We’re not going to let an opportunity to show you Senso-ji slip by. With your knowledgeable guide at your side, you will learn about the history of this very early Buddhist Temple in Japan. You’ll find out why it differs in appearance from most temples in Kyoto, or most anywhere else in Japan for that matter. Asakusa today is much more than just Senso-ji and the shopping street leading up to it. This was also the case a hundred years ago, when Asia’s first subway started operation between Asakusa and Ueno, which is our next stop. The fact that the first subway was built here demonstrates just how central, busy, and valuable the area was once. That is not to say the area has fallen on hard times. But, rather, to point out that the Asakusa/Ueno area once held the prominence that Shinjuku and Shibuya hold in the metropolis today. Hard to imagine, but true.
Senso-ji, Tokyo's iconic temple in historic Asakusa, is a captivating journey into Japan's cultural heart. With its majestic Thunder Gate (Kaminarimon), vibrant Nakamise shopping street, and serene temple grounds, it's an unforgettable destination where tradition meets modern allure.
From touring Asakusa, we will venture toward Ueno. This area has, for generations, been where street vendors and shops of all stripes sold their wares and their foods. It is probably just as busy an area now as it was centuries ago. Once you get a look at the scene, you’ll know why. This is no highly-manicured, corporate-dominated shopping district. Not at all. Since this is your own private tour of Tokyo, we could also include a visit to the Tokyo National Museum. Their repository is unrivaled across virtually all the arts and, if you are up for it, we are super keen to dive deeper into art and the orbiting culture of the various periods with you.
Welcome to the vibrant world of Akihabara, fondly known as "electric town," a bustling district that has been a hub for cutting-edge electronics since the pre-war era. Over time, it has transformed into a captivating haven of "Otaku" culture, a subculture brimming with passion for anime, manga, and all things pop-culture. Akihabara's journey began with its reputation for showcasing an array of household goods. However, it underwent a remarkable metamorphosis, embracing the dynamic realm of Otaku culture. Otaku isn't just about computer nerds; it represents a community of devoted enthusiasts, celebrating creativity and imagination. As you explore the lively streets, immerse yourself in the sensory delights that surround you. Discover the latest and most revolutionary electronics, testament to Japan's reputation as a global leader in innovation. But there's more to Akihabara's charm. The district offers an atmosphere akin to stepping into a living, breathing manga or anime world.
Embark on a captivating journey from electric Akihabara to the serene Koishikawa Korakuen garden. Inspired by Confucian poetry and dating back to the Edo period, this garden transports you to an era cherished by emperors and samurais. Experience the enchantment of cherry blossoms in spring and the fiery colors of autumn. Walk the paths of history, where ancient rocks whisper tales of wisdom and resilience. Join the ranks of wanderers who found solace and enchantment in this ethereal oasis throughout the years.
Rachale was a terrific guide. She was very knowledgeable and a ‘people person’. We of course, walked a lot but saw many wonderful sites. really enjoyed the temple in Asakusa.
Can’t speak to the actual contents of the tour, as (with no warning or explanation) our guide never showed up. After calling both the tour operator and the appointed guide with no answer from either one, and waiting for close to 30 minutes, we gave up and strolled in Asakusa on our own.
Very good tour with an insightful guide, unfortunately the Typhoon meant the park was closed (only reason I can't give 5 is because we had to end the trip early from the Typhoon but every location we visited i was allowed ample time for browsing mementos! Definitely worth a shot especially in less stormy weather
Great tour to see an interesting part of Tokyo. Our guide Reina was knowledgeable and helpful.
This was a really great tour! Our guide, Carrie, was very knowledgeable, professional, and courteous. She also took some great photos of us at each site. That was definitely a plus!
We enjoyed this walking tour. The tour guide Carrie was knowledgeable and kind. We will definitely take another tour with her again when we come back. We were able to see temples and shopping centers during a limited time. She was even knowledgeable enough to recommend a great restaurant for dinner. My kids and I truly were happy.
Rachel is a wonderful tour guide, very knowledgeable and friendly. She adapted the tour perfectly for our interests.
As tends to happen, I booked this trip as a solo traveler and ended up being the only member of my ‘tour group.’ No worries, Rachel adjusted the trip to suit my tastes, including a snack run and traipsing through multiple arcades in Akihabara. Being able to have that one on one conversation with a guide can really help get a feel for a new country, some of the nuances and hidden gems. Thanks, Rachel!
Carrie was a great guide! We saw a lot of the city in the tour. It helped so much to plan the rest of our time. Carrie gave great recommendations and insights to help with the rest of our trip.
We had a wonderful experience with our tour guide. She was very knowledgeable, helpful, and courteous throughout the tour. We learned a lot about the country as well as the areas we visited. Thank you so much for making our time with you a memorable one. Arigato!
Great walking tour! We saw so much of the city and utilized subways to get to different parts. Cherry blossoms were in bloom and so was everything else! Walked about 16000 steps so pack light and wear your walking shoes!
Adrian was a phenomenal tour guide. He took the extra time to teach us about all kinds of details and also answer our questions.
My Guide was perfect. Was able to recall facts and was detailed about the tour. He showed care and was able to answer all my questions. Gave us a personalized tour.
We had a great day. We have done multiple tours in Japan and Reina was by far our best guide . Would highly recommend
Great tour of Tokyo. As much as we could fit in with limited time. My guide, Taka, was exceptional. He was very friendly and easy to talk with and knowledgeable. I recommend the tour and highly recommend Taka
Hiro was a wonderful guide! A fantastic walking tour with lots of different kinds of neighborhoods and the beautiful temple and gardens.
We had a fantastic day with Michelle and Johann during which our custom tour was planned perfect to our needs. They were nothing but eager to help us plan and enjoy a great experience in Tokyo.
We had a great experience with this tour. Learned a lot about many different areas of Tokyo and our tour guide Yapi was wonderful! Very kind and knowledgeable!
Fun tour of Tokyo where you get to see a lot of different things. Our guide Matt did a fantastic job and kept it very fun.
Hiro was a great guide and we had a great time! He took us to places we would have never found on our own. Very knowledgeable and accommodating!
Tour guide, Michelle, was very knowledgeable. She shared a lot of great facts and answered all my questions. She was friendly and fun to talk with as well.
Our host Yapi was great and patient. It was a nice walk around Tokyo. I especially enjoyed the garden and temples.
The tour guide Taka was very knowledgeable, helpful. He is Japanese and talking in english We had so much fun Highly recommended 🤍
We had a wonderful time. Our guide “Taka”, did his homework. He is very familiar with the area. The Senso-ji temple was a high light. Taka also took us to the markets and allowed time to shop.
This was a wonderful way to start our visit to Tokyo. Michelle was a warm and friendly guide, who showed us an extensive and interesting number of places. The group was small, so we were able to access spaces that large groups just can’t get to. It felt like a knowledgeable friend showing you around. We even got a helpful introduction to the subway system, which came in handy for the rest of our trip. My whole family, including our teen, really loved the experience and we highly recommend!
We met our travel guide Hero.. he was truly amazing.. his knowledge of the area its history and how helpful he was made this a wonderful experience and we made great memories Hero you were certainly ours today 🙏😀🙏
Our tour guide Yeman was great and very knowledgable. We focused on our interests and went at a comfortable pace.
The meet up location was easy to find. Four people showed on time, but found out that there were several no-shows. The guide was more worried about the no-shows than those who were there on time. Tour started about 15-20 minutes late. We felt rushed during the entire tour. While walking through the Asakusa area (which is very, very crowded) the guide would take off in crowds, which made it very hard to follow. We could not hear the guide. She would just not speak up. The last part of the tour was the “Pop Culture” bit, which constituted dropping us off at various anime stores. Lastly the tour said it covers transportation costs, which it did not. We had to pay our own way on the trains.
Yapi was amazing and extremely knowledgeable. We really enjoyed how detailed she was explaining everything and showing us all the nice and beautiful places. It was a very informative tour with a lot of places.
Our guide Yapi was amazing! She took us on a wonderful tour of the old town, giving us lot of insights and taking us to many locations we would have never found on our own. We really appreciated the history and engagement. One of the highlights for the kids was seeing all the 80s and 90s technology in this cool little building and sampling lots of street food as we went. Our guide Yapi was super patient and tailored the tour to our group and pace. She also took photos throughout and shared afterwards. We would highly recommend.
We got lucky and got a private tour with Taka. He was great. We both were impressed with how fast the four hours went by. His English is very, very good. The tour was a nice mix of history and general information about Japanese culture. I was happy we had this tour because it really packed a lot of stuff in that we probably wouldn’t have seen or appreciated otherwise.
walking tour - he is friendly, knowledgeable and fun, so we had a great time! He also tailored certain parts of the tour to suit our interests, and spent more time in areas that appealed to us. The sites were very enjoyable to visit, as we stayed in Shibuya which is the new part of Tokyo, so seeing old town and the more traditional side (but with pop culture weaved in!) was awesome. Highly recommend!
Hiroshi was a great guide! I ended up being the only one on the tour so it was a great experience! He was very knowledgeable. I definitely got much much more out of the tour than I would have wandering around by myself. The tour was all-encompassing including cultural things I had no idea about like the Maid Cafes. Definitely recommend this tour!
Hiro was an excellent tour guide - very friendly, engaging and knowledgeable. The tour itself was great, around four hours of exploring. We learnt a lot and had a great time!
Taka is a truly great guide. Very funny and informed. Super cool guy. Will customize the experience to your preferences.
This was such a fabulous tour, showing us a side of Tokyo we never would have seen otherwise, with a witty and knowledgeable guide, Taka, who understood what we wanted to know and see, and explained so many things that will stand us in great stead for the rest of our time in Japan. So grateful we chose this tour early on, as it was such a good way of understanding a very different and intriguing culture.
Andrews, the tour guide, was fantastic. He knows a lot about Japan history and culture. He was very friendly.
Shizuko was a great guide. Her style is clear and interesting. We kept a great pace, even stopping for pictures, many of them taken by her. We really enjoyed everything covered by the tour.
We had a wonderful time with our tour guide Toru. He was full of energy, information and patience!! My children really enjoyed the experience, even though they were very tired by the end. Would definitely recommend.
Ken was the most amazing guide! First of all, he speaks English! He is patient and willing to modify the tour so that you can achieve what you are after. He explains the Japanese culture and any historical questions that you may have. This was the most enjoyable tour indeed! Do not miss!
We enjoyed learning temple etiquette at at Sensoji temple including the statues and giant rope shoes that ward off any evil spirits. Also walking through koishikawa Korakuen garden - one of the oldest gardens in Tokyo - a traditional strolling garden with beautiful water sculptures. Our guide Ken charming and good company. A very unique and rewarding insight into this part of Tokyo
Great walking tour, very friendly guide,interesting discussion about what it's like to be a young Japanese these days
It was a good intro to Tokyo. We saw lots of very different things from modern to ancient, and learned the difference between a shrine and a temple. Our guide was very sweet but we were hoping they would be native Japanese. Some of the info we got was proven later to not be fully accurate. Very fun walking tour overall, however.
I enjoyed the day tour in Asakusa , the guide helped me a lot ,and gave me lots of information about Japan history , thank you so much I really appreciate
Wonderful tour! Tour guide Yeman took our group to a great variety of some really interesting sites that we definitely would have missed otherwise.
My family had an amazing walking tour with Ken! He gave us great explanations of the places we visited and kept us entertained with his narratives. He also showed us the multiple different aspects of Tokyo.
My family had an amazing walking tour with Ken! He gave us great explanations of the places we visited and kept us entertained with his narratives. He also showed us the multiple different aspects of Tokyo.
Perfect combination of city, history and nature! Ken was awesome! We learned a lot and got to see parts of Tokyo that we would have never seen without this tour!
We had a very enjoyable afternoon with tour guide Ken-he was able to answer all of our questions and provided great knowledge and insight into what we were seeing! We also shared some good laughs and by the end, we felt we’d had a taste of Japan in only four hours! Thank you for all of your recommendations of places to see, places to eat at and things to do over the course of our next 12 days in Japan. A charming young man.
Ken was a great tour guide and brought the sites to life for me and my family. He was so helpful and informative - Ken even showed us how to figure out the train system. It was a wonderful way to learn about different Tōkyō neighborhoods.
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