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!
“Japan 2024”
We just got back from our holiday in Japan and quite honestly, we couldn’t have had a lovelier time if it weren’t for our guide Tomoko. She made our first two days in Tokyo so enjoyable. Her kind disposition, her excellent communication skills in English and her ability to get us from place to place understanding our itinerary and our interests (2 adult parents and 2 university age daughters) at our pace was invaluable. Don’t hesitate to book Tomoko as your guide! She took time to explain local traditions and customs, took excellent photos of the family and managed to keep us on schedule so we could see and do everything we wanted including eating and shopping along the way.
Tomoko H.
I'm so glad to hear you had a wonderful holiday, Andrea. Thank you for writing this excellent review just after returning from the trip. I love the photos of us enjoying the market and of me leaving the misfortune I took:) Your husband, Doug, knew very well that you had spent a lot of time researching and preparing very hard for your family, and his first wish was for you to spend some special time yourselves. It was a real pleasure and a privilege for me as a guide to be with you all considerate each other and to spend two very enjoyable days. Thanks to Sydney and Emma, I enjoyed going to shops I wouldn't have gone to on my own. Thanks for broadening my horizons. I wish you and your family once again a happy and healthy 2025. Thank you.
Sharon L.
Dec 24_Fuji/Hakone Highlights - Day Excursion from Tokyo_Sharon &Family
Customized
“Highlight of Our Trip!”
Our family had the absolute pleasure of having Tomoko as our guide to see amazing views of Mt. Fuji and the Hakone area. Tomoko is super friendly, wonderfully personable, professional and incredibly knowledgeable. Her English is superb and she was the perfect addition to our family day trip from Tokyo. She made sure to keep us on schedule so that we could see as much as possible and yet was accommodating and flexible when we requested last minute changes to our day. She also took us to a fantastic local place for lunch where we were able to adhere to our dietary restrictions. Our driver, Miasan was also punctual and friendly. Thank you Tomoko!!
Tomoko H.
Thank you Sharon for your excellent review, and most of all, thank you for sharing so much fun and great views with you and your family yesterday. We walked, laughed and ate a lot, did we? From the time you contacted me, during our planning process together, you clarified your wishes and questions, which made it easy for me to make suggestions. I wish I were better with numbers and could answer Uji's questions about real estate, but as I was talking, I lost track of how many zeros there were. I’m grateful that Miasan helped me a lot about that and others besides driving:) I wish you all continue your pleasant trip and have more memories to share, and I look forward to seeing you again in the future when you come back to Japan. Thank you dear Levy Family!
“Highly recommended!”
Our guide, Tomoko, was hands down the best guide we’ve ever had. She is knowledgeable, flexible, warm annd fun. Tomoko worked with me well in advance to plan the tour and we ended our time together as friends. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her.
Tomoko H.
Debbie, thank you for your warm review. Needless to say, I too enjoyed working with you from pre-planning to the day of the tour. I am also honored that you invited me for dinner on the special day:) Best wishes to Tony, Michelle and Mark. I look forward to seeing you again. - Tomoko
$426/ per group