Tsukiji & Asakusa Local Food Tour in 1 Day — Guide Lance
October, 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.
Tour Itinerary
- 1.8:00 Depart Nakano-sakaue Station
- 2.820-920 Tsukiji
- 3.940-1100 Nezu, Yanaka
- 4.1130-1240 Shibamata
- 5.1320-1400 Kappabashi Kitchenware Street
Private Tokyo Tour with a Licensed Guide: What's a Day in Shibamata, Yanaka, and Kappabashi Like?
The guests were visitors from Oceania. This was their second trip to Japan, and they were once again enjoying various parts of Tokyo. They mentioned that they had attended cooking classes twice. At Tsukiji, they purchased an expensive fruit knife at Togen Masahisa, and at the restaurant CIBI in Yanaka, they bought a Japanese home-cooking recipe book written for international readers. In Shibamata, they tried a set of grilled eel over rice and thinly sliced raw carp. They found the pickles very delicious. The yokan sweet, however, seemed too sweet for their taste.
When I explained that Nezu Shrine had been relocated and rebuilt from Sendagi by the "Dog Shogun" Tsunayoshi, they ended up thinking I had said "Duck Shogun." 💦
Since one of the guests was not wearing socks under their sandals, they hesitated to enter Taishakuten, but I recommended it as the highlight of Shibamata, and they were deeply impressed by the intricate wood carvings. Just then, an earthquake alert rang out on the mobile phones, and the temple announced that "a major earthquake has occurred," though we did not feel any shaking.
Kappabashi Kitchen Town was a first for me to guide, and I explained that the name originates from the legend that a kappa (water sprite) of the Sumida River helped a man named Kappaya Kihachi. Just then, the Meteorological Agency announced that the earlier emergency earthquake alert had been a mistake, so I shared the proverb "even a kappa can be swept away by the river" (meaning even an expert can make mistakes).
I walked them through the main shops of the tool street, and since they wanted to browse on their own afterward, we parted ways. It seems they are likely to fill a suitcase with cooking tools.
A notable stop on the tour was Taishakuten Temple in Shibamata. Taishakuten, formally known as Daikyoji Temple, is a historic Nichiren Buddhist temple famous for its extraordinarily detailed wood carvings that adorn the main hall, depicting scenes from the Lotus Sutra. The temple and its approach, lined with traditional shops selling snacks and crafts, offer visitors a nostalgic glimpse into old Tokyo, and the serene inner garden is another highlight worth exploring.
Click here for more details: Tsukiji & Asakusa Local Food Tour in 1 Day, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Nakano-sakaue～Tsukiji | 210JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Tsukiji～Nezu | 180JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Nippori～Shibamata | 280JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Shibamata～Tawaramachi (Tokyo) | 490JPY |
| Total | 1,160JPY | ||
I have been working as a tour guide once a week since 2024.
I grew up in Osaka and studied in Kyoto,
I have been working for the lvestock division of the national organization of agricultural cooperatives.
Japan depends on imports for most of its livestock feed ingredients.
I visited 10 countries on business and stayed in New Orleans working for a subsidiary company for 3 years.
I visited 10 other countries with my wife for sightseeing.
I also started writing Haiku, Japanese traditional poem, after retiring.
One of my favorite is ” Bundled up, you are like a Matryoshka.”
Looking forward to see you!
Sep 24, 2026
benoitlJ9021HN
Perfect guide tour in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Lance was very nice…
Sep 24, 2026
benoitlJ9021HN
Perfect guide tour in Tokyo
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Lance was very nice and helped us . to learn so much. His English is really good and he is extremely well prepared.
Sep 19, 2026
H1282JBkarinas
Great tour with Lance from Japan Guide Agency!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Lance our tour…
Sep 19, 2026
H1282JBkarinas
Great tour with Lance from Japan Guide Agency!
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Lance our tour guide was fantastic. From the time we paired, we messaged on WhatsApp as he built our customizable tour day! He gave great suggestions and asked great questions to build a wonderful day.
The day itself was perfect. He met us at the hotel, and guided us fantastically. He had detailed history and facts to share and was well prepared to ensure that we had everything we needed.
Sep 10, 2026
Silver_F
amazing 8-hour walking tour with Lance!
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Lance was our…
Sep 10, 2026
Silver_F
amazing 8-hour walking tour with Lance!
Viator review: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Lance was our amazing and thorough tour guide and already prepared an itinerary for us based on his recommendations and our preferences well before arrived in Japan.
On the day of the guided tour – there was a brief introduction on Japanese history – and became the common thread as he brought us through each site and guided us on the subways and introduced us to amazing small mom and pop & artisan shops we would have otherwise never found!
Lots of walking so make sure to wear super comfy shoes but 10/10 would do it again!
Learned so much in a short time and was able to spend the rest of days in Tokyo shopping and going to other places.
Thank you, Lance, for sharing with us your beautiful country! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Jul 4, 2026
317roxaneh
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great time in Tokyo!
We had a great day with Lance! He…
Jul 4, 2026
317roxaneh
Tripadvisor review: Tokyo 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great time in Tokyo!
We had a great day with Lance! He had a good sense of humor and was so kind to meet us at our Air BnB, which was a bit out of the way. He gave us a great crash course on Japanese history before heading out on our adventure around Tokyo, visiting shrines, markets, a museum and garden. It was so helpful to have him with us navigating the train system, and he took us to an amazing sushi place for a lovely lunch. All in all, it was really fun and we were able to better appreciate the places we visited with him providing information and history along the way. Would definitely recommend!…