Tokyo: Imperial Palace And Shogun Storytelling Walk

A great experience! Frankie, who was our guide, kept the group engaged with his great storytelling. The tour is well-planned and any questions were welcome.

K was simply one of the best guides of all time. This was an informative (and entertaining) tour from start to finish. We really learning so much about Japanese and imperial palace history. We would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone. A lovely way to spend an afternoon. We went in March 2026, when the cherry blossoms were in bloom. But, as nice as the gardens were, the highlight was really the guide. (it's free, but if you go, you will not feel bad at all about wanting to give the biggest tip possible - the tour is SO worth it).

Frankie was a great guide. Started punctually, kept us engaged through the tour and replied all our questions.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you’re visiting Tokyo for the first time, I cannot recommend this tour with K highly enough! What really made this experience special was K himself. He is incredibly passionate about the shogun and samurai history connected to the Imperial Palace grounds, and that passion absolutely comes through in the way he tells the stories. His English is perfect, and he was constantly checking in with everyone, making sure we were doing okay and taking time to answer everyone’s questions. I especially loved learning about the guard houses and the strategic design of the grounds that helped deter unwanted access—including ninja! 😂 That kind of detail is exactly why having a knowledgeable guide made such a difference. Without K, I probably would have spent the day thinking, “Wow, this all looks really nice!” 😂 Ninomaru Garden was absolutely gorgeous and peaceful, and the specially bred koi were beautiful. 😍 K also went above and beyond by taking photos for anyone who wanted them and helping me find the closest train entrance when we left the palace grounds. We had even corresponded a little before my trip, so by the time I arrived it honestly felt less like being led around by a tour guide and more like having a local friend show me around Tokyo. For my first visit to Japan, this was exactly the kind of experience I was hoping for. Absolutely 5 stars. If you’re considering booking this tour, book it—and hope you get K! 🇯🇵

We are Globetrotters and I can tell you from experience that Kosei is the best tour guide we’ve ever had, anywhere . Our family toured last year with him. We have people at different age ages. He was engaging and entertaining for everyone. So knowledgeable, high energy, and passionate about giving his customers the most memorable experience. We’re going back this year and we will definitely be booking another tour with New Voyage LLC and Kosei.

Great tour with knowledgeable and passionate guide! Incredibly scenic walk and a well balanced amount of information about the Imperial Palasts past and present. A fun 2 hours spent in Tokyo :)

You will hardly find anyone more enigmatic or entertaining than Kosei. With his engrossing story telling he weaves vivid images in your imagination that wants you leaving more. Mixed in with the rich and important history of japan this is one tour you dont want to miss.

He was really knowledgeable and helped us to go fit on the culture

K was super, I would liken K to the Jack Sparrow of walking tours. Truly entertaining and knowledgeable Thank you for a great tour

K is a very knowledgeable and fun guide, I really enjoyed this tour! I highly recommend this tour especially if you'd like to learn more about Tokyo's Edo era.

K shared the thrilling story of the history of Japan of the edo period and the Meji restoration, and he knew how to answer my many many questions

I had a fantastic time on this tour! K, our guide, was friendly, knowledgeable, and really funny. He kept everyone engaged from start to finish, explaining not only the history of the Imperial Palace but also many interesting aspects of Japanese culture and daily life. What made the tour even more memorable was how genuine it felt. He shared his own experiences, his favorite places in Tokyo, and even his ranking of his favorite trees, which made everyone smile! I joined the tour on my own, but I immediately felt welcome and never felt alone. His passion and the friendly atmosphere made this one of the highlights of my trip. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Tokyo!

Our guide K had a wonderful ability to captivate and keep peoples attention with the historical storytelling and details that made the people of history more human. I appreciated that he covered a wide range of information, from the origins of the old government, to the symbolism of the plants and animals around the area. With K's tour I think the visit to the palace would not have been nearly as interesting. Would highly recommend taking this tour.

Nice tour exploring the history of Tokyo with K :)

We had a fantastic tour with our guide K! He is a great story teller and we learned more in 2 hours than we learned in a whole week in Japan. He was energetic and we enjoyed every minute of this tour. We highly recommend this tour, it has been a highlight of our time in Tokyo!

Fantastic free walking tour of the Imperial Palace and Gardens in Tokyo! Our guide, K, was knowledgeable, engaging, and made the history of the gardens and imperial grounds come alive with fascinating stories and cultural insights. The pace was perfect, and K balanced historical details with fun facts that kept everyone interested. Strongly recommended!

Great job thank you. Tour was very interesting

K exudes contagious energy. He is very knowledgeable and has great perspective given his years spent abroad. He manages the group effectively, gets people to participate and communicates clearly. Simply the best tour guide ever..,

K was an incredible guide - charismatic, personable, knowledgeable, and an engaging storyteller. We learned so much about the place but also Japanese history, culture, and politics too. Highly recommend!

Very entertaining tour! I truly recommend it. K, our guide was very kind and he told us about the history of both Japan and the palace.

The experience was exceptional. A lot of interesting facts and K answers all your questions happily. Highly recommend if you want to the guided through 3000 years of history of Japan.

We had Frankie as tour guide - it was a fantastic experience. He was very professional, knowledgeable and witty and we learned a lot about the time period. I can wholeheartedly recommend this tour.

This was one of the highlights of our time in Tokyo. The Imperial Palace tour was incredibly engaging, informative, and well-paced. Our guide, K, did an amazing job bringing the history of Japan, the shogunate era, and the Imperial Palace grounds to life in a way that was easy to follow and genuinely fascinating. What we appreciated most was how passionate and knowledgeable he was. You could tell he truly enjoys sharing Tokyo’s history and culture. He also balanced historical storytelling with fun local insights and recommendations, which made the experience feel very personal rather than just a standard tour. The route was excellent, the explanations were clear, and the overall atmosphere was welcoming and enjoyable throughout. We learned so much while still feeling relaxed and entertained. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Tokyo, especially if you want a deeper understanding of the city beyond the usual tourist spots. Thank you K for your dedication!

K was an excellent guide and storyteller. He is very personable, passionate about what he does and is very knowlegable. We have been on many walking tours in the past and he ranks up there with the best!

It was one of the best tours we ever had ! K is the perfect tour guide that you can ask for, excellent storytelling, perfect pace, perfect timing of the tour ( not too short, not too long ) and you can see that he really loves and masters what he is doing. Go for it and you will never regret it !!

K was hands down the best tour guide I’ve ever had before! His background provided the perfect bridge between Japanese customs and understanding as foreigners so easily (he is a fluent English speaker 1000%)! He was funny, friendly, informative and took care to keep us in the shade and sitting when possible. How and when he shared the historical aspects was both fun and interesting! He left us wanting to learn even more about the history of the imperial palace, and Japan in general! Thank you K!

Amazing tour. We learned so much and K was such a great storyteller. The Imperial Palace would not have been nearly as interesting had we gone on our own without a guide. It allowed us to appreciate the history and the space so much more!

This was my first time booking a walking tour and I will be doing it again! K is a natural storyteller and does a great job giving you the facts and history while keeping it engaging and fun. It was a rather sunny day and I appreciated his attention to keeping us in the shade wherever possible, and building in some time to rest. Highly recommended. Thank you, K!

The guide was great and full of energy, the tour interesting and fun. I can recommend it!

5+ stars for K and his fantastic guide to the places and people that have made Tokyo what it is today. It was everything I love in a local tour guide with fascinating insight and answers to EVERY question asked ! I left with such a rounded view of this country on my final day of a 3 week trip . Will be back soon I hope! 🇯🇵

K was an engaging and knowledgeable guide—fun to be around and full of fascinating insights. He went out of his way to kindly take many photos for our family, which we truly appreciated. I especially loved how he seamlessly wove together history and modern society, connecting Japanese culture with the natural environment. Highly recommended.

Was a really good tour, K is super funny and expressive.

K is passionate about his city and especially the historical aspects of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Through the exploration of the gardens, he unveiled history and culture of Japan for us, which gave us a great overview and a starting point to discover Tokyo. Great storytelling: it was entertaining and educational!

K's tour of the Imperial Palace was incredible. It gave a comprehensive overview of the place, it's history and important locations that would have been hard to find on one's own. The whole tour was very well organized and entertaining! Highly Recommend!

Amazing guide, so very knowledgeable and fun to listen to!

Warmly recommend a guided walk with K of New Voyage through the imperial gardens. I loved how his stories, in perfect English, brought history to life.

Awesome tour at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo – Guide K was highly motivated, very knowledgeable, and made the tour an absolute highlight with his energy and fascinating insights into the history, city, and country.

K was a great tour guide. He is so passionate about this tour. The history behind the palace and the places around it were interesting, especially due to K's passionate style of telling stories. He was great & 1 highly recommend his tour. Thank you so much!

Excellent. K is funny, knowledgable and organised. He contacts you ahead of time and everything is smooth and clear. Do this early in your Tokyo trip - you will learn loads and get your bearings. Couldn’t recommend more. Do it!

K was excellent — truly passionate about his work and full of enthusiasm. He explained everything clearly and with great personality, making the experience both engaging and enjoyable. His ability to keep everyone attentive throughout was impressive, and he is always very available, helpful, and willing to answer any questions. A fantastic guide who really made the experience special!

K provided us with a very informative and entertaining experience. We got a great understanding of historic events. Would highly recommend!

Kay was a great guide, knowledgeable and approachable. He provided great information that helped me understand the culture better. Highly recommend, you can find him on social media also which will give you an idea of how great he is.

I love free walking tours, and I’ve been doing them for years. K is by far the BEST guide I have EVER had! He is incredibly knowledgeable, speaks perfect English, and delivers everything with an amazing enthusiasm. Arigatō gozaimasu K!

K was a fantastic tour guide. He was energetic and engaging the tour was amazing. His story telling ability transported us to the imperial times in Tokyo. We enjoyed the tour and he also gave us some other tips to enjoy our visit to Tokyo. Thanks J!

K is the best tour guide I had in Japan so far. He can really give you very interesting historical information with a perfect English. Most importantly he will give cultural insights of Japan from a western point of view, which will make the tour really special!

K is a great guide! Informative and interesting to anybody who wants to learn about the imperial palace

Amazing experience! The best tour we did in Japan. K was incredible and we learned a lot and had such fun time. He was very enthusiastic and really helped us understand the Japanese history and culture. After spending a few hours with him I want to learn more and can’t wait until my next trip back and will definitely book with him again.

Unfortunately I was unwell and unable to attend, but my wife went on her own My communication with K was at the most professional standard I could ask for My wife came back from the tour and was delighted with it These are her comments “You are clearly highly intelligent . The information you shared greatly enhanced my understanding of Japanese history . A five star performance “ Rosie

K was a fantastic tour guide who is clearly passionate about Japanese history. He was very engaging, gave a balanced account of the history and lots of interesting anecdotes. Thank you!