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Lost in Old Tokyo Downtown: Explore Yanaka & Nezu
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Joined 2019
The Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi areas are called “Yanesen”. The stairs leading to Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street is famous as a spot to see Japanese people’s real life. The areas have atmosphere of good old days of Tokyo downtown in 1960’ and also known as a religious town because they have many local temples, shrines and graveyards. There are small shops selling Japanese traditional kitchen items and souvenirs, and sweets shops and stalls basing on a concept of Japanese traditional colors.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Your hotel (inside of Tokyo area)
- I can meet you at any place you’d like. Please let me know your preference in advance.
Tennoji Temple
Founded in 1274, this is the oldest temple in the area, offering visitors a glimpse into Japan's rich religious heritage. Situated on the edge of Yanaka Cemetery, this Tendai sect temple has a beautiful bronze Buddha statue in their peaceful garden.
Yanaka Cemetery
Yanaka Cemetery is one of Tokyo's most famous graveyards and has the feel of a park with its profuse foliage, including a beautiful alley of cherry trees: a very popular spot in spring when the overhanging branches are heavy with bright blossom. The cemetery is also a beauty spot in autumn, with its many deciduous trees, including numerous gingkos. You can see Japanese traditional way to worship ancestors.
Asakura Museum
This is a small, off the beaten path museum. Its building was used from 1907 as a residence and atelier by Fumio Asakura, the highest peak of Japan's modern sculpture. In the atelier, you can see his works and in the residential area, you can see the traditional Japanese lifestyle a hundred years ago. Admission ¥500. Closed on Monday and Thursday.
Yanaka Ginza
"Yanaka Ginza” is a shopping district where you can feel the atmosphere of Japanese downtown and see people’s real life. You can buy street food and take it to the Echigoya liquor shop and have a glass of beer if you’d like.
Nezu Shrine
Nezu Shrine has a legend to be founded about 1,900 years ago by legendary priest Yamato Takeru no Mikoto. It was built on the current site in 1706 at the order of the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. It is famous for a tunnel made with lots of vermilon torii gates (red archways). Very good for photos.
Ending Point
Nezu Shrine
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 pick up (inside of Tokyo area)
Transportation fee for you (about ¥1,000/pp, depending on the location of your hotel), lunch for you and guide (about ¥1,500/pp), entrance fee for you and guide (Asakura Museum ¥500/pp)
Tour Important Information
-This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
-Asakura Museum is closed on Monday and Thursday.
- The ending point could be Ueno or any place you’d like.
Important message from the supplier
If you stay in the central area of Tokyo or Chiba, I will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel or anyplace you like.
We will take public transportation and walk a lot so please wear comfortable shoes.
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 2019
About Tour Guide Chiaki K.
Welcome to Japan! My name is Chiaki. I’m a government licensed guide interpreter, a wife and mother of two grown-up children. I’ve been living in Tokyo for 30 years so I know the area well.
If you don’t want to miss popular “must see” places, wish to eat a variety of Japanese popular and delicious food, have particular interest in Japanese theatrical arts, architectures, gardens, tea ceremony and “kawaii” characters, or are tired of tourist spots and like to see the real life of people in Japan, I can help you.
My goal is to help you to make your stay in Japan as memorable and fulfilling as possible. If I can serve you to make your special trip more special, it will be my pleasure.
Reviews
Jami N.
“Tokyo Half-Day Customized Tour”
This was our second time touring with Chiaki. Both times she took our copious written requests and developed a reasonable and flexible itinerary which resulted in a lovely and efficient tour focused mainly on local crafts, kitchen wares, ceramics, chocolate and coffee. We also slipped into Kiyosumi Gardens with 3 minutes to spare for a sunset stroll around the pond which was absolutely beautiful. Chiaki is very easy to talk with and shared stories of her life in Tokyo along with ideas for future tours. We highly recommend Chiaki! And will definitely engage with her when we return next year! Thank you for a wonderful day.
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Chiaki K.
Dear Jami-san, Thank you so much for touring with me again and for your lovely review! It was truly a pleasure being with you, especially with your thoughtful interests in local areas of Japan, temples, shrines and nature. I’m so glad everything came together smoothly, and that we made it into Kiyosumi Garden! It was beautiful! And now I’m glad to know you are back home safely. Thank you for spending another lovely day with me, and I look forward to seeing you again on your next visit and finding good chocolate and coffee shops! Please send my best wishes to Ann-san!
Jeff E.
“Great day in East Tokyo”
We had a great day with Chiaki. She customized a tour for us to focus on the easy side of Tokyo. The tour included some major sites and less know sites. Chiaki had history and details for the various stops which adds so much value to viewing them on our own. Beside the sites we really enjoyed Chiaki’s company for the day. We highly recommend Chiaki if you are in Tokyo.
Chiaki K.
Dear Jeff, thank you so much for your wonderful review! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour. It was such a pleasure spending the day with you and sharing some of Tokyo’s stories and history along the way. Especially, Kiyosumi Japanese garden was beautiful and peaceful, and we had relaxed time together. Thank you again and I hope you keep enjoying your trip in Japan!
Bruce S.
“Chiaki is an excellent guide”
She is intelligent, sensitive and knows Tokyo well. I highly recommend her.
Chiaki K.
Thank you Bruce, for your lovely review! I’ll try to continue picking up cans of beer believing it makes our world better. Thank you for the wonderful conversation!
$116/ per group
More tours by Chiaki K.
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Tokyo Six Hour Tour Customized for You
Tokyo is a fantastic city with so many places to visit. The city has it’s own history, culture, art, food and religion, and you will know better when you have a guide. If you are interested in specific area like street food, Japanese architecture and garden, tea ceremony experience, animal cafes, anime figures or wearing kimono, I can help you.
Tokyo Six Hour Tour Customized for You
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Food tour of Tokyo for First-Timers
Japan is known for a lot of delicious food. This tour takes you to Tsukiji Outer Market (the old and historical area which supports people's stomach) and Ginza. During the tour, you will know the Japanese transportation system and how to find good and reasonable restaurants, etc. so that you can visit other places by yourselves. Please feel free to consult me concerning where to visit and see. You can see and eat a variety of local food on the streets in Tsukiji, become familiar with the town.
Food tour of Tokyo for First-Timers
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Tokyo Four Hour Tour Customized for You
Tokyo is a fantastic city with so many places to visit. The city has it’s own history, culture, art, food and religion, and you will know better when you have a guide. If you are interested in specific area like street food, Japanese architecture and garden, tea ceremony experience, animal cafes, anime figures or wearing kimono, I can help you.
Tokyo Four Hour Tour Customized for You
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Shibamata: Beautiful Gardens and Good-Old-Days Downtown
Shibamata is a small and old downtown with a temple and beautiful Japanese gardens, located in the east end of Tokyo. You will find the nostalgic lifestyle of ordinary people in 1960’s. The town is not stylish nor modern, but full of atmosphere of Japanese traditional neighborhood life.
Shibamata: Beautiful Gardens and Good-Old-Days Downtown
Other Popular Off the Beaten Path Tours in Tokyo
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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.
Japanese Gardens and Tokyo Life: Bunkyo City Customized Tour
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Explore Tokyo Hidden Gems Walking Tour by Trains
Explore hidden gems unknown to tourists and even Japanese who do not live in Tokyo. Old town areas since Edo period such as Sendagi (Nezu shrine) & Ningyocho are hidden jewels,beside the ordinary must see Tokyo site-seeing spots such as Tokyo Tower, Asakusa Senzoji Temple. This tour combines old nostalgic charms with succulent local foods at Ningyocho & Tsukij Outer Market.
Explore Tokyo Hidden Gems Walking Tour by Trains
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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.
Excursion off the Beaten Track in the Suburbs of Tokyo
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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.
The unbeaten tracks of Sumida and Koto Wards (5 hour excursion)
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