Tokyo: Tsukiji Tsukiji Honganji & Otemachi Station — Guide Masa

What Is a Private Tsukiji and Toyosu Market Tour in Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting from North America. One of the guests had previously studied abroad at a university in Japan for a year, while the others were visiting Japan for the first time.

The group had arrived at Narita two days earlier and traveled by the Narita Express and other transport to their accommodation in Asakusa.

Their stay in Japan was for ten days. They planned to spend three days in Tokyo, then travel to Kyoto and Osaka, before returning to Tokyo and heading home.

The previous day they had strolled around Asakusa and enjoyed sukiyaki in the evening. This evening they had a reservation at teamLab.

It was a tour in hot and humid weather.

First, we briefly visited Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple and took commemorative photos.

At the Tsukiji Outer Market, the group looked around eagerly here and there, browsing various shops. They purchased and sampled bean confections and strawberry mochi.

They also sampled grilled beef skewers.

Saying "We really want to eat sushi here," we went to a restaurant in Tsukiji. Everyone enjoyed chirashi sushi and remarked, "It's completely different from sushi back home — so fresh and delicious."

They also commented, "For a fish market, it's clean and doesn't have any strange smell."

They asked, "Why are there so many people here? Is it always this crowded?"

At the Toyosu wholesale seafood building, they asked many questions such as, "Is all the tuna caught in Japan?" "How is it transported here?" "How much tuna goes to auction?" "What is the price per fish?" and "What kind of tuna is the most expensive?"

They also asked, "Which part of the tuna is the tastiest?" and "What exactly is the difference between Toyosu Market and Tsukiji Market?"

At the intermediate wholesale seafood building, they asked, "What kind of people come here to buy fish?" and "Why aren't we allowed inside?"

They said, "The whole town is clean, and there's no litter on the streets," and "Even the subway is quiet and clean."

They then requested, "We'd like to go to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace next, so could you take us to the nearest station?" I escorted them from Otemachi Station to the entrance of the East Gardens, and we parted ways.

Click here for more details: Tsukiji & Toyosu Market Local Food Tour with 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.