This tour covers my favorite places in Tokyo.You can choose two places in Tokyo within 4 hours of tour time from the list of more than 30 places classified as Temple&Shrine, Garden, Shopping, Observatory, Museum, Experience, and Others.
The following is a typical schedule.
13:00 Hotel pick up
13:30-14:30 Meiji shrine
15:00-16:30 Imperial Palace
17:00 return to the hotel
At your hotel
13:00 Hotel pick-up
14:00-15:00 Place #1
15:30-16:30 Place #2
17:00 Return to your hotel
I will provide a more specific itinerary considering the location of your hotel and the two places you choose.
Meiji-Jingu Shrine: This 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. (Admission free except Inner garden including the Kiyomasa's well and iris garden (Admission: 500 JPY))
Asakusa and Senso-ji Temple: Asakusa is a very popular area with Nakamise shopping street for Japanese souvenirs which is the main street to Senso-Ji Temple. The temple was established in 8th century and has been very popular among common people.
Zojo-ji Temple: It used to be the temple for Tokugawa Shogunate where you can feel Japanese traditional Buddhist atmosphere. Not touristic and very quiet, near to Tokyo Tower. (Admission free)
Sengaku-ji Temple: This Temple is famous for the graves of 48 Ronin who attacked a high ranking samurai Kira to revenge for their Lord Asano. (Admission free except its museum (Admission: 500 JPY))
Hie Shrine: This shrine was established in 1498 and had been worshiped by the Tokugawa Shogunate as the protection of Edo from evil spirits. (Admission free)
Nezu Shrine: Opened by Takeru Yamato who conquered the northern part of Japan about 1900 years ago. There are many photo spots, including the series of Torii gates as this shrine has not yet known to foreign tourists.
Imperial Palace East Gardens: It used to be Edo castle where Tokugawa shogunate governed Japan for 265 years. You can see several gates and defense house of the castle renovated about 50 years ago. There is a nice Japanese garden, but no Palace nor Tower of the castle. (Closed on Monday and Friday. Admission free)
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden: This Japanese garden used to be a Samurai mansion of the Mito Tokugawa. This garden reproduces many scenic places in Japan such as Kyoto and Hida. (Admission: 300 JPY)
Shinjuku-gyoen Garden: This garden is very large and has well maintained Japanese garden. It is very popular with many kinds of cherry blossoms. (Admission: 200 JPY)
Hamarikyu Garden: It used to be owned by the Tokugawa Shoguns in Edo period. They enjoyed duck hunting in its salt water ponds. This garden is within walking distance from Tsukiji. (Admission: 300JPY)
Kiyosumi Garden: It is a typical strolling type Japanese garden with the collection of precious shape natural stones. There are a lot of Koi fish, turtles, and birds in the pond. (Admission: 150 JPY)
Happo-en Garden: It is very popular for its wedding party.
This garden was originally owned by a Samurai load in Edo period.
You can see very old bonsai trees with 500 years old and so many pretty koi fish in its pond.
Note that you need your passport for Tax Free.
Tsukiji Outer Market: The wholesale area has moved to Tokyosu in October, 2018. But its outer market is very popular where you can taste a variety of foods. There is a new retail area where you can see many kinds of fish including a big tuna. (Admission free)
Popular food places are over crowded recently. If you want to have a good sushi without waiting long time, you should go there before 11AM. So please have a light breakfast so that you can have lunch from 11AM.
Ginza: There are large department stores, brand shops and Kitty land. How about lunch at Ginza Six? Or you can buy Japanese foods and eat at a table there.
Harajuku/Omotesando: Takeshita street is very popular among Japanese young women. A busy area for shopping, foods, variety of animal cafes. (Admission: 1,000 to 2,000 JPY/h for animal cafe) Omotesando is a high end shopping street.
Shinjuku Kabukicho: There are many recycle shops to sell used high end bags and watches at a lower price. I will take you to Godzilla road with real size Godzilla head displayed on a building. There are many restaurants and drinking places but you should stay safe on the main street and avoid dubious businesses there.
Odaiba: Newly developed area by Tokyo Bay with a lot of modern shops and facilities. (Some facilities request an admission fee)
Akihabara: There are many electrical appliance shops and other new travel attractions such as anime figures and the Maid cafes. (Admission: Maid cafe: from 2,000 JPY)
Nakano Broadway: It is a department store of used figures of Japanese anime. (Admission free)
Yanaka Ginza: It's a nostalgic shopping street. There are many old local shops for crafts and snacks/foods.
You can see Mt Fuji from Tokyo on a clear day, but its possibility is about 30%.
Tokyo Sky Tree: The tallest tower in Japan with two observatories at 350m and 450m. (Admission: 2000 JPY for the 350m only, +1000 JPY for the two observatories)
Tokyo Tower: It is a nice place to observe Tokyo without waiting so long. If the sky is clear, you can see Mt.Fuji. (Admission: 1200 JPY for the main observatory at 150m)
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Observatory: There are two observatories with great view of Tokyo. Currently, only South Tower is available. (Admission free)
Roppongi-Hills: Tokyo City View; Observatory at 270m. It has Sky Deck which is an outdoor observatory. (Admission: 1,800 JPY, +500 JPY for Sky Deck)
Shibuya Sky: Open air observatory deck at 226m on the 45th floor of the Shibuya Scramble Square Building. It has 360 degree view of Tokyo. Admission: 2,000 JPY per adult including the guide)
Tokyo National Museum in Ueno: The most popular museum in Japan, which has the largest collection of Japanese treasures such as statues of Buddha, Japanese sword, Japanese painting, and Kimono. The museum has a nice museum shop for souvenirs. (Admission: 600 JPY per adult)
TeamLab Borderless at Azabudai Hills: Many kinds of moving computer graphics are projected on the walls of dark rooms. You will have a very strange experience, so different from the real world. Great fun for adults as well as children. (Admission: -18: 3,800 JPY, 17-13: 2,800JPY 12- :1500 JPY)
The popular Digital Art Museum in Odaiba was closed in 2022 which was taken over by this attraction in Toyosu.
They have many dark rooms where they show the projection mapping of various images on various surfaces including water.
It's admission is 3,000 JPY per adult and needs reservation.
They charge the guide so I will stay outside unless you want me join you.
Edo-Tokyo Museum: Unique Museum for Edo Period, including scale models of Edo Castle, display of the daily life of common people. Must see for those are interested in Japanese history. (Admission: 600 JPY per adult)
Nezu Museum: Nezu collection of traditional Japanese arts with a very unique and quiet garden. (Admission: 1,100 JPY)
Fukagawa Edo Museum: This museum is more focused on the life of common people in Edo. The real scale model houses look very real. (Admission: 400 JPY)
One Hundred Steps Staircase: A very unique place with lots of displays and exhibits of paintings and cloths during Taisho Period when women started to establish their social positions.
(Admission 1600 JPY)
Sumida Hokusai Art Museum: Special museum to display art works of Katsushika Hokusai. He is very famous for the block print painting of "Great Wave" and "Red Fuji".
If you like his works, you should visit this museum. They have a museum shop with his works which may be nice for souvenirs.
Admission: 400/1,500 JPY for Basic (replica)/+Special exhibit(original)
No photo at the special exhibit room.
Ninja Experience : It is a new place for children to practice some arts of Ninja. Forty minutes practice of basic skills of Ninja such as throwing shurikens. (Admission: Adult/Child/Infant: 3,840/3,360/1,200 JPY)
Tea ceremony: Experience a formal tea ceremony with English guidance for 60 min. (Previous reservation required. Admission: 2700 JPY/ adult)
Strawberry Picking: You can eat all the strawberries you pick. They are sweet and delicious. (April and May only, Admission: 2,500 JPY per adult, 2,000 JPY per child, Reservation needed, please ask.)
Memory Lane & Golden Gay: Both places are for locals to enjoy eating and drinking casually at night around Shinjuku station.
You can have dinner at Memory Lane and have some drinks at Golden Gay for two hours.
To visit these places, you must start the tour after 13:00PM.
Samurai Ninja Museum Tokyo: This museum is new but similar to the popular one in Shinjuku which was closed during the pandemic.
You can applicate various samurai armers and swords with English explanation. You can experience Ninja by throwing shuriken knives. You can ask for putting a samurai armer on to take photo.
Admission is 3,000/2,700 JPY per adult/child under 13 for 60 min.
After you book this tour, I will arrange your itinerary and reserve your tickets for the proper time frame.
Tokyo Carmii mosque is the largest mosque in Tokyo, it is a beautiful mosque and open to public. (Admission free)
At your hotel
We will use public transportations during this tour but we can take a taxi if you want.
I can lend you an IC card for easy use of public transportations and help you to charge your deposit in it.
- The tour guide is not available on Monday.
- Please, send a direct message to the tour guide for confirming the availability before booking
Guide fee
Hotel pick up
Transportation cost of the guide within Tokyo
Transportation cost of you (about 1000 JPY each within Tokyo).
Transportation cost of the guide outside of Tokyo (if you stay outside of Tokyo such as Disneyland)
Lunch cost of you and the guide (from 1,000 JPY)
Entrance fees (shown in the description of each place in the itinerary)
There is little restriction due to COVID 19 in 2023. I was vaccinated six times with the Pfizer one.
Not available on Mondays.
We will use public transportations during this tour but we can take a taxi if you want.
I can lend you an IC card for easy use of public transportations and help you to charge your deposit in it.
- The tour guide is not available on Mondays and Fridays.
- Please, send a direct message to the tour guide for confirming the availability before booking
We use the subways to visit the places. The cost is about 1000 per an adult. I will rend you an IC card for public transportation, please pay me the amount you have spent at the end of the tour.
The following is typical schedule.
13:00 Hotel pick up
13:30-14:30 Meiji shrine
15:00-16:30 Imperial Palace
17:00 return to the hotel
If we go to Meiji shrine and imperial palace shown above, we are going to walk 10,000 steps.
Yuki met us at our hotel in Tokyo promptly after confirming the meeting time by text, very reassuring. We were taken by train to an interesting shrine that offered good views of Mt. Fuji, another short hop on the train and bus to the lake where we had a nice trip on a pleasure craft that gave us different views. Yuki took us to a nice restaurant for lunch. Altogether a very nice day, Yuki is an interesting gentleman who proved to be a very good guide.
Dear Trevor Thank you for taking time to review my tour. I was very happy when Mt. Fuji appeared as the weather was not so stable there. Best regards Yuki
I can’t say enough about Yuki! He was so organized from the beginning conversation to the end of the tour. He was knowledgeable and kept us on schedule. He showed us his Miyabi Tour of Kyoto that we chose. His I knowledge on the history, customs and Japanese culture was outstanding. You cant make a better decision than to hire Yuki for your tour. We loved Yuki and we are so happy we met him and were able to spend the day with him.
Dear Kimberly Thank you for writing the review of my tour. We visited Fushimi Shrine, Sanjusangen-do Temple, Kiyomizu Temple and Gion area. It was the day before the main festival of Gion and we enjoyed to see Yasaka Shrine and Yomahoko float for the main festival. Thank you for taking my tour. Yuki
If you're interesting in visiting historical sites and learning about Japanese culture, Yuki is the guide for you! While it rained must of our day in Tokyo, it did not make it any less exciting, fun, and interesting. Yuki added color to every place that we went to. He taught us how to use the subway, how to read our fortunes, and how to properly enter and exit shrines. This you cannot learn just by reading signs. This is what I believe is important in respecting and appreciating the Japanese culture. He has an iPad with information on each location which provided an additional knowledge and fun facts. He is very kind, friendly, and welcoming. He only provides tours around 3 times a week, so do not wait to book him! We cannot recommend him enough. Thank you Yuki for sharing your day with us. We are so grateful and can only hope our paths cross again. - Alisa
Dear Alisa Thank you for your review. It was a rainy day but we took the advantage by visiting less crowded quiet gardens. There are lotus and Iris flowers blooming even better under the rainy weather. Thank you for taking my Tokyo tour. Yuki
We had such a great trip today with Yuki. He was knowledgeable and so helpful getting us around. He was patient with our two kids (ages 9 and 12) and set up a perfect day. He was on time and the day was perfectly planned. Thank you!!
Dear Meghan Thank you very much for wring the review of my Hakone tour on the same day. It was cloudy but Mt. Fuji appeared at the last minutes. It was unfortunate that the Shinkansen had a big trouble on our return trip to Tokyo so that we changed our plan to take a local train instead. Thank you again for taking my tour. Yuki