Recommended for those who want to make the best of your limited days in Tokyo!
First, choose 1 or 2 places from the selection list in ‘Highlights,’ and let me know your requests.
Then I will suggest the best itinerary especially for you.
If you are thinking of touring around other areas starting from Tokyo or ending at Tokyo, I could assist your planning as a tour guide+consultant. Feel free to contact me.
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel or at any convenient place in central Tokyo
Your hotel lobby or any place of your convenience in metropolitan area of Tokyo
Starting time is changeable. The following list covers my recommended places in Tokyo. Let me the places you are interested in from the list below or general preferences and requests. The first 3 spots, Asakusa, Imperial Palace, or Meiji Jingu shrine would be the best choice if you have not been there.
1. Asakusa and Senso-ji temple (district with an atmosphere of old Tokyo and its oldest temple)
2. Imperial Palace and East Gardens (residence of the Imperial Family, former site of Edo castle, and a beautiful park) *admission free
3. Meiji Jingu shrine (dedicated to the spirit of Emperor Meiji, a beautiful forest in the midst of Tokyo)
4. Ueno Park (city park with multiple museums such as Tokyo National Museum, which is the oldest and considered the best. There is also a zoo, shrines, and temples on this historical site.) *admissions vary depending on facilities and exhibitions; most facilities are closed on Mondays
5. Yanaka (district with a pleasant nostalgic atmosphere of old Tokyo with lots of temples and small local shops. Asakura Museum of Sculpture, the former residence and studio of the artist with scenic beauties can also be found here.) *admission to museum: 500 yen / adult, closed on Mondays and Thursdays
6. Japanese traditional gardens, such as Rikugi-en, Hamarikyu-garden, and Kiyosumi- garden. (*admission 150 - 300 yen/adult)
7. Harajuku (center of Japan's teenage culture and fashion as well as an array of high-end adult shopping. You can enjoy Hedgehog & Otter cafe :)
8. Shinjuku (district around Japan's busiest station, featuring many large shops, countless restaurants, skyscrapers including Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building with free observatory, nightlife areas such as Kabukicho, Omoide-yokocho, etc.)
9. Shibuya (prominent landmark of the large intersection known as the Crossing is here, popular district among younger generations, packed with shopping, dining, and nightclubs.)
10. Tsukiji Outer Market (Fun market where you can learn Japanese food culture and enjoy fresh seafood, sushi, and other delicious food.)
11. Ginza (Tokyo's largest shopping & dining district, close to traditional Kabuki-za theater.)
12. Ryogoku (town of Sumo wrestling with typical restaurants, excellent museums such as the Sumida Hokusai Museum and the Edo-Tokyo Museum) *admission to Sumida Hokusai: 400 yen / adult, to Edo-Tokyo: 600 yen / adult, both closed on Mondays
13. Fukagawa (relaxing old town in eastern Tokyo with a small, but interesting Edo Fukagawa museum where you are led and immersed into ancient lives of Tokyo commoners and Fukagawa Fudodo, an impressive Buddhist temple hall) *admission to museum: 400 yen / adult, closed on 2nd and 4th Mondays
14. Koishikawa Korakuen garden and Kagurazaka (traditional Japanese garden; wandering around a town with nostalgic but trendy narrow alleys.) *admission to garden: 300 yen / adult
15. Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower - panoramic view of Tokyo from obervatory decks * admission: refer to their official website
16. Any place of your interest in Tokyo
Ending Point
At the final destination or any place of your convenience
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
■ guide fee
■ hotel pick-up (only inside the metorpolitan area of Tokyo)
■ transportation fee (you and guide): about 1,500yen/person
■ lunch
■ admission fee if needed
Hi everyone! Hearty welcome to Japan.
I’m Tomoko.
I am an English-speaking licensed tour guide, and a registered nurse as well.
“Fun Discovering Experience Walking like a Local!” – F-D-E-W-L!
That’s what I suggest.
【Experiences】
My work history is as follows.
1) high school teacher ---12 years
2) nurse--8 years + 2 years as operational manager for Kamakura city vaccination team (during COVID period)
3) tourism related jobs such as tour conducting, guiding, and backyard supporting---10 years
As a tour conductor, I’ve visited about 20 foreign countries (possibly yours?) as well as countless number of towns and villages in Japan.
I’ve enjoyed these jobs while being a mother.
Through these experiences with lots of people from different backgrounds, I've found it a great pleasure to share the joy of learning and experiencing something new!
【Guiding Areas】
<Basic> Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Fuji, Yokohama, Nikko, and other neighboring areas from Tokyo
I’m a specialist in Tokyo and Kamakura as I have lived and enjoyed walking a lot in those cities for decades. To be honest, even after all my years here, I still enjoy exploring like a tourist as Tokyo is such an enormous city with great diversity and is constantly changing.
Kamakura is a historical small city with nice beaches and hills and lots of hidden spots of beauty. Almost every time I go out, I feel I’m still making new discoveries. That’s why I cannot stop exploring.
I would take you to some neighboring areas like Hakone, Yokohama, Nikko, and Mt. Fuji area (Lake Kawaguchiko), etc.
<Based on Requests > *if my transportation & accommodation are covered
Nagoya, Kyoto, Nagano(Nagano city, Snow Monkey park, Kisoji trail, etc.), Hida (Takayama, Shirakawa-go), Kanazawa, Oita, Yamagata, Akita, etc.
My original family is from Nagoya, so I know their culture and even their language(dialect) well. Later in my life, I have lived in Oita, Kyushu(far south west of Tokyo) for nearly 10 years and traveled a lot in Kyushu. I love traveling Tohoku, the northern Japan area, too. I’ve planned and enjoyed visiting many of those local areas in the north, too. So, I could share those experiences with you even while having tours in Tokyo or online.
【Personality and others】
- I love meeting people, listening and talking to them.
- I'm friendly and caring, I hope:)
- I love nature and enjoy hiking and skiing.
- I love seasonal flowers and good local food.
- You will see a lot about Japanese culture, nature, and lifestyle with me.
What has made you decide to come to Japan, by the way? Is it its scenic beauties, exotic culture, history, food, anime, or what else? Is it your business that has brought (or will bring) you here? Let me have a clue and customize your tour. I will make the best tour suggestion for you.
Why don’t you contact me now? I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!
Thank you! Arigato-gozaimas!
Ana H.
“A wonderful day”
We are a group of 6, with 2 young adults. Tomoko was wonderful in every aspect. She made things more than just enjoyable for all of us, young and young at hearts. We visited shrines that were meaningful but not so crowded, made last minutes changes and enjoyed everything very much. I hope to meet her again sometime! All the best and thank you, Tomoko!
Tomoko H.
Thank you very much for your prompt review. It was an extremely hot day, but we enjoyed the cool breeze at the café next to the giant bell at Engakuji Temple, met Enma, the king of hell, drew a lucky fortune at Hachimangu Shrine, and walked a lot despite the heat. You are amazing walkers! The Great Buddha was waiting for us patiently under the blazing sun. At Hase-dera, we enjoyed the breathtaking views, and walked along Zaimokuza seashore. We also indulged in special chocolate, traditional Japanese sweets from a shop celebrating its 250th anniversary, and had a delightful dinner at a traditional Japanese-style room in Enoshima. Laughter really is contagious. It was a really fun day filled with laughter. I hope you keep having fun on your trip. I look forward to seeing you again in Osaka, and someday in Romania, Ana, Sorin, Sofia, Petru, Manuela, and Marius - Ne vedem, mulțumesc.
Haley F.
“Don't know what we would have done without her! ”
Hiring Tomoko was the best decision I made for my entire 17-day trip across Japan. I messaged several tour guides before messaging her, with a list of unique things I wanted to see in Tokyo off the beaten path and they did not want to do much else than their normal tours. I only had weeks to go before my arrival, and Tomoko worked very hard to get an itinerary that worked for us in a short time. Her communication was amazing. During our time with her, she helped me find FUGU (blow fish) which has been on my bucket list for 20 years. I had a request for live music and she took us to an unforgettable Shamisen performance in a small local restaurant. I requested to see some local artists, and we went to the neatest place which reminded me of Austin, Texas. We found a dog cafe for my boyfriend, played in the photo booths, got some amazing sushi, and so much more. We also saw the bigger attractions and really got a feel for the different neighborhoods in Japan. She is a perfect tour guide for any walk of life as she is very adaptable and organized. Thank you so much Tomoko. I wish I would have had you for the rest of my trip!
Tomoko H.
Thank you, Haley, for broadening my horizon and experience while having fun together. Sure, your initial list of things you wanted to do and places you wanted to go was enough to make my head spin. This may have been your first trip to Japan, but I could sense that your list included places that held memories for your father and grandfather, things you had been thinking about for decades, and consideration for your kind boyfriend who was accompanying you. If you didn't understand my schedule and my relationships with the local shops that are important to me, things might not have gone so smoothly. I appreciate your cooperation. I will never forget Jeremy's sparkling eyes and happy smile when we came across the Snoopy anniversary corner in Ginza.:) If there is one thing I regret, it is that I was distracted by an appointment with a friend and was not on the platform when the Narita Express arrived and you boarded. I was relieved that you'd safely caught your flight after the last adventure in Japan. I learned a lesson. It goes without saying, but “what is usual for you is not usual for others.” I look forward to seeing you again. Best wishes to you all, Haley, Jeremy, families, neighbors and doggies!
Dominic M.
“Excellent summer day in Nikko!”
I highly recommend Tomoko to be your family's guide to Nikko (or anywhere else for that matter). She is a consummate professional and made sure to tailor our trip to our family's needs. Her knowledge on our temple venture to Nikko was quite impressive. She anticipated exactly where lines would be and ensured tickets were bought in advance to enter the temple on our trip and this alone saved us a lot of headache and waiting time. She was also just a lot of fun to hang out with! Book Tomoko and you will have a great day!
Tomoko H.
Dominic, thank you very much for your positive review. You clearly stated in your first message that you wanted to enjoy the nature of Nikko, the history of the Tokugawa shogunate, and, if possible, the cooler climate with your family, which made planning fun and concrete. It may have been a bit early in the morning, but I am glad you decided to proceed as planned, resting in the comfortable seats of the Spacia X. As we hoped, we were blessed with good weather and a cool climate, and it was enjoyable to stroll together among the many beautiful waterfalls, the lake, and Toshogu shrine. Thank you and hope to see you and your family again.
$450/ per group