Tokyo Private Tours

“A kind and well-organised guide. Thank you Shu, for an exceptional day out! ”

We had a fabulous day with Shu, who I recommend as a guide. I knew that after recent changes to the Ghibli ticket purchasing system, it would be harder than ever to purchase them from my home country, and I wanted the best odds of including this museum on my itinerary. I figured Shu would know best how to access the system from within Japan as he's done so many times. I felt fortunate that he successfully purchased tickets for the 10am opening time and also that we managed to book him, since guides can only book one lot of tickets per month. We are Ghibli fans, and the highlight of the museum for me was an exhibition of the exquisite art from 'The Boy and the Heron. We could have easily spent longer examining all the artwork from other Ghibli movies that covered the walls elsewhere. The room showing how animation works was delightful, the models and carousel whimsical and fun. So was the short movie. I felt joy as I viewed all the pieces. Possibly someone who isn't a Ghibli fan wouldn't enjoy it as much after all the hype over ticket purchases. But I felt it was true to the spirit of its creator and I loved it. Shu improved our visit by knowing where to go, not rushing us at all, and being very considerate of my sore feet (from my two prior weeks of walking everywhere in Japan). I took lots of breaks throughout the day. He took us to an izekaya for lunch which served delicious local food, and suggested we try some items we wouldn't have otherwise. That was a great success. We then visited the architectural museum. The grounds are full of significant Japanese buildings that were painstakingly moved there in their original condition. Shu showed us screenshots from some of the Ghibli movies and paired them with the buildings that may very well have inspired them (I was certainly convinced). The buildings are beautiful and worth seeing even without their connection to the Ghibli films, but Shu's thoughts on that and his knowledge of history enriched the experience.

“Lovely day with Michiko”

We enjoyed a wonderful day tour with Michiko. She tailored an itinerary for us and then happily rearranged the tour on-the-fly as things caught our eye! She was also happy to train us in the subleties of the Tokyo Metro - which helped us out for the rest of our visit. Highly recommended.

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“ A great tour off the beaten path!”

Simply wonderful! We strolled through the main street, which had food stalls and stores, to a serene temple with stunning woodwork and a garden. Our tour included the visit to a beautiful traditional Japanese residence. Then we had a very tasty lunch, no English menu here! It was an informative time with a very knowledgeable guide who felt more like a dear friend. The visit was enjoyable and far from the city's hustle and bustle. Great thanks Chiaki and I hope to see you again.

Chiaki K.

(94 reviews)

Dear Marie-Helen, thank you for your great comment! It was my pleasure to guide you and I enjoyed it! The day we visited Shibamata was beautiful and the place was quiet and peaceful only with locals, not many tourists. We talked and talked about not only our culture and life but also politics and social systems. It was a fun trip! Yes, we became dear friends and I wish to see you again in near future! Thank you again and take care!