Exploring Katsushika - Tokyo's Old Downtown Walking Tour
Joined 2016
Planning to escape the crazy and crowded Tokyo for a sense of serenity? Go off the beaten path and enjoy Katsushika! Located on the east end of Tokyo and widely known as Shitamachi - Tokyo's old downtown, Katsushika is full of warmth from the local people and nostalgic feeling of Showa-era of Japan. On this private tour, you will explore Katsushika by visiting popular places such as Shibamata, Taishakuten Temple, Yamamoto-Tei, Yagiri-No-Watashi, the Edo River, and Mizumoto Park.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel in Tokyo
10:00 AM: Hotel pick-up.
11:00 AM: Arrive at Shibamata Station and hit Shibamata shopping street.
12:00 AM: Visit Shibamata Taishakuten Temple, Shibamata’s most famous temple with a Japanese Garden and wooden cravings.
1:00 PM: Japanese lunch at a local restaurant (tempura, freshwater fish, or soba noodles).
2:00 PM: Explore Yamamoto-Tei residence, a well-known Tangible Cultural Property of the Katsushika Ward.
3:30 PM: Relax while strolling along the Edo River and Mizumoto Park.
Ending Point
At your hotel in Tokyo
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
- Hotel pickup and dropoff
- Transportation - Train fares, and a boarding fee for Yagiri-No-Watashi of ¥400
- Lunch meal
- The entrance to the Shibamata Taishakuten Temple grounds is free, but there is a ¥400 charge to see the Japanese garden and wood carvings. Entrance fee for Yamamoto-Tei: ¥100. Note that the entrance fees for the guide are not included in the rate.
- I appreciate your payment for my train fares and lunch during a tour.
Tour Important Information
＊The Mizumoto park hosts the Iris Festival every June.
＊We will not use Yagiri-No-Watashi when the service is unavailable because of rain/snow/strong wind/specified holidays.
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 2016
About Tour Guide Koji K.
*My guiding area is only Tokyo (not Kyoto or Mount Fuji areas).
*My tours are walking tours using public trains.
*The maximum number of people I can guide is 4.
Would you like to experience a unique and unforgettable trip to Tokyo with a professional, friendly, and passionate local guide? As a licensed tour guide with over seven years of experience in Tokyo, I would love to share my expertise and hospitality to ensure you have a truly remarkable time in this vibrant city.
As a certified private tour guide, my goal is to provide a stress-free, enjoyable, and immersive experience that feels like being shown around by a local Japanese friend.
My name is Koichiro, but you can call me Koji as well. After spending three years studying English in Southern California, I returned to Japan and earned my national tour guide certification in 2016. Since then, I have guided countless visitors through Tokyo.
Unlike fixed group tours, my tours are flexible—no rigid schedules or formalities. You can adjust your itinerary at any time to match your interests or accommodate unexpected changes.
I genuinely love meeting new people and would be delighted to guide you through Tokyo, sharing both my professional insights and my personal local experiences. Whether you're looking for must-see attractions, authentic restaurants, or hidden gem bars, I’ll ensure you experience the very best of Tokyo—especially its incredible food!
I’d be happy to create a customized travel plan tailored to your preferences and remain flexible to any requests. Feel free to book my tour or message me with any questions or suggestions—I look forward to making your trip unforgettable!
Reviews
Paul R.
“2 day tour of Tokyo”
Good highlights tour of Tokyo.
Koji K.
Paul thank you for booking my tour, I'm honored I could share great time guiding major spots as well as eating at my recommended restaurants!
Jade S.
“Amazing experience ”
Koji was an amazing guide. He had so much information on all the attractions he took us to. Koji went above and beyond to facilitate me with my restricted mobility, helping us get rail cards and ordering taxi's for us. Koji took us to all the spots where my gamer son was interested in. Took us to amazing food spots and recommend the best souvenirs to buy that were actually made in Japan. NKoji was patient, kind and laid back. I would definitely recommend him as a guide and would 100% use his services again. We are extremely happy with his services. Thank you Koji
Koji K.
Jade the tour was the culmination of what Tokyo has to offer covering only the best food, crafts and entertainment with the limited time! I'm truly glad I could do that on your day in Tokyo. Thank you for making it possible.
Lisa W.
“Bespoke tour around Tokyo with Koji”
Being taken around Tokyo by a local really made our day with Koji truly special. When we met at 10am Koji listened to and took on board our suggestions of where we would like to visit and then showed us around his city with expert insight, giving us 100% all day, right up to 5pm when he dropped us back at our hotel. Navigating around an unfamiliar place can be a challenge, especially when you wish an authentic experience of Tokyo. Travelling for the day with Koji meant that we were guided around Tokyo seamlessly, experiencing some great locations, we would not have enjoyed without the expertise of a professional guide. Highlights included a superb lunch at Tsukiji Outer Market and a visit to Tsutaya Books. I cannot recommend Koji highly enough. Thank you Koji for your company, time, energy and expertise.
Koji K.
Lisa the tour was fantastic covering fashionable areas in Tokyo with the excellent food and sweets available! I feel truly privileged to get to know you all and to reaffirm how influential the culture your city has produced to our lives. Thank you for the memorable time and do hope to recreate it again.
$347/ per group
More tours by Koji K.
One-day Tokyo Tour In Your Own Way
There are actually many ways to enjoy Tokyo. On this tour, you can visit the places based entirely on the places you'd like to visit. Even if you don't have clear ideas on where to visit/what to do, I can tailor-make your original travel plan based on your interest so that you can spend your time in Tokyo as you've ever dreamed of.
Tokyo Highlights Tour 1st Day
Make the most of your 1st day in Tokyo! On this tour, you'll visit Tokyo's most popular tourist destinations (Tsukiji, Asakusa, Akihabara, Harajuku, Omotesando and Shibuya) in 7 hours. The places to visit and the time on each place are totally flexible and can be modified anytime. You can spend your first time in Tokyo in the most efficient way without getting lost as well as getting useful information and insights on Tokyo from me. Most importantly, you can enjoy your time in your own way!
Other Popular Off the Beaten Path Tours in Tokyo
The unbeaten tracks of Sumida and Koto Wards (5 hour excursion)
Sumida and Koto area was part of the eastern peripheral of old Edo with many second houses of feudal lords which typically had splendid Japanese gardens. Visit and stroll two gardens that have been retained to this day. Also included are visits to a memorial park related to the Kanto Earthquake of 1923, a historic Buddhist temple related to Sumo and the Fukagawa Edo Museum.
Excursion off the Beaten Track in the Suburbs of Tokyo
We will explore the western suburbs of Tokyo in this tour. If you are looking for something different from the crowded tourist attractions in the central part of Tokyo, you will enjoy exploring the western suburbs of Tokyo. I recommend this tour not to first timers but to repeaters who have been to famous places in Tokyo. You will discover traditional spots in the beautiful environment of the suburbs. Weather permitting, lunch in a local restaurant can be replaced by a picnic lunch in a park.
Ueno and Yanaka
Ueno is a popular district of Tokyo. The open market of Ameyayokocho, a black market that appeared at the end of the war that sold candy and American products. The first public park in Japan, there are seven museums, a zoo and many temples and shrines. Yanaka is a residential district of Tokyo that escaped the bombs, known for its Machiya-style wooden houses, a large cemetery where the last shogun is buried, Buddhist temples and the Yanaka Ginza shopping street.
Japanese Gardens and Tokyo Life: Bunkyo City Customized Tour
Bunkyo City is in the heart of central Tokyo, just north of Chiyoda City where the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station are. The city is Tokyo’s typical residential and academic area where I was born, grew up, and live now. We'll move around the city with a Bunkyo City Community Bus, B-guru ( “beagle”, the mascot character of the bus), and visit Edo-Tokyo Japanese gardens and other calm and pleasant sites. You'll also catch a glimpse of Tokyo citizens’ life during the tour.
