This tour covers my favorite places in Tokyo.You can choose two places in Tokyo within 4 hours of tour time from the list of more than 30 places classified as Temple&Shrine, Garden, Shopping, Observatory, Museum, Experience, and Others.
The following is a typical schedule.
13:00 Hotel pick up
13:30-14:30 Meiji shrine
15:00-16:30 Imperial Palace
17:00 return to the hotel
At your hotel
- I will meet you near the reception. I will show your name on my iPad.
13:00 Hotel pick-up
14:00-15:00 Place #1
15:30-16:30 Place #2
17:00 Return to your hotel
I will provide a more specific itinerary considering the location of your hotel and the two places you choose.
Meiji-Jingu Shrine: This shrine was built in 1920 to commemorate Emperor Meiji who changed Japan into a democratic industrialized country after a series of long feudal period. It is one of the most popular Shinto shrines in Japan where you will feel a special sacred Japanese atmosphere. (Admission free except Inner garden including the Kiyomasa's well and iris garden (Admission: 500 JPY))
Asakusa and Senso-ji Temple: Asakusa is a very popular area with Nakamise shopping street for Japanese souvenirs which is the main street to Senso-Ji Temple. The temple was established in 8th century and has been very popular among common people.
Zojo-ji Temple: It used to be the temple for Tokugawa Shogunate where you can feel Japanese traditional Buddhist atmosphere. Not touristic and very quiet, near to Tokyo Tower. (Admission free)
Sengaku-ji Temple: This Temple is famous for the graves of 48 Ronin who attacked a high ranking samurai Kira to revenge for their Lord Asano. (Admission free except its museum (Admission: 500 JPY))
Hie Shrine: This shrine was established in 1498 and had been worshiped by the Tokugawa Shogunate as the protection of Edo from evil spirits. (Admission free)
Nezu Shrine: Opened by Takeru Yamato who conquered the northern part of Japan about 1900 years ago. There are many photo spots, including the series of Torii gates as this shrine has not yet known to foreign tourists.
Imperial Palace East Gardens: It used to be Edo castle where Tokugawa shogunate governed Japan for 265 years. You can see several gates and defense house of the castle renovated about 50 years ago. There is a nice Japanese garden, but no Palace nor Tower of the castle. (Closed on Monday and Friday. Admission free)
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden: This Japanese garden used to be a Samurai mansion of the Mito Tokugawa. This garden reproduces many scenic places in Japan such as Kyoto and Hida. (Admission: 300 JPY)
Shinjuku-gyoen Garden: This garden is very large and has well maintained Japanese garden. It is very popular with many kinds of cherry blossoms. (Admission: 200 JPY)
Hamarikyu Garden: It used to be owned by the Tokugawa Shoguns in Edo period. They enjoyed duck hunting in its salt water ponds. This garden is within walking distance from Tsukiji. (Admission: 300JPY)
Kiyosumi Garden: It is a typical strolling type Japanese garden with the collection of precious shape natural stones. There are a lot of Koi fish, turtles, and birds in the pond. (Admission: 150 JPY)
Happo-En Garden: It is very popular for its wedding party.
This garden was originally owned by a Samurai load in Edo period.
You can see very old bonsai trees with 500 years old and so many pretty koi fish in its pond.
Note that you need your passport for Tax Free.
Tsukiji Outer Market: The wholesale area has moved to Tokyosu in October, 2018. But its outer market is very popular where you can taste a variety of foods. There is a new wholesale area where you can see many kinds of fish including a big tuna. (Admission free)
Ginza: There are large department stores, brand shops and Kitty land. How about lunch at Ginza Six? Or you can buy Japanese foods and eat at a table there.
Harajuku/Shibuya: A busy area for shopping, food, cat cafe, owl cafe, and hedgehog cafe. (Admission: 1,000 to 2,000 JPY/h for animal cafe)
Shinjuku Kabukicho: Shopping, Godzilla road and its observation deck, Please watch my video below! (Admission free)
Odaiba: Newly developed area by Tokyo Bay with a lot of modern shops and facilities. (Some facilities request an admission fee)
Akihabara: There are many electrical appliance shops and new tourist attractions such as Mad cafe and Owl cafe. (Admission: Owl cafe: 2,000 JPY per hour, Maid cafe: from 2,000 JPY)
Nakano Broadway: It is a department store of used figurines. (Admission free)
Yanaka Ginza: There are many old local shops for crafts and foods.
You can see Mt Fuji from Tokyo on a clear day, but its possibility is about 30%.
Tokyo Sky Tree: The tallest tower in Japan with two observatories at 350m and 450m. (Admission: 2000 JPY for the 350m only, +1000 JPY for the two observatories)
Tokyo Tower: It is a nice place to observe Tokyo without waiting so long. If the sky is clear, you can see Mt.Fuji. (Admission: 900 JPY for the main observatory at 150m)
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Observatory: There are two observatories with great view of Tokyo. Currently, only South Tower is available. (Admission free)
Roppongi-Hills: Tokyo City View; Observatory at 270m. It has Sky Deck which is an outdoor observatory. (Admission: 1,800 JPY, +500 JPY for Sky Deck)
Shibuya Sky: Open air observatory deck at 226m on the 45th floor of the Shibuya Scramble Square Building. It has 360 degree view of Tokyo. Admission: 2,000 JPY per adult including the guide)
Tokyo National Museum in Ueno: The most popular museum in Japan, which has the largest collection of Japanese treasures such as statues of Buddha, Japanese sword, Japanese painting, and Kimono. The museum has a nice museum shop for souvenirs. (Admission: 600 JPY per adult)
Many kinds of moving computer graphics are projected on the walls of dark rooms. You will have a very strange experience, so different from the real world. Great fun for adults as well as children. (Admission: -18: 3,800 JPY, 17-13: 2,800JPY 12- :1500 JPY)
The popular Digital Art Museum in Odaiba was closed in 2022 which was taken over by this attraction in Toyosu.
They have many dark rooms where they show the projection mapping of various images on various surfaces including water.
It's admission is 3,000 JPY per adult and needs reservation.
They charge the guide so I will stay outside unless you want me join you.
Edo-Tokyo Museum: Unique Museum for Edo Period, including scale models of Edo Castle, display of the daily life of common people. Must see for those are interested in Japanese history. (Admission: 600 JPY per adult)
Nezu Museum: Nezu collection of traditional Japanese arts with a very unique and quiet garden. (Admission: 1,100 JPY)
Fukagawa Edo Museum: This museum is more focused on the life of common people in Edo. The real scale model houses look very real. (Admission: 400 JPY)
A very unique place with lots of displays and exhibits of paintings and cloths during Taisho Period when women started to establish their social positions.
(Admission 1600 JPY)
Ninja Experience : It is a new place for children to practice some arts of Ninja. Forty minutes practice of basic skills of Ninja such as throwing shurikens. (Admission: 1,000 JPY, closed on Tue. and Wed.)
Tea ceremony: Experience a formal tea ceremony with English guidance for 60 min. (Previous reservation required. Admission: 2700 JPY/ adult)
Strawberry Picking: You can eat all the strawberries you pick. They are sweet and delicious. (April and May only, Admission: 2,500 JPY per adult, 2,000 JPY per child, Reservation needed, please ask.)
Memory Line and Golden Gai : Both places are for locals to enjoy eating and drinking at night around Shinjuku station.
You can have dinner at Memory Line and have some drinks at Golden Gay for 2-4 hours.
To visit these places, you must start the tour after 13:00PM.
You can experience samurai.
Practice how to use a sword with a samurai costume.
(admission: 9800 JPY per adult)
Tokyo Carmii mosque is the largest mosque in Tokyo, it is a beautiful mosque and open to public. (Admission free)
At your hotel
Guide fee
Hotel pick up
Transportation cost of the guide within Tokyo
Transportation cost of you (about 1000 JPY each within Tokyo).
Transportation cost of the guide outside of Tokyo (if you stay outside of Tokyo such as Disneyland)
Lunch cost of you and the guide (from 1,000 JPY)
Entrance fees (shown in the description of each place in the itinerary)
We will use public transportations during this tour but we can take a taxi if you want.
I can lend you an IC card for easy use of public transportations and help you to charge your deposit in it.
- The tour guide is not available on Monday.
- Please, send a direct message to the tour guide for confirming the availability before booking
Not available on Mondays.
There is little restriction due to COVID 19 in 2023. I was vaccinated six times with the Pfizer one.
“Kanazawa Gardens, Samurai and Geisha districts”
Yoji-san showed around, spoke excellent English, was knowledgeable,very friendly and very experienced. We would recommend him very highly. Our first trip to Kanazawa and Japan but our 3rd Go With Guide experience and Yoji is very good and also great value. Thank you.
Yuki K.
(348 reviews)Dear Sandy, Thank you for your review of my Garden tour in Tokyo. We visited Happo-en Garden, Koishikawa Korakuen Garden in the morning. We planned to visit Kiyosumi Garden in the afternoon but I took you to Chidorigafuchi Moat for cherry blossoms. Thank you for taking my tour, Yuki
“Great English ”
Yuki was very punctual very informative and did a great job finding what we wanted His English was excellent. We enjoyed our time with him Would recommend
Yuki K.
(348 reviews)Dear Anthony, I appreciate your review within the tour day. Tsukiji is getting more and more crowded with foreign tourists for Japanese foods. I took you places without long line for Japanese beef and ramen. You missed my favorite sushi place but next time maybe. Thank you for taking my tour. Yuki
“Great experience seeing highlights of Kyoto”
Yuki was a knowledgeable guide and very personable. He customized our tour to hit the major highlights of Kyoto at an efficient pace that allowed us to learn about the sites and cover as much as possible. I would highly recommend this day trip from Tokyo to Kyoto with Yuki.
Yuki K.
(348 reviews)Dear Michael, Thank you for your review just after our tour. It was a long day but everything went well with your help. Thank you for taking my tour. Please give my best regards to your mother. Yuki