Tokyo: Korakuen & Rikugien — Guide Kappa
July, 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
- 09:00 -09:40 Meet at hotel
- 09:45-10:45 Stroll through Hamarikyu Gardens
- 10:45-11:15 Move to Korakuen
- 11:15-12:00. Stroll through Korakuen
- 12:00-12:40. Korakuen, lunch
- 12:40-13:10. Move to Rikugien
- 13:20-1430 Stroll through Rikugien
- 14:30-15:00. Move to Ueno Station, disband
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Over the course of the day the route took in Stroll through Hamarikyu Gardens at 09:45, Korakuen at 10:45, Stroll through Korakuen at 11:15, Korakuen, lunch at 12:00, Rikugien at 12:40, 1430 Stroll through Rikugien at 13:20 and Ueno Station, disband at 14:30.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Odaiba to Shimbashi by train (330JPY); Shiodome to Iidabashi by train (280JPY); Iidabashi 1-chome by train (390JPY); Iidabashi by train (170JPY). Across 4 sections the fare came to 1,170JPY per person.
What Is a Private Walking Tour of Tokyo's Gardens Like in Summer? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guest joined this tour using a free day during an academic conference. It was extremely hot, and I was worried about whether the tour could be carried out. Hamarikyu was nearly empty. The guest, who lives in North America, mentioned being generally accustomed to such hot climates, and only needed a single break at lunchtime, proving to be quite tough. The shade of the trees in the garden was cool and the greenery was beautiful, so I believe the walk was enjoyable. At Korakuen, the guest bought a gift for themselves, so I felt this walk was also to their liking. Still, it was a very hot day.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Japanese Gardens Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Odaiba～Shimbashi | 330JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Shiodome～Iidabashi | 280JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Iidabashi 1-chome / Toei Bus～Komagome | 390JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Iidabashi / Toei Bus～Ueno | 170JPY |
| Total | 1,170JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Stroll through Hamarikyu Gardens, Korakuen, Stroll through Korakuen, Korakuen, lunch, Rikugien, 1430 Stroll through Rikugien and Ueno Station, disband.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 1,170JPY per person across 4 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?
Kappa 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.
Thank you for your entry in this tour. Nice to meet you in this mail.
Your tour guide Kappa is my nickname. Kappa is a traditional, imaginary creature who came into being in Japan over 300 years ago. She is good at swimming, like me, for I like swimming. I would like to make our tour operated smoothly as Kappa does when she swims in the river or pond. It is my pleasure to introduce many aspects in our tour, especially cooking, for it is my hobby and I went to the professional cooking and SAKE school, respectively. If you have any questions or requests about Japanese cooking, of course our tour, I am very delighted to answer to you anytime!
Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
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Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour…
Jul 30, 2025
Michael_R
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Our guide, Kappa-san, modified the typical Hakone tour to accommodate our interests, and is very helpful and knowledgeable. Since the day was very hot (95°F / 35°C) we favored activities that were more shaded or cool, including a walk on a cedar-lined section of the old Tokaido path.
May 18, 2025
Leigh_M
Kappa, our guide met us…
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Kappa, our guide met us at the train station and took us all over Kamakura. We saw shrines, the big Buddha, gardens, and the Oceanside! Kappa shared a lot of history about Kamakura, and it was nice to have this background when we were exploring these incredible sites! Highly recommend!
May 4, 2025
panderhigs
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Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough…
May 4, 2025
panderhigs
Kappa A+ Guide!
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Kappa was an amazing guide who created a thorough and thoughtful itinerary for us over
the course of 6 hours. We saw SO much in such a short time and would definitely
recommend her!
May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I were treated…
May 4, 2025
O9621SBscottp
Kappa is a wonderful tour guide
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
My wife and I were treated to a wonderful walking tour of Tokyo with Kappa. Kappa was very accommodating in designing a tour specifically tailored to our interests. Kappa is a wealth of knowledge regarding the city history, temples and shrine, and Japanese art history. She is a lovely person too. I highly recommend Kappa if you want to learn about Tokyo