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.
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel in Tokyo
You can choose some of the popular spots below if you don’t have particular area of interest
Asakusa (Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Shopping Street)
Also known as Asakusa Temple, Sensoji Temple is one of the most popular tourist sites in Tokyo which dates back from the year 645. To reach the temple, you go in via an iconic gate called Kaminarimon. You also pass by a series of shops in a street called Nakamise.
Tsukiji (Outer Market)
Tsukiji Fish Market is the old and historical area which supports people's stomach. You can see and eat a variety of local food on the streets in Tsukiji, become familiar with the town.
Ginza (high-end shopping street)
Ginza is one of the highest-end shopping district in Japan. European luxury brand shops, department stores, and high-class restaurants are there. Kabukiza theater dedicated to Kabuki is just five minutes from the central area of Ginza.
Harajyuku (Meiji Jingu Shrine, Omotesando and Takeshita Streets)
Meiji-Jingu Shrine was built in 1920 to commemorate Emperor Meiji who changed Japan into a democratic industrialized country after a series of long feudal period. It is one of the most popular Shinto shrines in Japan where you will feel a special sacred Japanese atmosphere. Omotesando and Takeshita Streets are famous shopping streets especially for young girls.
Shinjuku (National Park, observatory deck, local food and Kabukicho)
Shinjuku is always exciting and have many faces. We can visit the beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen garden (admission ¥500), sophisticated department stores, a historical shrine, narrow back streets of bars and pubs and famous nightclub streets.
Akihabara (hobby district)
Akihabara is Japan’s largest electric appliance shopping district with its concentration of more than 600 stores selling exclusively electronic products. The recent trend of “otaku culture” has led to the introduction of animation-related establishments including “maid cafes,” where waitresses are dressed in anime characters’ costumes.
Odaiba (Tokyo’s newest area with futuristic architectures)
Odaiba is a reclaimed island made in Tokyo bay. You can see many futuristic buildings, the Rainbow Bridge, beach and big Gundam statue from the window of Yurikamome (a monorail that connects Shimbashi Station to Toyosu). There is also TeamLab Planets digital museum (admission ¥3200) here.
Shibamata (Taishakuten Temple and old street)
Shibamata Taishakuten Temple is famous for its beautiful Japanese garden (admission ¥400). The shopping street between the station and the temple have many food, souvenior and folkcraft shops and restaurants. The whole area shows the atmosphere of traditional busy downtown in 1960’s.
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Museum
The museum was built to relocate, reconstruct, preserve, and exhibit historical buildings of great cultural value that are impossible to preserve at their original location, as well as to pass on these valuable cultural heritages to future generations.
You can see buildings which were constructed in Tokyo between the early Edo period and the middle of the Showa period. The buildings were reconstructed their exteriors and interiors to show how people conducted their lives and businesses in days gone by.
Ending Point
Any place you’d like
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
Transportation fee for you (about 1,500 yen per person), Lunch for you and guide (about 1,500 yen per person), Entrance fee for you and guide (if any)
This is a flexible tour you can pick up places to visit upon your wish. I will make an itinerary customized for you, so you can fully enjoy the city with your limited time.
Because it is a private tour, you can change the route according to your interest, condition or the weather during the tour.
In this tour, we will take public transportation and walk a lot so please wear comfortable shoes.
If you have someone with allergies or dietary restrictions in your group, please let me know in advance.
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.
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.
Meena M.
“The most organized, responsive guide”
We cannot say enough good things about Chiaki and feel very fortunate to have found her. From the numerous messages we exchanged, Chiaki felt like the best fit for a guide. It ended up being the perfect first day in Japan and Tokyo. It was a full day, with Chiaki explaining everything from the subway to the places we visited. The Fudodo Twmple was incredible and without Chiaki’s suggestion, we would have missed it. We saw the fire ritual, drumming, chanting. Chiaki also took us to an outstanding vegan restaurant that did Buddhist temple cooking. Tucked away on the third floor of a building in Roppongi, it would have been hard to find it on our own. Chiaki also helped us buy our Shinkansen tickets and was extremely thorough in organizing them with detailed instructions. We truly had the perfect guide We covered more ground than we could have on our own, it was a good orientation on the subway, and it did not feel rushed. And throughout the day, Chiaki was and considerate. She was always eager to help and had suggestions for the days we are going to explore on our own. Thank you, Chiaki!
Chiaki K.
Dear Meena, thank you so much for posting your lovely review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tour and that I could make things like navigating the metro easier for you. It was a real pleasure spending the day together. You find fun everywhere, like when I explained about A-Un statues at the gate of Sensoji Temple and when we crossed the Shibuya Crossing. When we were at the gate of Meiji Jingu Shrine, you found beauty in its simplicity. It’s the philosophy of Wabi-Sabi. Now I’m very happy that you have found me! I hope the rest of your travels are full of wonderful experiences! Please say hello to your charming sons. Thank you!
Lynsey M.
“Perfect way to spend the first day in Tokyo”
Chiaki was an excellent guide from the first contact. We messaged in advance to agree an itinerary for the day and Chiaki made sure the day was well paced. Having help to understand and navigate the metro was really helpful and Chiaki even helped us retrieve our tickets for our ongoing travels at the JR station. (This saved us a bit of stress I’m sure!). Chiaki is a very considerate and friendly guide and I couldn’t recommend her enough.
Chiaki K.
Thank you Lynsey, for your wonderful review! And thank you for the photo you uploaded. I wanted to ask Nigel to share it but couldn’t. I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed the day and felt comfortable. It was such a pleasure spending the day together, and I truly appreciate your recommendation. I hope you enjoyed the bike tour today and will have a lot of fun in Tokyo, Takayama and Kyoto. Thank you again!
Bronwyn M.
“Wonderful ”
We spent a wonderful day learning, exploring & getting to know Tokyo on a personal level. Lots of walking, train travel (learning the system), sake tasting, food tasting & laughs throughout the day. Thank you to our terrific guide, who ensured we had a very special day, then went out of her way to sort out our incorrect travel card to the correct visitors card.
Chiaki K.
Dear Bronwyn, thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed my tour. I’m especially happy to hear that you visited the ticket office again and could sort out the SUICA card issue smoothly. Wishing you many more wonderful adventures ahead, and I hope our paths cross again someday. Please give my best wishes to Tony. Thank you!
$151/ per group