Discover Japan: Japanese Garden & HANDICRAFT shopping
Joined 2017
Curious about the history of ancient Japan and its rich traditions in handmade crafts? This private walking tour is perfect for you. After visiting one of the Japanese gardens of your choice from: East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Hamarikyu Gardens, or Koishikawa Kourakuen, we will visit Nihonbashi, the commercial center of Edo-Tokyo from more than three hundred years ago. You will surely be amazed by the variety of handmade Japanese traditional crafts and the richness of Japanese history.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At the lobby of your hotel in Tokyo
9 AM: We will visit one of the three: East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Hamarikyu Gardens, or Koishikawa Kourakuen, which are considered the best Japanese Gardens in the city.
10:30 AM: Drop in the souvenir corners of Nihonbashi Information Center, which sells products from Nihonbashi's historical and famous shops that you won't be able to find anywhere else!
11:00 AM: Nihonbashi Bridge, a twin arch bridge made of stone more than 100 years old
11:30 AM: Nihonbashi Toyama Store - A shopping center for food, crafts & gifts from Toyama prefecture, where you can see the famous sculpture of Inami originally from Toyama Prefecture. *Closed from Dec.31 to Jan.2
12:00 PM: Visit Hakuza Nihonbashi, Gold Leaf Store, where handbags, earrings, and cosmetics get a golden touch! *Closed on New Year's Day
12:30 PM: Explore Ibasen Fan Store (founded in 1590), a sophisticated shop of 400-year traditional paper fan *Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, Dec.28-Jan.4
1:00 PM: Ozuwashi Traditional Japanese paper store, where Washi - UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Objects is displayed with a large variety of patterns and designs. (founded in 1653). *Closed on Sundays, Dec.28-Jan.3
1:45 PM: Mitsukoshi Department Store *Closed on Jan.1, 23, and Feb.20
2:15 PM: Visit Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square and/or Kobuchicho of Kabukiza and enjoy the delicacy and intricacy of all various designated handicrafts (Closed from Dec.29 to Jan.3)
3:00 PM: End of tour.
Ending Point
At your hotel or the places you prefer
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
Guiding fee, hotel pick-up in Tokyo, the guide's admission fee for the Japanese gardens.
There is no admission fee for the East Gardens.
- Transportation fare for you and the guide. We might buy a Metro One day Pass at 600 yen at the beginning of the tour.
- Meals, snacks, drinks, admission fee (Hamarikyu Gardens/Koishikawa Korakuen: 300 yen, over 65 years old: 150 yen)
Tour Important Information
The East Gardens will be closed on Mondays and Fridays, so please choose Hamarikyu Gardens or Koishikawa on those days.
On Sundays, we cannot visit Ibasen and Ozuwashi, but we can visit some other stores instead. It’s possible to add a lacquerware shop and some others and the craft shop of Mitsukoshi Department Store.
Choosing Sato Sakura Museum, having a Japanese painting collection including cherry blossom pictures, at Nakameguro or the National Museum of Modern Art at Takebashi instead of a Japanese garden is possible except Mondays as long as you pay the admission fee of you and your guide. (Sato Sakura Museum: Adults 500 yen, Over 70 years old 400 yen/ the National Museum of Modern Art: Adults 500 yen, College Students 250 yen)
Sato Sakura Museum will be closed from December 29th to January 4th, January 9th, and February 13th). Starting after your lunch is also possible.
Suggestions, requests are welcomed. Please make inquiries by sending me messages.
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 Yoko T.
Hi, I'm Yoko, a National License Tour Guide＆International Kikisake-shi.
I speak with an American accent, 'cause I lived in Seattle, Washington for six years in my childhood(3-9 years old). My tours might be better with people who LOVE TO WALK, have STAMINA and keen to learn about the culture.
Now I live within a walking distance from Ueno Park, Tokyo, so I see a lot of International tourists walking around in my neighborhood every day.
(PLEASE CHECK EACH TOUR. The expenses are spelled out, too.)
"Tokyo is larger than we thought and the transportations are so complicated," Swedish guys told me. I'm here to help you. I know well about Tokyo, Yokohama, Yamanashi etc. and I travel most of the parts of Japan.
I would appreciate if you could see more sightseeing spots with me as your guide and enjoy your stay.
I love to answer your questions, even though I became nearly breathless when I was with American guests, a family of three, curiously asking me questions after questions:-)
I appreciated their interest in Japan very much.
I also go mountain trekking for nearly thirty years. I've been to the summit of Mt. Fuji and Mt. Kitadake three times. Talking about Mt. Takao, maybe more than fifty times.
I hope we can enjoy the beautiful view together.
I'm looking forward to seeing you soon and having a good time together.
Hope to hearing from you soon.
Reviews
Dinu B.
“Tokyo tour with a pro”
Loved the time we spent with Yoko in Tokyo. We had planned for a trip to Mt Fuji initially, but as the weather was very unfavourable, Yoko offered to show us around some of the most interesting sites in the city. She knows Tokyo inside out, spoke perfect English, and was very pleasant company all throughout. I ended up regretting that I did not book more days with her, but I am thankful for the one I had. Otsukaresama deshita.
Yoko T.
I really appreciate your great review. I had so much fun with you, your wife Ioana and your friends. I was deeply amazed with your group reading SHOGUN and the numbers of Japanese movies you saw before you came to Japan. I still believe Mount Fuji is the most beautiful in February. I will dream of you coming back with your daughter some day. I hope you have a nice flight back tomorrow. Arigato gozaimashita!! Thank you again for the wonderful time. See you!!
Therese D.
“Amazing tour with Yoko who made our trip so special”
We had a fabulous day out with Yoko san today. She perfectly captured our interests based on methodical pre-planning conversations and showed us a side of Tokyo we had not seen before. She carefully listened to our interests and curated an itinerary that ticked all the boxes. History, art, a wonderful visit to the Imperial Gardens, fabulous food and a real feeling of being privy to some of the local haunts. Yoko san went out of her way to help us with our future travel beyond Tokyo. She was tireless in ensuring we knew where to go to catch our Shinkansen and had our suica cards set up. We can’t praise Yoko san highly enough. She was an informative, caring and considerate host. We will certainly book her again on our next visit to Tokyo. Thank you Yoko san; you made today very special for us.
Yoko T.
I really appreciate you writing a sugoi review just after the tour. I was glad you didn't have trouble with walking so much even we walked maybe more than 20000 steps together. I felt quite lucky that you made so much positive comments about all the places we visited. I hope you have a lovely trip of Nakasendo from tomorrow. Thank you so much again, Therese san and David san, for the lovely day. I will be looking forward to seeing you again in your future trip.
Thomas F.
“Excellent tour of Tokyo ”
We had an amazing day with Yoko! We booked the Up To You Tour of Tokyo. In just 8 hours, Yoko managed to show us so much—temples and shrines, the beautiful Chidorigofuchi Moat, the energy of Shibuya, and the charm of Asakusa. She was knowledgeable, organized, and incredibly kind. Not only was she our guide, but also very informative about Japan history in general. She took us to this amazing fish place for lunch. Yoko took so much stress out of our travel and made the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. It felt like she was our friend the whole time and not a person that is just guiding us. Thank you so much, Yoko. Come visit us in beautiful Kyrgyzstan.Highly recommended!
Yoko T.
Oh, thank you so much for your wonderful review, Thomas san. I was so moved by it that I was almost going to cry. I was lucky to spend the day with you and your beautiful intelligent wife. It might be my first time to talk about the Fukushima disaster and about the episode of Iodine tablets supplied there. I appreciated that you liked that genuine Japanese lunch with fish and added kelp options. I had a great time with both of you. Please enjoy Osaka and Kyoto. I will be waiting for you to come again to Tokyo with your kids some day soon. Please tell Nurida san that it was really meeting her too. Thank you again for the powerful wonderful day!!
$172/ per group
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