history," "Sensoji Temple and the history from Edo to Tokyo," and "the difference between Buddhism and Shinto." There were questions such as "What kind of religion and teachings is Buddhism?" "Do all Japanese people believe in Buddhism?" and "Are there people who believe in religions other than Buddhism?" There was also a question: "Was Tokyo affected by war damage during World War II?" After this, we moved to the Imperial Palace. I explained "the history of the change from Edo to Tokyo," "the Meiji Restoration," and "the current Imperial Family." There were also questions such as "Does the Emperor really live inside here?" and "Why did the castle become the Imperial Palace?" They said, "The Japanese garden is wonderful." From here, we went to the observation deck of the Metropolitan Government Building. They said, "Now I really understand how large Tokyo is and what kind of city it is." We moved to Harajuku. At Meiji Shrine, I explained "the difference between Shinto and Buddhism" and "what a torii gate is." We had a light lunch and rest at Forest Terrace Meiji Jingu. They said, "It's wonderful that there is such a green place in the center of the city." After that, we moved to Shibuya, crossed the scramble intersection, and took commemorative photos in front of the Hachiko statue. There were questions such as "Is it always this crowded?" and "Why do so many people gather here?" They also commented, "The city is so clean. There's no litter on the ground," "There are no trash cans on the streets, why is that?" "The public restrooms are clean and pleasant," and "There are no homeless people." Since they were not sure how to get back to the hotel, I saw them off at Nihon-odori Station in Yokohama, and we parted ways.

Click here for more details: Tokyo in 1 Day from Yokohama: Private Tour, 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.