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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
Nancy G.
“Experienced and accommodating ”
Chiaki san adapted to our fitness level in the record heat. Aside from showing us the sites, she made modifications to ensure our safety and health.
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Chiaki K.
Thank you Nancy-san, for your wonderful review! Even it was very hot, I enjoyed being with you and your lovely granddaughter. I hope you will travel safely to Kyoto and Hiroshima and have a great time. Arigato!
Killian M.
“Wonderful day”
We are a family of five with three adult/teenage children on a first trip to Tokyo. We didn’t have much idea of what to see and do but Chiaki made what turned out to be some excellent suggestions. She was very engaged in communication before our trip so we made some adjustments and then again on the day as I had hurt my leg and it was particularly hot and humid. We combined better known attractions with things we never would have thought of or found without a guide. She was delightful company with very good English. Chiaki created a wonderful day for us in Tokyo and I could not recommend her highly enough.
Chiaki K.
Dear Killian, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful review! It was truly a pleasure guiding your beautiful family. I’m so glad the day turned out to be a memorable one, despite the heat and humidity. It was fun spending the day with you all, talking about international politics, Japanese culture and religion, and your kind words mean a lot to me. I hope your leg will be better soon and especially hope all of you go back home safely and smoothly. Also wishing Maria having a joyful vacation in Southeast Asian countries. Thank you and take care!
Amy R.
“Great guide who showed us an excellent, customized experience”
Chiaki was a great guide, dedicated to creating a customized experience tailored to what we wanted to see. We did a 6 hour tour of the sites we were interested in. As we were creating the day’s agenda , Chiaki offered great suggestions and options to fill out the rest of the day and on how to best group the sites to minimize time spent in transit. She share a lot of helpful, informative insights the day of the tour to help us better understand Japan, Tokyo, the sites we Saige and the Japanese culture. Highly recommend!!!
Chiaki K.
Dear Amy, thank you so much for your kind review! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour. It was a pleasure working together to create a day and sharing the culture and history of Japan, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to guide you. I think you are back to your usual busy days now. Don’t work too hard and please send my best wishes to David! Thank you again for the recommendation! I hope your business trip to Japan will be successful!.
$122/ 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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Lost in Shinjuku Sanchome and Kabukicho! Tour
Shinjuku is always the exciting city and have many faces. We visit the beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen garden, a sophisticated department store, a historical shrine, narrow back streets of bars and pubs and famous nightclub streets.
Lost in Shinjuku Sanchome and Kabukicho! Tour
Other Popular Off the Beaten Path Tours in 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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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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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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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.
Ueno and Yanaka
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