What would you like to do in Tokyo? I will show you both traditional and modern sightseeing spots, and would have you experience the local life in Tokyo. We will visit a feudal lord's garden, a fish market, historic religious sites including a temple and a shrine, and lastly a fashionable and modern town. These are all must-sees in Tokyo. I'm sure you will be satisfied with the exciting tour!
At your hotel
The site used to be the Tokugawa Shogun's outlying castle built in 1654. The garden was established in the traditional Daimyo style, where the visitors enjoy beautiful scenes while strolling around the central pond. If you want, matcha green tea can be enjoyed in a tea house. Prince William visited the garden on Feb 26, 2015.
The market has a lot of shops selling not only seafood but also vegetables and kitchen utensils. Fresh wasabi rootstocks, rare white strawberries, and costly Matsutake mushrooms can be seen, if you visit the market in the right season. Of course, the visitors can taste sushi and other various foods.
Asakusa-Kannon temple is the oldest in Tokyo founded in 645. It features the Kaminari-mon gate with a huge paper lantern. The town used to be the center of entertainment, so the temple has been always vibrant though you might expect it would be quiet like many other temples in Japan. The approach to the temple is lined with shops selling sweets, kimono, chopsticks and other souvenirs.
The shrine is the largest in Tokyo and is dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji who governed the country 1867 to 1912. It is surrounded by 36,000 trees housing a wide range of species of living things. The spot has a solemn atmosphere in contrast with Asakusa-Kannon temple.
Harajuku is the center of fashion and attracts people from nationwide. The town featues the main street, Omote-sando with rows of high-end brand shops, and many side streets, too. One of them Takeshita-dori is a mecca for teenagers, where many stores sell clothes and miscellaneous goods at reasonable prices. Please enjoy the vibrant town!
Harajuku
People say Tokyo is eclectic and has both traditional and modern aspects. You will see a time-honored shrine next to a newly built skyscraper. We tour historic destinations, the origin of a fashion, and places mixed old factors and new ones. And also, please enjoy authentic Japanese food for lunch. Finally, you can experience Tokyo itself, with fabulous shops, excellent train systems, busy streets and kind people. At the end of the day, you will be much more familiar with the fascinating city!
Guide fee, hotel pick-up
Your transportation fee and guide's: about 1,000 yen a person.
Your entrance fee for Hamarikyu-garden: 300yen / free under 12 / 150yen over 65.
Lunch, Green tea and sweets
I can guide you in the metropolitan area including Tokyo and Kanagawa every day as long as I am available.
Hamarikyu-garden is closed during the period before and after New Year's. In that case, the destination will be replaced with your favorite spot.
－I will pick you up at your hotel in the morning. The time schedule might change, depending on where your hotel is.
－The tour usually ends in the last destination Harajuku, but if you would like me to see you off at the hotel, please let me know.
－I would like you to pay for your transportation fee and guide's, your admission fee for Hamarikyu garden, your lunch and your matcha green tea and sweets other than the guide fee.
I plan to have suhi at Tsukiji market. If you would like different meals, I will be ready to choose your favorite food. And also, if you have any food allergies, please let me know.
Masako was fantastic in helping us navigate our way around Tokyo on our first day. We efficiently got to each location and Masako explained the history and culture which we would have missed without her. Masako also answered all of our questions which really set us up for the rest of the week. Can’t thank you enough Masako, you were so kind and helpful, it really made our stay wonderful. Have a wonderful new year and we look forward to visiting Japan again soon.
Hello Alan, Thank you very much for your kind comment. I am glad to hear you enjoyed our tour and had a wonderful week in Tokyo. It is my great pleasure if I would give you any help with your stay in Tokyo. I also thank you for your cooperation and patience during the tour. I was impressed you always followed me in an orderly line when moving in crowds. It was a big help to me and I easily guided you. I appreciate it. Please give my best regards to your wife and daughters. May the new year bring you and your family happiness! Kind regards, Masako
Masako-san was very knowledgeable, patient and punctual. A learnt alot from our tour and hope to engage her service in the future when I return to Tokyo with my family. Iroiro arigato gozaimashita.
Dear Waqas, Thank you very much for your lovely comment. I appreciate it. You are enthusiastic about Japanese history and culture, which helped me a lot to operate the tour. I was impressed that you understand cultural difference and show respect for other cultures. Please come back to Japan. I look forward to meeting your family. Kind regards, Masako
Masako was a lovely guide. She provided interesting background information about the places we visited and life in Japan in general. She was also curious and inquisitive, so we had some nice conversation throughout our time together. Additionally, Masako was flexible and enabled us to extend our time in certain places as well as helped us make some purchases at the market.
Dear Brook, Thank you very much for your lovely comment. I appreciate it. I am glad to hear you enjoyed the tour. I was impressed you are well versed in our culture though it was your first visit to Japan. I was also moved you make every effort to pursue a better life. Your diet is a good example for me to follow! Thank you very much again. Kind regards, Masako
Communication was great from the start. She provided suggestions or options for my kids. She was early for both meeting times. Very knowledgeable and informed about the tours and we learned quite a bit. I would definitely use her again for a guide in Tokyo even if not for the visa requirements.
Hello David, Thank you very much for your kind words. I am very glad to hear you and your family enjoyed the tours. I was impressed all of you are friendly and warm-hearted, and besides your children are cooperative and patient. Thank you for pleasant chatting. I very much enjoyed having been with you. Please come back to Tokyo some day in the near future and have conger eel sushi in Tsukiji! I thank you again for hiring me. Kind regards, Masako