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Best of Tokyo in one or two day(s)
Joined 2017
One or two-day tour which covers best part of Tokyo with your personal guide who will give you neutral advice. Even if you are a first timer in Tokyo, you can visit locations of your choice; Asakusa, Tsukiji outer market, Kagurazaka Geisha District, Shinjuku Gyoen, Hamarikyu garden, Imperial Palace East Garden, Meiji Shrine, Harajuku / Omote-Sando , Shibuya crossing, Yanaka waking, teamLab, Ghibli Museum (advance ticket reservation by travelers required) or Tokyo National Museum.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel or JR or Subway Stations
Tsukiji fish market (World largerst outer fish market)
Hama-Rikyu strolling garden (walking distance from Tsukiji fish market. Garden with seawater ponds, tea house and duck hunting blinds)
Kagurazaka-- old geisha district with old teahouse, shrines, modern shops, french-style cafés and maze easily get lost
Asakusa with Sensoji Temple (If you have a plan to visit Kyoto or Nara later, this Temple visit can be skippied)
Tokyo National Museum or Yanaka Ginza, a reasonable priced shopping street which best represents an old town flavor of Tokyo from the past decades.
Museum is closed on Monday.
Meiji Shrine, Harajuku & Omote-Sando Shopping District
teamLab Borderless, enter museum with barefoot. Immersive space in Tokyo filled with interactive digital artworks
advance on-line ticket reservation by travelers required
Ghibli Museum and/or Small Jazz Live House in Kichijyoji
Studio Ghibli Museum is 15 minutes walk through Inokashira Park from Kichijyoji station.
Reasonably priced jazz live house located west side of Tokyo, 20 minutes train ride from Shinjuku or Shibuya station.
advance ticket reservation by travelers required at least one month prior to the planned visit
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Gardens of former Edo Castle offer seasonal flowers and original moats, walls, entrance gates and guardhouses built by the Tokugawa shoguns. The Gardens are closed on very Monday and Friday (open on National Holiday except the Emperor's Birthday, February 23)
In the event that a National Holiday falls on a Monday, the Gardens will be closed on the Tuesday immediately following the National Holiday. Also closed from December 28 to January 3
The Stairs which appears in the final sciene of Anime Movie
The Stairs exist in the middle of Tokyo.
Kappabashi Kitchenweare Street
You can find Chopstic shops, food sample shops, Japanese kitchen knife shops, ceramic shops and/or everthing related with Kithen in Kappabashi.
Shibuya Crossing and shopping district with Pokemon Center, Nintendo Tokyo
Ending Point
At your hotel or JR or Subway Stations
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
guide fee up to seven hours, hotel pick-up within walking distance from Shibuya/ Shijuku stations
・transportaion fee (you and guide)---Tokyo Subway 24-hour Ticket – Adult: 600 yen~900 yen
・lunch,
・entrance fee (if applicable)
・overtime guide fee (if applicable) $50/hour, $30/half hour
・hotel pick-up fee $10 outside Shibuya/ Shijuku station areas
Tour Important Information
By engaging a professional tour guide, you would feel that you have an old friend in Japan showing you around Tokyo.
If you have your personal interests, you do not have to follow standard attractions and I will be happy to customize tour for you.
It is best to visit and see what you are interested in and spend as much time as you want. You have a CHOICE as this is your tour.
You can also obtain useful advice on how to use public transportation, shopping, choice of restaurant.
During the tour, you can ask any qusetions which normal guide will hesitate to even talk about.
Tokyo Subway 24-hour Ticket will take you most of the places and costs 600yen to 900yen per adult, whic is a very good deal in Town.
Important message from the supplier
Born and raised in Niigata prefecture, visit my mother and sister who live in Niigata city every month from Tokyo. Niigata has lots of attractions for tourists, including Yahiko Shrine/suspension cable car ride to the top of Mt. Yahiko, Northern Culture Museum where you can see the richest farmer's residence and garden, sake breweries with free sake tasting, castle towns like Shibata city or Murakami city, winter ski resorts with four meters of snow, delicious local sea food from Sea of Japan or from Sado Island/ fruits and brown edamame. It takes only two hours by Shinkansen train to reach Niigata from Tokyo.
Niigata prefecture and Niigata city each has a population of 2.3 Million and 0.8 Million, good sizes but much smaller than Tokyo, the biggest city area in the world. By experiencing both Tokyo on the Pacific Ocean side and Niigata on the Sea of Japan side, you can taste both modern gigantic city life/culture and traditional city/rural life/culture in Japan.
In addition to Greater Tokyo Area where I live, I will be happy to be your guide in any cities/areas on the Sea of Japan side as well.
My tour destinations outside Greater Tokyo area include Niigata-city, Nagaoka -city, Itoigawa-city, Sado island, Nagano city, Snow Resorts in Niigata and Nagano mountain areas, Yamagata city, Tsuruoka city, Sakata city, Kanazawa city, Oono city, Echizen city, Tsuruga city, Fukui city, Gokayama and Shirakawago which are World Heritage sites famous for Gassho-zukuri and Kyoto/Nara.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2017
About Tour Guide Takano Y.
Obtained my National Guide License (English) in 2010 and my MBA from University of Michigan's Ross School of Business decades ago, when I had more hairs to allow me to choose variety of hair styles.
In the past, have lived outside Japan for the total of 12 years in such cities as Boulder, CO; Ann Arbor, MI; Washington DC (USA); Manila (PHI), Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Bishkek (Kyrgyz) and visited 40 countries----I stayed in Kyrgyz Republic between October 2018 and Feb. 2019 as my 40th country.
Examples of my tour destinations are Tokyo where I live, Nikko, Mt. Fuji 5th station, Lake Kawaguchiko, Aokigahara Forest, Hakone, Kamakura, Mt. Takao, Tateyama Kurobe Alpine route, Kanazawa, Gokayama, Shirakawa-go, Takayama and Niigata prefecture.
Foreign tourists/media who visited Tomioka Silk Mill (World heritage site) with me were interviewed by NHK TV crews at Tomioka, and my guests and I appeared on NHK Greater Tokyo Area evening TV news.
Since foreign travelers enjoy talking to local people who live in the areas, travelers are welcome to go out of their comfort zone and try to talk to local students on the street, housewives with shopping bags and small shop owners.
Currently live in Suginami-ku, western side of residential area in Tokyo with my wife and a Norfolk terrier. Able to reach Shinjuku or Shibuya areas in less than 30 minutes, Tokyo station area in 45 minutes, door to door from my residence by train.
Tours will be conducted using public transportations or taxis or private cars in some cases as needed. According to your interests, physical/health conditions and duration of your tour, I will tailor-made your tour and arrange destinations. I can meet you at your hotel and take you back when the tour concludes.
Consider myself as one of the most experienced travelers who have survived many difficult situations without getting into any serious trouble. Can be a good tour guide for business persons or retired business persons or travelers who like walking/outdoor activities/taking photos/wine or sake tasting/finding healthy food ---fresh seafood such as sushi, sashimi--soba or buckwheat noodles. Also, at the end of tours, travelers will be bringing home their photos taken by my CANON R6 camera during the tour.
Reviews
“With Takano Yoshi, We Felt Japanese”
My wife and I spent our first two days in Tokyo with Takano Yoshi. Having lived in the US, India and other countries, Yoshi is sensitive to the intimidation of being a stranger in a strange land. Spending time with Yoshi is more than a tour, it is a cultural revelation, replete with insights and suggestions that will enrich your further travels in Japan and beyond. Yoshi's guidance enhanced our entire two-weeks in Japan. We will introduce Yoshi to everyone we know going to Japan and will re-engage him when we return. Takano Yoshi surpassed our expectations. Arigato gozaimasu Yoshi!!!
Takano Y.
It is good to hear from you, John san. You must have returned safely to your residence in Virginia Beach by now. I enjoyed walking with and eating lunch with Kim san John san who can appreciate the real Japanese food such as Sushi and Japanese eels. Please visit Japan again during cherry blossom season.
“First Day in Tokyo”
Yoshi was an excellent host for our first day in Tokyo. He met us in the lobby of our hotel, showed us how to navigate the trains so we were comfortable the next few days on our own. He showed us some hidden gems in the fish market and picked out the most perfect piece of toro tuna for us. He shared great stories along our route. We enjoyed talking Michigan Football with him! Go Blue.
Takano Y.
I enjoyed touring with Noah san and his family in Tokyo. Just as we both hoped for, Michigan defeated Alabama in Rose Bawl and will head for the Final against Washington next week. Go blue!
“A great day exploring Tokyo! ”
Yoshi was a fabulous guide, showing us all the must-see places in Tokyo. His English was fantastic. It was very helpful to have a local helping to answer all our questions and know where the best places to go were. Thanks Yoshi for showing us around your city, we can't thank you enough.
Takano Y.
You must have returnd to your residence in Colorado by now. It has been my pleasure to introduce major attractions in Tokyo including good Japanese restaurant for lunch to you and your husband. Please come back to Japan again during cherry blossom season in Spring.
$357/ per group
More tours by Takano Y.
Nikko World-Heritage Site in One Day using Train from Tokyo
Will take train from Shinjuku JR railway station or other station in the morning and stay in Nikko for five hours and come back to Shinjuku JR railway station in the evening. Even though Shinjuku is the most commonly used station because of the convenient train schedules to and from Nikko, any other JR or Metro stations instead of Shinjuku station can be chosen with an additonal hour or two.
A Day Trip to Fuji National Park (Lake Kawaguchiko)
Explore part of the Fuji National Park via highway bus with guide. You will visit lakeside town of Kawaguchiko, known for its panoramic views of Mt. Fuji and the mountain's symmetrical reflection in the lake. First stop will be a visit to the Saiko Iyashino-Sato Nemba with twenty thached roof houses standing on the shores of Lake Saiko. Next visit is to Oishi park on the north shore of Kawaguchiko with a superb view Mt.Fuji. However please keep in mind that she is a notoriously shy mountain.
Sake Brewery Visit/Tasting Tour to Niigata Prefecture
Walking through old traditional streets in Niigata will bring you back in time where you will be able to feel the sense of the past times combined with modern. Niigata is famous for its beautiful coastal and mountainous sceneries but Niigata prefecture is also well known for the brewing of "miso" "soy sauce" "sake" which have been carried out for centuries. Day Trip from Toky Tour will start 8:00am at your hotel and take Shinkansen to Niigata prefecture where you spend half day.
Other Popular Highlights Tours in Tokyo
Tokyo Must-See tour
You don't have much time in Tokyo? I will show you in 6 hours the Must-See attractions of the city. I will pick you up at your hotel and we will move around on foot using public transport. We will visit Tokyo Must-See places : Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, the outer garden of the Imperial Palace, Meji-jingu shrine and Takeshita street and we will end with the famous Shibuya district.
Tokyo,Now &Then
Tokyo is a modern metropolitan city built on an ancient Edo, where Tokugawa samurai government was settled. Even now we can find old relics of ancient Edo among truly modern Tokyo streets. Asakusa, Ueno and the Imperial Palace itself are some of the examples. Let’s explore Tokyo with me and find the soul of Japan.
How about an enjoyable walking in Tokyo?
There are lots of sightseeing spots in Tokyo. I will arrange a customized one-day tour based upon your requirements so that you could enjoy your stay in Tokyo. We can discuss and decide places to visit effectively for a limited amount of time. One example is shown here as follows, but I'm sure I will take you to some of my best selections so that you could enjoy both of traditional and modern culture. I can arrange an appropriate lunch restaurant based upon your requirement.
Tokyo One-day As You Like with Kaori
This tour fits all, from first timers to repeaters who love local experiences. You can choose what you like from spots listed, or I can pick up for you if you don't have clue. Just let me know your preferences. I can make a good combination of old and modern, major and local. Tokyo has a lot more to experience besides the list. As full day tour, please pick up 3 or 4 spots. Or you can request specific spot not on the list. "Enjoy together with fun learning" is what you can expect with me.
