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One-Day Imperial and Cultural Tokyo (Meiji Shrine, Harajuku, Imperial Palace Gardens, Ueno)
Joined 2018
Enjoy old and new Tokyo through this tour!
Meiji Shrine is one of the biggest and most famous shrines in Tokyo. Along Omotesando Street in Harajuku many luxury brand shops are located, and Takeshita-dori Street near Omotesando Street is known as a shopping place for young people.
Imperial Palace East Gardens are a big beautiful park near Tokyo Station.
In Ueno they have a lot of temples and shrines, and also museums such as Tokyo National Museum, National Museum of Nature and Science, etc.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Your hotel
Your Hotel
Pick up at your hotel. Go to Meiji Shrine by public transportation.
Meiji Shine
Visit Meiji Shrine and Harajuku.
Meiji Shrine
Meiji Shrine is one of the biggest Shinto shrines where the soul of Emperor and Empress Meiji are enshrined. Surrounded by forests, this area of Meiji Shrine is a place for Japanese people to relax. If you are lucky, you may see a Japanese traditional wedding.
Harajuku
There are two main streets in Harajuku. One is Omote-sando Street where many famous boutiques are located, and the other is Takeshita-dori Street where many shops that young people are interested in. Takeshita-dori Street is known as a fashion hub for young generations. You can find a lot of interesting things in Harajuku.
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Imperial Palace is former Edo Castle, and the East Gardens are a big beautiful park near Tokyo Station. You can see buildings of the Edo period such as stone walls and watch towers, and walk around the Japanese garden with a pond, stone lanterns, flowers, etc. We will have lunch nearby.
Ueno
We will walk around Ueno Park.
During the period of Tokugawa shogunate, Ueno was a home for Buddhist temples and people living in those days. One of the most famous temples is Kan-eiji Temple which was originally established in 1625 as a family temple of Tokugawas.
Kan-eiji temple has several sub-temples such as Kiyomuzu Kannondo, Bentendo, etc. Kiyomizu Kannondo was built in the 17th century and modeled after Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. They enshrine one-thousand-armed Kannon in the hall.
Bentendo was originally built in the 17th century, but rebuilt in the middle of the 20th century because it was burnt down during WWII. They enshrine eight-handed goddess of knowledge, art, and beauty.
You can also visit Toshogu Shrine where Tokugawa's three shoguns, the 1st shogun Ieyasu, the 8th shogun Yoshimune, and the 15th shogun Yoshinobu, are enshrined. This shrine is said to have benefits for the success in business, victory in competition, health and longevity, etc.
In addition, there are several museums, festival hall, zoo which is famous for pandas, etc. in Ueno Park.
Ueno
Go back to your hotel by public transportation.
Your Hotel
End of the tour.
Ending Point
Your hotel
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
1. Guide fee
2. Hotel pick-up
* Hotel pick-up is included if your hotel is located near a station on JR Yamanote Line or inside the circle of JR Yamanote Line. If extra transportation fees are necessary for hotel pick-up, I will let you know.
1. Transportation fee (you and your guide) : About 1000 yen/adult
2. Admission fee (you and your guide)
3. Lunch (you and your guide)
4. Beverages (beer, juice, etc.)
Tour Important Information
The Imperial Palace East Gardens are usually closed on Mondays and Fridays, except for national holidays.
*** FAQ ***
(Q) Can I add or delete the places to visit?
(A) Yes! You can add or delete the places to visit. Please let me know the places you want to visit. I will make a customized tour for you.
Important message from the supplier
Nothing speceial.
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 2018
About Tour Guide Hiroshi S.
Hello, I'm Hiroshi.
I am a National Government Licensed Tour Guide Interpreter in English. I have got a master's degree in Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the U.S.
I have been living in a city of Fujisawa, which is the city next to Kamakura, for more than 20 years, and also lived in Kamakura for more than 10 years. So far, I have visited almost all the temples and shrines in Kamakura. So I am sure I can offer you a pleasant trip to the historical city, Kamakura.
In addition to Kamakura, I can also guide Tokyo, Yokohama, Hakone, Nikko, etc. because I have visited many places in Kanto area. For example, in Tokyo I can show you around the sightseeing spots such as Asakusa, Tsukiji, Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Skytree, etc.
I like baseball and used to play baseball, but now enjoy watching professional baseball games. And I like watching Rakugo, Japanese traditional story-telling performance.
Of course, I also like travelling very much, and am interested in Japanese culture and history. So I would like to show you Japanese tradition and culture.
Let’s enjoy a trip in Japan together.
I am looking forward to seeing you soon.
Reviews
Penny L.
Tokyo Full Day Customized Tour (September 25)
Customized
“An enjoyable day”
It was a pleasure to meet Hiroshi. He was very informative about where we were going, how to get there and historical background. He designed the day to fit our interests. His English is excellent and my friend and I were very happy with our tour.
Hiroshi S.
(33 reviews)Thank you for writing a review of our tour. I'm very happy to hear you enjoyed the tour in Tokyo. We visited the Imperial Palace and Ueno Park. At the Imperial Palace Museum, we were able to see wonderful paintings and sculptures owned by the Imperial Family. In Ueno Park, we visited shrines and temples to experience the Shinto and Buddhist atmosphere. You are very knowledgeable about art, and I enjoyed the tour with you and increased my knowledge about art. Please enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan, and I look forward to meeting you again in the near future! Hiroshi
“Tokyo and Nikko Tours”
My son and I made a last minute decision to travel to Japan and opted for a guide in Tokyo. We found Hiroshi and were not disappointed at all. He responded quickly to all of my messages and went above and beyond with further explanations if I was ever confused. I am so happy we went with Hiroshi as he made inquiries about our interests and made itineraries based upon our likes/wants. We were able to enjoy Tokyo without worrying about the hassle of figuring out the subway system. We had great food and we were able to fit a lot of sites into a small amount of time. We also went to Nikko, which I highly recommend. Hiroshi made this such an easy day with taking the train and the bus to the UNESCO site. He also went above and beyond and showed my son and myself where we would catch the bullet train at Tokyo Station. He showed us the best entrance location and made it so easy to figure out. Thank you for a great time. We would definitely go with Hiroshi again as a tour guide if we would to return to Japan.
Hiroshi S.
(33 reviews)Thank you for your review. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed our tour of Tokyo and Nikko. I know it was a hot and humid summer in Japan, but we were able to feel the atmosphere of the Shoguns and Emperors at the Imperial Palace and experience Buddhism and Shinto at Asakusa, Meiji Shrine, and Hie Shrine. In Nikko, we were able to enjoy the gorgeous Toshogu Shrine and beautiful nature. I also enjoyed the tour with you very much. If you have the opportunity to come to Japan again, I would appreciate it if you could contact me. I look forward to meeting you again in the near future in Japan! Hiroshi
Adam K.
One-Day Historic Tokyo and Sky Adventure (August 5) : Additional Cost
Customized
“One-Day Historic Tokyo and Sky Adventure (August 5)”
Dear Hiroshi San, We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful tour you provided us in Tokyo. Your knowledge, enthusiasm, and attention to detail made our experience truly memorable. Thank you for sharing the rich history and vibrant culture of Tokyo with us. Your guidance and insights were invaluable, and we deeply appreciate the time and effort you put into making our visit special. Warm regards, Adam & Beata
Hiroshi S.
(33 reviews)Thank you for your review. The weather was fine on the day of the tour and we were able to enjoy a panoramic view of Tokyo from the Tokyo Skytree. It was also a hot day, but the Sumida River cruise was pleasant with the breeze on the river. I think Tokyo from the boat had a different flavor. Although this tour was a bit busy, there are still many wonderful places to visit in Tokyo. Nikko and Hakone are also recommended sightseeing spots. If you have a chance to visit Japan in the future, let's enjoy Japan together again! Hiroshi
