A half-day tour to Tokyo’s must-visit area, Asakuksa. Asakusa is not just the iconic Kaminarimon gate with the huge red lantern, but it's also full of interesting spots and cultural attractions. You will be amazed to see so many things packed into one place. Short, but fully enjoyable tour.
at the main entrance of 'Asakusa Bunka Kanko Center,' Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center (negotiable)
you can enjoy local food experiences if requested
at Kappabashi street or at any spot you like in Asakusa area
A trip to Tokyo would not be complete without visiting Asakusa. Sensoji, Tokyo's oldest and largest Buddhist temple is here. It is the center of ‘shitamachi' or the commoners’ downtown with its typical shops and restaurants. It was already the most bustling entertainment district in Tokyo during the Edo period (17th to 19th century). Let's feel Asakusa’s lively atmosphere and warm hospitality together.
1. Splendid view of Asakusa area and Tokyo Sky Tree from the top floor of Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
2. Kaminarimon Gate and Sensoji temple; while walking around the temple’s precinct with grand, fascinating architectures, I will show you its highlights, Japanese habits, history, religion, and culture.
3. Nakamise street and other shopping streets; you will find traditional crafts of the Edo period (old Tokyo) and also local snacks.
4. Kappabashi street - a famous 800-meter street lined with more than 150 shops of kitchen utensils and appliances; famous for exquisite plastic food samples
- guide fee
- transportation fee (you and guide)
- food and drink
- entrance fee if needed
- Many shops in Kappabashi are closed Sundays.
- We can start in the afternoon.
We had an amazing time with Tomoko touring and hiking through Kamakura. It was a very hot day but Tomoko helped us take a route with an abundance of shade and places to rest along the way. This is the town where she grew up so our time was filled with stories and insights from her first hand experiences. Our favorite part of the trip was finishing the hike and seeing the great Buddha statue, it was even more enjoyable after a hot hike than it would have been just taking the train or cab. Tomoko is by far the best guide for this excursion from the bigger metro area of Tokyo to a local charming seaside town. Thank you Tomoko
Thanks for sending me a separate review of the Kamakura hike. I had mentioned the hike in my previous reply! At first, I wondered if it would be safe to hike on such a hot day, but then I realized that Kamakura is a town full of greenery and shady places with rich history. Rather than visiting places full of people and scorching sun, your choice was the right one. About the same year as Bailey, my classmates and I planned to visit all the temples and shrines in Kamakura, and we walked around for a week with bentos (packed lunches). I realized that Kamakura is a walkable town and that it is fun to walk around. Other than that, over the years, Kamakura has been a place where I have walked with my family daily as my hometown, and I also have memories of my friends at Daibutsu, the small Zen temple where my mom stays asleep, and etc. As a small town, it has an overtourism problem, but I am grateful for your respectful visit to the citizens' lives. Thank you again, Josh, Bailey, and Tia.
Our trip to Tokyo was made so much easier with Tomoko. She wasn’t just a guide she quickly turned into a friend. Her communication was excellent, her itinerary was spot on, she helped teach us about the local history and culture, and she let us go at our own pace. My family had never been to a big city like Tokyo, so having Tomoko help us with the trains and give us advice was invaluable. She is friendly and funny and if I ever get a chance to go back to Tokyo I will reach out to her again to have new adventures. Our favorite part of the this tour was enjoying lunch together at a local katsu restaurant. Thank You Tomoko!
Josh, thanks for the positive review. It was a hot season, but I enjoyed the two days I spent with you, your daughter and sister. I was really impressed with how much of this trip was researched and planned by Bailey. It is amazing! Also, watching your interactions with Tia, I thought about my own brother and had a very happy feeling. I remember the serenity of Engakuji Temple in Kamakura, the cool breeze when we took a break on the hiking course while sweating, and the delicious ice cream we had after descending to the Great Buddha. I look forward to your next visit to Japan and also my visit to the beautiful places in Nevada. Thank you again:) Tomoko
Beautiful Tomoko took my husband and I and our three young boys around Tokyo for the day. Not only was her knowledge vast, but she quickly became part of the family and the boys adored her. Thank you Tomoko for a memorable and wonderful day! We will miss you and hopefully get to see you one day soon.
Thank you for your warm-hearted review, Emma. As I had heard that you have three boys around 10 years old, I thought I surely had to give more energy than usual. But unlike what I expected, I felt much more relaxed and enjoyed the time with them and you parents. They are so adorable, each with their own personality and caring for each other. I am grateful that I was able to spend time with you in Tokyo. Cheers to your family as pleasant as the sunshine and breezes of Sydney! Would be wonderful if I could see you all soon, James, William, Alexander, Emma, and Lachlan!
Tomoko is perfection as a guide. She is very knowledgeable, professional, flexible, prepared, and most of all a kind and fun companion. Our family of 4 (2 kids aged 12 & 10) wanted to have one day-trip out of Tokyo and chose to have Tomoko accompany us to Hakone, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I made in planning our trip. I know that many people undertake this trip on their own, but I am certain that without Tomoko, we would not have had the ease, efficiency, and pleasant experience we did. Tomoko really went out of her way to make sure that we had a great day. She had contingency plans for bad weather, she purchased our train tickets and kept track of them all day, translated for us all day, and even accompanied us around the gift shop in case we had a question about what something was :) I could not recommend her more highly and would not hesitate to hire her again for any adventures we have in Japan!
Thank you for the lovely review, Heather! It was raining and Hakone was crowded on one of the three-day weekends, so there were some difficulties, but I was relieved to hear that you enjoyed the trip. We enjoyed learning together about the unique scenery at Owakudani, the formation of Hakone, and the process of making black eggs. Black ice cream that I enjoyed with Zoe and Hannah was also fun! Although Hakone is a tricky place because wind and rain can sometimes cause the area transportation to stop running, we were glad to be able to return home comfortably on the Shinkansen at the end of the tour. Thank you again, Heather, Jim, Zoe, and Hannah sharing great time and lots of fun with me!