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Tokyo your way (7 hours)
Ah, Tokyo! So little time, so many places to see! All the places recommended below (see Itinerary) are personal favorites. You can't go wrong with any of them. We’re so flexible we can even extend the tour on the day itself!
There are also 14 packaged tours designed to appeal to your special interests. This includes half day tours of Harajuku, Shinjuku Odaiba and Ueno.
Come, let me show you “My Tokyo”!
Meeting Point
Central Tokyo, Yokohama and some hotels in Kawasaki.
C1: Imperial Palace - outside only (1 to 1.5 hrs)
Let's talk about samurai and Japan's Imperial family!
C2: Tsukiji fish market (1 to 2 hrs)
Traditional market. The sushi is highly recommended!
C3: Hamarikyu Japanese garden (1 hr)
Seasonal flowers, a 300 year-old pine tree, cherry blossoms (late March).
Entrance to the garden = 300JPY/person, 150JPY for seniors (the guide has a pass). Optional informal tea ceremony.
C4: Tokyo Bay view and Rainbow Bridge (1.5 hrs)
•Tokyo Bay area view from the observatory deck of one of the city's tallest buildings. Free entrance
•Scenic ride on the self-driving train. Train fare = 180 to 400JPY (depends on route)/ per person
C5: Odaiba quick tour (2 hrs)
Man-made island. One of the trendiest places in Tokyo. Check out my Odaiba Tour page for a longer tour of the area.
C6: Evening beer at Yurakucho Yakitori alley below the elevated railway AKA gado-shita. (1 hr)
Food and drinks = 1,500++JPY/person
C7: 2-hour walking tour in Kagurazaka and Koishikawa Korakuen Garden (2 to 3 hours)
Kagurazaka is a small old-fashioned geisha town. Back alleys still have the traditional stone pavements. Entrance to the garden = 300JPY/person (the guide has a pass)
C8: Gado-shita adventure (2 hrs)
Trendy and artisanal shops under elevated train tracks. It's a clever use of space.
C9: Food tour in Tsukiji & Ginza (2 to 3 hrs)
Tsukiji Fish Market, depachika in Ginza. A depachika is the food section of department stores. It’s like a wonderland for food!
E1: Asakusa - Sensoji-temple, Asakusa Shrine, Nakamise shopping street (1 to 2 hrs)
Most popular tourist destination.
E2: Water bus ride - Asakusa to/from the Bay Area OR Asakusa to/fromHamarikyu (40 mins)
Cruise = 860 to 1,200JPY/person
E3: Ueno quick tour (2 hrs)
Lotus pond, museums, temples, and shrines. Check out my Ueno Tour Page if you want to explore Ueno further.
E4: Toyosu Fish Market (new) and Tsukiji Fish Market (old, C2) walking tour (4 hrs)
•Recommended meet-up time: 8:00AM at your hotel
•No tuna auction
E5: Walking around the Sumo Town Ryogoku - Sumo Museum, Yasuda garden and Hokusai Ukiyoe Museum or the Japanese Sword Museum (3 hrs)
Please ask the guide about the opening dates for Sumo Museum. Hokusai Museum entrance = 400JPY/person, 300JPY for seniors and children (the guide has a pass). Japanese Sword Museum entrance = 1,000JPY / person
E6. Yanaka quick tour and Asakura Museum (2 hrs)
•Yanaka is an old-fashioned residential area which survived a WW2 fire.
•Asakura Museum is the artist Asakura's former residence which features his artwork and traditional architecture (also his design). Entrance = 500JPY/person
W1: Shinjuku walking and shopping tour (2 hrs)
Department store, wholesale store, Kabukicho (the former red-light district), and pub street. Check out my Shinjuku Tour Page if you want to see more of Shinjuku.
W2. Meiji-jingu Shrine (1 hr)
The biggest Shinto shrine in Tokyo. Soak in the peace and tranquility as we walk through the grounds.
W3: Harajuku and Omote Sando walking and shopping tour (2-3 hrs)
The height of KAWAII - let's discover the ultimate cuteness in this area. Check out my Harajuku & Shibuya Tour Page for a more immersive kawaii experience.
W4: Shibuya and Shibuya Sky Observatory Deck (2 hrs)
Shibuya Crossing (probably the busiest in the world), Hachiko - faithful dog, and shopping . Shibuya Sky - Best view of Tokyo City Entrance = 2,000JPY/person (the guide has a pass).
W5: Safety Education and Disaster Preparedness (1 to 4 hrs)
•Earthquake simulator ride (at the Safety Education Center) and/or Fire Museum tour = Free entrance.
•Smoke Maze and Mock Firefighting are also available at the Safety Education Center. Advanced bookings required.
W6: Walking around Daikanyama area (2-3 hours)
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo, Kyu Asakura House (traditional house and garden), Tsutaya books and shopping area. It’s a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of Central Tokyo. Fashionistas like the trendy shops and hip cafes in the area.
Shinagawa 1: Walking tour in a modern art town (3-4 hours)
Tennozu area is a hip town near Haneda airport with lots of modern art monuments and several art galleries.
•Museum entrance fee = around 1,200JPY (depends on the exhibition)
Ginza (pass-by)
The area is like "5th avenue in N.Y.". International brands are lined up. We will take a taxi from Yurakucho area to Tsukiji Fish Market to save time and energy.
Kabukiza theater (pass-by)
Kabuki is a traditional opera acted by men.
Tsukiji Fish Market - walk about one hour
Let's see variety of local food including fish, meat and vegetables & fruits. Sushi knives and other kitchen tools are also sold. Street foods and sushi bars are another treat. When the market is closed we will visit Tsukiji Honganji Buddhist Temple.
Ueno quick tour
Ueno Park and the lotus pond. You have two options to go to the next spot. (walk or taxi)
Old Yoshidaya liquor shop
Over 100 year old traditional merchant house
Yanaka walking
Immerse yourselves in the traditional residential area with narrow paths.
Traditional houses were converted to nice cafes and shops.
Asakura Museum
The artist Asakura's former residence which features his artwork and traditional architecture (also his design). Entrance = 500JPY/person
Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street
Let's see the life of locals.
Tour ends at a subway station or JR Nippori station
Ending Point
At the final destination OR at a pre-agreed place in central Tokyo
Want to personalize this tour?
- Our tours can be customized according to your needs and preferences
- Click below to tell us what you are looking for:
Inclusions & Exclusions
Guide fee
The following are PAID IN CASH on the day/s of the tour.
= Transportation during the tour (you & guide) = approx. 1,000++JPY/person (you and the guide)
= Entrance fee (you & guide)
. . . Guide has a pass for some attractions.
= Lunch / food / drink (you & guide)
= tour extension is available
. . . 1 hour 5,000/hour
Tour Important Information
Earthquake Simulator
= For ages 6 and above.
= Please ask the guide the possible dates.
= Smoke Maze and Mock Firefighting also available with advanced bookings.
Fire Museum
= Children are allowed on the vintage helicopter and retired fire trucks.
= Exhibit of samurai-era firefighters (Hikeshi) includes some Ukiyoe. They were considered heroes at that time as the prevalence of wooden structures led to a lot of fires.
= Closed on Mondays.
The area is crowded on weekends. / Meet-up at outside of central Tokyo = Please contact the guide, first. No meet-up service from Tokyo Sky Tree Area, Sumida, Koto, Narita airport & Tokyo Disney Resort. = Please meet me in the central Tokyo.
Important message from the guide
Multiple-day bookings are encouraged. I might have greater flexibility in opening closed slots in this case. Let's talk about it. Send me a message! :‑)
MORE INFO:
= We use public transportation (train, subway, bus and/or taxi) in my tours as it's the best way to see the city.
= A custom tour = Please book at least SIX HOURS = 45,000JPY
= The meet-up time marks the official start of the tour.
= Hotel pick-ups = only in Central Tokyo, Yokohama, and a few hotels in Kawasaki.
= Four-hour tours available = Tokyo, Harajuku & Shibuya, Odaiba, Shinjuku, Ueno, Yokohama, and antique flea market. Please check out the corresponding tour pages.
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
Tokyo Tour Reviews
“Great tour with Toshi, excellent knowledge, and covered all the key sites”
We arranged to meet Toshi at the station and were immediately put at ease after meeting Toshi. Her knowledge and English were excellent and we experienced many aspects of Yokohama. We enjoyed a Chinese lunch (inexpensive) in China Town followed by a taxi ride to Sankeien Gardens. Again Toshi had very good knowledge of the most interesting aspects of the garden . In summary, we can highly recommend Toshi to provide an excellent private tour of Yokohama.
Toshi H.
(125 reviews)Thank you, Peter! It was a pleasure meeting you and your wife. Yokohama is one of my favorite places as the bay area is postcard pretty. Yokohama being historically significant yet considered a trend setter makes it very interesting to many visitors. Take care and I hope to tour you to other places in the future!
“Great custom tour”
We highly recommend Toshi. We asked for a customized tour for me and wife. A tour that would match our preferences and abilities. Toshi planned and executed just the right tour for us. She even adjusted it on the fly when needed. Toshi proved to be a knowledgeable guide well versed in the history of Japan in general and Tokyo in particular. She is also great fun to spend time with.
Toshi H.
(125 reviews)Thank you very much, Ami! I'm truly delighted to have you here in Tokyo. We were able to see a variety of places in one day. Our day began with a sense of reverence at Meiji-jingu Shrine. At Harajuku, we witnessed the vibrant fashion trends among the youth. Asakusa provided us with a unique blend of traditional charm and bustling energy. The Imperial Palace stood majestically beside the business district. Tokyo is full of surprises, isn't it? I sincerely hope you continue your Japanese adventure filled with joy and excitement. Enjoy the rest of your Japan adventure! Please take care of yourself.
Ray Q.
Two-day customized tour (12 hours in total )
Customized
“Tokyo with Toshi”
My family and I spent two days with Toshi touring the east and west side of Tokyo. Toshi communicated very well with us in English and took very good care of my 79 year old mother-in-law. We traveled primarily with the trains and I learned how to navigate the train system. Toshi took very good care of us and I would encourage others to take her tour.
Toshi H.
(125 reviews)Thank you so much, Ray! I had a wonderful time with your family. I felt like a member of your family and I quite enjoyed your company. I am happy that we were able to visit all the places you wanted to see. Asakusa is a traditional town while Shibuya is a hot spot in Tokyo. It was fun to see your family enjoying the local delicacies. Sushi, beef, mochi, crapes, etc. I hope you'll take home a treasure trove of wonderful memories. Enjoy the rest of your stay! Hope to see you again.
