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- Off the Beaten Path
Tokyo off-the-beaten selection in one day
This tour offers my favorite local visits or off-the-beaten experiences in Tokyo. We can visit 2 areas you pick up from below. Also, these areas can be combined with regular sightseeing spots as optional. Feel free to ask me any arrangements with my other tours. Let's explore Tokyo with local eyes!
Meeting Point
At your hotel, or your choice in Tokyo 23 wards.
Select 2 areas for one day from below.
Please choose 2 areas for one day. We visit one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
(A) Yanaka (Yanesen) - Stroll around local charming town with local people's life.
Lovely local town with people's ordinal life. Tokyo was heavily damaged during World War Ⅱ. Yanaka, also called Yanesen, survived from fire by bombing. That's how this area retains old atmosphere. This town is also known as temple town and cat town. Having been loved by artisans, lots of small galleries and cosy shops can be enjoyed in the area. "Strolling around" is the way to explore this charming town.
(B) Kagurazaka - a fashionable shopping and dining district along a sloping street, but with Geisha culture.
Kagurazaka was located just outside the outer moat of Edo Castle in Samurai period and famous as Geisha entertainment district. Some restaurant related to Geisha still remain here. You can see what you don't see in tourist area. Akagi Jinja Shrine is very popular as the most fashionable shrine in Japan, designed by renowned architect Kuma Kengo. There are many sophisticated shops and restaurant around here. Visiting AKOMEYA, you can see or shop the finest food selection from all over Japan. If you like to shop like Japanese, you love Kagurazaka!
(C) Fukagawa - Experience impressive buddhist Goma Fire ritual with Taiko drums.
We can experience special Goma fire ritual at Fukagawa Fudoson temple. It takes about 30~40min. We need to be quiet during the ritual. Will offer unusual experience. Not recommended for small kids, as it's part of buddhist training. We can also visit nearby Tomioka-hachimangu shrine, which is related to Sumo history.
Also, visit Kiyosumi Gardens, cosy charming Japanese strolling garden I love.
At Fukagwa Edo Museum, you can enjoy the a life-size reproduction of the townscape of Fukagawa and the people's lives of the Edo period (around 1840s).
(D) Gotokuji-temple - known as cat temple, popular for photo lovers
This quiet beautiful temple is known as origin of beckoning Cats, or Lucky Cats (Maneki-neko in Japanese). Interesting history with a cat and a samurai. Thousands of small cat dolls are offered in temple. Good photo spot. Located at west of Tokyo, making short excursion from busy central. Nearby Setagaya-hachimangu shrine has Sumo wrestling ring in the precinct.
(E) Shibamata - home to the movie series Tora-san, “It’s Tough Being a Man”
Located north-east of Tokyo, shitamachi (old town) spirit is still surviving in this peaceful local town. Taishakuten temple boasts elaborate sculptures and beautiful garden.( admission : 400 yen) We can enjoy traditional street food such as green kusa-dango (Japanese mugwort rice dumpling) and hand-grilled senbei (rice crackers) on approach road to the temple. Historical Yamamoto-tei house offers beautiful break time with maccha green tea and some traditional sweets in a beautiful Japanese-stlye house with inner garden. (admission : 100 yen). Be noted taking off shoes is required for Taishakuten sculpture gallery and Yamamotei house.
End of tour
I can take you back to your hotel, or we can end up on your choice in Tokyo 23 wards.
Ending Point
At your hotel, or your choice in Tokyo 23 wards.
Want to personalize this tour?
- Our tours can be customized according to your needs and preferences
- Click below to tell us what you are looking for:
Inclusions & Exclusions
guide fee, hotel pick-up, hotel drop-off
transportation fee (you and guide), food and drink (you and guide), entrance fee (you and guide)
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【Major fees on tour day】
Depends on spots you choose. But if you choose spots within Tokyo Metro areas, below applies.
・For guide, a one-day subway ticket costs 900 yen.
・For you, a one-day subway ticket costs 900 yen per person.
FYI, you can find more "tips for transportation ticket in Tokyo" on below important information.
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【Optional】Hired cars.
Hired car or van : 60,000 JPY up to 8 people (including a guide). Plus parking fees. Advanced booking required. Please make an inquiry asap if you would like to use hired cars.
Tour Important Information
The transportation fee depend on spots you choose.
Important message from the guide
I'm sorry, I'm already BOOKED OUT UNTIl May 13, this year 2024.
・I only do tours with small private groups (up to 4 people) .
・Please kindly make inquiries only for available days set on my calendar. Thank you for your understanding.
・My tours basically start/end at Tokyo. If starts/ends outside Tokyo 23 wards, please kindly cover my transportation fee to/from Tokyo.
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
Tokyo Tour Reviews
“Fantastic. Like being shown around by a friend.”
We had two tours with Kaori - one with an anime focus for the kids in Ikebukuro and Akihabara, and one in Yanaka and Shibamata. Kaori was friendly, kind and knowledgeable. She took great pains to provide us with experiences we would enjoy and treasure including a Hedgehog cafe and a traditional tea ceremony. It's no exaggeration to say we were all sad to say goodbye to Kaori at the end of our second day. She helped us make some truly special memories and I couldn't recommend her highly enough.
Kaori S.
(66 reviews)Thank you for giving me the warmest review just after the tour! I'm already missing you guys. It was real pleasure finally meeting you three years after you had to give up trip to Japan due to pandemic. You wouldn't imagine how happy I was when you kindly contacted me again for your guide in Tokyo. Thank you for friendliness all of you gave me, and special thanks to letters from your lovely sons! Hopefully meet you again some time in the future. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan fully! Arigato! Hugs and kisses, Kaori
“Off the beaten path”
We had a wonderful day with Kaori. It was like walking about with a friend who knows the place. Her communication with me prior to the tour was flawless and she came up with different options baased on our preferences. She took us to places that weren't crowded at all and we were able to see a part of Tokyo that didn't feel like 'Tokyo' at all! She even extended her time with us and dropped us of at the station where we could take the train to our hotel. Thank you Kaori San.
Kaori S.
(66 reviews)Thank you for an excellent review on my tour, Parvathi-san. I also appreciate warm friendliness your family gave me during our time together. Such pleasure to talk with each of you while walking like a local. Looking forward to your next visit and see each other again, maybe to Mt.Fuji! Enjoy your rest of stay this time! Hugs and kisses, Kaori
“Review of One-Day Mount Fuji Private Trip with Kaori”
Had a wonderful experience with Kaori from the start of my booking online with GoWithGuide, all through our one-day excursion to Mount Fuji with her. She is prompt with replies online and ever helpful every step in the planning process, patient with clarifying my queries and going the extra mile to help call and check directly with jazz bars in Tokyo when I asked her about locating non-smoking and child-friendly jazz bars. Kaori was well-prepared for our excursion as well, giving us a concise history of Mount Fuji as well as stories/legends surrounding it, to help us better appreciate our time there. She had good recommendations for food at Kawaguchi-ko which we appreciated (loved her recommendation of Houtou noodles!) very much. Our 7-year old son loved her company as well, warming up to her quite quickly and even engaging with her in racing while we were trekking up to the Mount Fuji observatory! :) All in all, we were very blessed to have Kaori as our guide and would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a private guide to tour Mount Fuji/Kawaguchiko.
Kaori S.
(66 reviews)Thank you for giving me such warmest review on me and my tour, Sophia san! I’m always happy to support as much as I can if I can be help of something my guests need. Also so glad your family enjoyed local food there! Mt.Fuji was so divine with clouds changed its shape moment to moment all day. Was really beautiful day! Thanks to your family’s friendliness, I enjoyed time chatting with each of you. Your son won every time for our short race. I’ll get trained enough to win him next time! Looking forward to seeing all of you again on your next trip! Thank you again. Hugs and kisses, Kaori
