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Joined 2025
Lily I.
Available Areas
Tokyo (Living), Kamakura, Yokohama
Languages
English, Japanese (Native), Spanish
Response Time
4 hours on average
Availability Updated
Today
About Tour Guide Lily I.
Hello! I’m Lily.
I am a government certified tour guide. I have experienced more than 100 customized tours starting from March 2024 and have been receiving 5-star reviews on popular travel booking sites from over 90% of my guests.
I love Japanese food(eating and cooking!), cultures such as traditional arts and crafts, and so much more! I love exploring towns small or big to look for hidden gems and can't wait to share them with you!
I was born and raised in Tokyo for over 40 years with a few childhood years in the US. I am a mom of two boys and have work experience in the Japanese Education industry as a teacher and a public relations professional.
I am proud to be able to introduce the charms of Japan from multiple perspectives based on my experience of interacting with people from many different nationalities.
I am happy to tailor an original plan or to arrange your bucket list advancing it to a better option.
I’m looking forward to guiding and sharing the excitement of Japan!!
Important
* Some of the tours/ experiences require prior reservation. Please send a direct message to me before booking a tour.
* If you have any requests for the tour, please feel free to ask me in advance!!
Tours
All tours can be customized for you. Send me a message with your requests!
Categories
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Tokyo Tailored: Your Perfect 7-Hour Adventure with Lily
**This tour is designed to offer for A SMALL GROUP tour as shown in the description. I am happy to tailor an original plan OR to arrange your bucket list advancing it to a better option! A 7-hour tour allows for 4 or more visits depending where we visit and finish the tour. Send me a message with your preferences or requests! *This tour will be presented in ENGLISH.
Tokyo Tailored: Your Perfect 7-Hour Adventure with Lily
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Tsukiji Market - Tokyo's Kitchen Tour for food lovers
**This tour is designed to offer for A SMALL GROUP tour as shown in the description. Tsukiji Outer Market is a world-renowned maketplace. You may feel overwhelmed with its nearly 400 shops. Your guide, Lily - a foodie- who visits Tsukiji more than 50 times a year will not only help you experience the fresh and quality food but also deepen your understanding of traditional Japanese food culture, so you can enjoy "washoku" even more during your time in Japan.
Tsukiji Market - Tokyo's Kitchen Tour for food lovers
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Tokyo Eastside Half-Day: A Taste of History, Art&Food
**This tour is designed to offer for A SMALL GROUP tour as shown in the description. Cultural and culinary delights of Eastern Tokyo! This tour is a perfect blend of cultural immersion and culinary exploration. Lily will take you on a journey through historic districts, where you'll witness the harmonious blend of old and new.
Tokyo Eastside Half-Day: A Taste of History, Art&Food
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Tokyo Westside Half-Day: A Taste of History and Pop Culture
**This tour is designed to offer for A SMALL GROUP tour as shown in the description. Embark on a vibrant half-day tour through the west side of Tokyo, where ancient serenity meets modern dynamism! Begin our exploration at the peaceful Meiji-jingu shrine. Then dive into the colorful chaos of Harajuku, the epicenter of youth culture. Finally, brace yourself for the iconic scramble crossing in Shibuya.
Tokyo Westside Half-Day: A Taste of History and Pop Culture
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Tokyo’s Old-town Tour: Asakusa & Taiyaki Making
You might get overwhelmed by the busy main streets and the huge Sensoji-temple. This tour offers you an in-depth journey through the charming small shops and scenes in Asakusa that are often missed by first-time visitors along with a fun workshop, “hands-on taiyaki-making experience”at a local shop. Learn the secrets of this beloved fish-shaped pancake, from preparing the sweet filling to pouring the batter. Join us to see the Asakusa and the authentic culinary workshop!!
Tokyo’s Old-town Tour: Asakusa & Taiyaki Making
Reviews
Scott H.
“Tokyo Experience by the BEST!”
My wife and I enjoyed 1-1/2 days seeing important and fascinating parts of Tokyo with our guide Lily! What an excellent ambassador for this historical and special place. Lily was sooo professional, responsive, knowledgeable, and absolute fun from the very first inquiry all the way through our time together. Lily loves her town and loves to share her experiences and knowledge. We travelled to Tokyo a couple of days early to enjoy the city in advance of our cruise and Lily did an excellent job tailoring our time and sites perfectly to our interests and to avoid duplication with expected sites to be toured with our cruise excursions. Lily's help with our travel details (like getting from the airport to the hotel by train, recommending a Suica card for easy train access, etc.) once in Tokyo, all in advance of our arrival, was super helpful! All in all, our day and a half with Lily was a wonderful, educational, and fun filled time getting to experience the city with an exemplary guide and ambassador for Japan!!
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Lily I.
Dear Scott, Thank you very much for your thoughtful comments! These words reminded me of the journey we had together. I felt so happy introducing culture, history, and all the delicacies along the way we explored. Since we have so many things to offer, I would be more than happy if you could make another visit in not so far future. All the best, Lily
Rahul W.
“Tokyo 7-hour Tour - May 2025”
Our family of 5 did the 7-hour tour of Tokyo with Lily and had a fantastic time. She was very considerate of our family’s dietary restrictions and adjusted the itinerary to match our interests (for example, we visited a garden instead of the fish market). Traveling with two seniors, we appreciated her patience and flexibility. Lily is personable, helpful, and her English was great, which made communication easy and enjoyable. We're so glad we did the tour on our first day in the city because we felt like the tour covered all the major highlights. We highly recommend her for anyone looking for a customized and personal Tokyo tour.
Lily I.
Dear Rahul, Thank you for your kind review!!! It was my pleasure to meet you all and spend a wonderful time together exploring the highlights of Tokyo. I’m grateful to spend warmly vibe with you and all the members of your family. Your excitement about the different features of the city made me even more happy. Always I feel happy to help your trip be more delightful! Best regards, Lily
Elizabeth M.
“Seeing Tokyo in 2 days!”
My two days with Lily were truly incredible! I was in Tokyo for the first time with my husband, but he had business meetings, which left me on my own. Having Lily guide me throughout Tokyo made it fun and stress free. Lily customized an itinerary for me, which enabled me to visit shops and areas that were of interest to me, yet made sure I saw the most important sights. We navigated the city via the subway and on foot, which made me feel more comfortable in the city. Lily was able to share her insider's view of the city and its nuances, which was like a living history lesson. We had a memorable lunch at an authentic tea house, which I would not have found without her. I feel like I would have missed so much with her guidance and highly recommend her as a guide!
Lily I.
Dear Elizabeth, Thank you so much for your thoughtful and great review! It was my pleasure to meet you and spend a wonderful time together exploring beautiful places in Tokyo! Your interests made me discover different features of the city. I couldn’t be more grateful if you had a deeper understanding of Japan. And I will be more than happy if you would revisit here in the future! All the best, Lily
Other Popular Tour Guides in Tokyo
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Kyoko I.
Hello, my name is Kyoko. I am a National licensed tour guide. After graduating from college in the United States, I worked as an editor for an international in-flight magazine. It gave me the opportunity to travel to many countries, including Europe, America, Asia and Mid East, to gather research for my articles. I live in Tokyo with my family, I sing in a local chorus group and I enjoy cooking Asian food like Indian, Thai, Burmese and Korean food. Being a tour guide for group or private tours, I get to meet people and learn about different cultures from all over the world. It has become my most favorite thing to do. I am very enthusiastic about sharing my Japanese culture and hospitality to make your travel experience memorable. As your guide, I will show you the beauty of Japan!
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Tak Y.
Hi, my name is Tak. I have seen travelers. And, I found they got tired of typical sightseeing spots, like crowded temples and shrines. There must be spots fit to your feeling and interests, more in Japan. Then, I’d like to propose. Why don’t you start unique and original tour, only your hearts bring to yourselves? . I had guided Pokemon tour Ghost story tour Inari Shrines tour Live house tour Bento (lunchbox) tour Textile tour Papermaking tour I’ll search the site you want to see and create your unique itinerary. First, could you give your message about things you want to do and see in Japan? Let’s make great time you can’t never forget. Thank you so much. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. I live in SHITAMACHI, Tokyo, or old residential town near ASAKUSA and UENO. My hobby is strolling and I walk about this area almost every day. I know even the smallest path, big and small museums, workshops of artisans, an impressive view of gigantic tree, a beer bar in an impressive old house, unique souvenir shops, cats living in Yanaka and many, many other attractive spots in this area. You can expect a day that nobody read in guide books. So! I hope you name me as the navigator of your fantastic memory-making-tour!!!! I’m 61-year-old and I still love rock’n roll music. If you want to enjoy live music in Tokyo, I can also arrange the location and occasion according to your mood and boom.
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Grant A.
Hello! My name is Grant, and I’ve spent over a decade living and exploring Japan. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, I first came to Japan as a high school exchange student in Inuyama, a historic castle town in Aichi. My love for Japan began early—sparked by childhood games like Pokémon that were released in Japanese before English. That early curiosity grew into a lifelong passion for Japanese language, culture, and history. I hold an N2 on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, a degree in Asian Studies from a Tokyo university, and I graduated from the Japan Visual Media Translation Academy. I’ve visited all 47 prefectures and explored a wide range of historical sites, shrines, and castles throughout the country. My background in Japanese history helps me provide context that brings depth and meaning to the places we visit—whether it's understanding a centuries-old temple in Kyoto, the story behind a castle ruin, or uncovering the historical layers of a Tokyo neighborhood. If you’re planning to explore Tokyo, here are some tour options to consider: One day in Tokyo? The Ginza Line Tour offers a great introduction to the city’s highlights. Two days? Pair the East Tokyo Tour and West Tokyo Tour to get a well-rounded experience. Interested in anime? The Anime Tour is flexible and can be tailored to match your specific interests. For those looking to go beyond the city, I also offer day trips to Nikko, Kamakura, and other nearby destinations. While most guests book Tokyo-based tours, I also guide in other regions—especially Kyoto, where I’ve visited every World Heritage Site. I regularly lead tours in Osaka, Nara, Nagoya, Hikone, and other locations easily reached by rail. Multi-day and custom tours are available on request. Full-Day Tour: 40,000 yen (8 hours) Full-Day Tour Outside of Tokyo: 40,000 yen + transportation Feel free to get in touch to plan a tour that fits your interests and travel plans.
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