Things to do in Tokyo, Kanto: The Best Cultural Tours

May 21, 2021 Merry Kessler

Tradition collides with pop culture in Tokyo, where you can reverently wander ancient temples before rocking out at a karaoke bar. Wake up before the sun to catch the lively fish auction at the Tsukiji Market, then refresh with a walk beneath the cherry blossom trees that line the Sumida River. Spend some time in the beautiful East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, then brush up on your Japanese history at the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Don’t forget to eat as much sushi, udon noodles, and wagashi (Japanese sweets) as your belly can handle.
Restaurants in Tokyo

1. Private Tour - Best Tokyo city tour! Visit the must-see trendy areas!

Akihabara Station, 1 Chome Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0028, Japan otomo travel
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

Visit Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, Akihabara, and Ginza in one day! Visit Tokyo, one of the largest cities in the world, which has prospered as the center of economic, social and cultural growth. Each area has unique features that attract tourists; Shinjuku is Japan's top entertainment district; Harajuku is a city for young people; Shibuya is an ever-changing city; Akihabara is an Otaku city; and Ginza is an upmarket city. In this tour, we will visit five popular areas around Tokyo. Use Tokyo's amazing transit system and visit many sightseeing spots with your private guide. Perfect Tokyo visit plan for those who want to utilize their time efficiently!

Inclusions: Tour Guide, Private tour, Necessary expenses for the tour guide

Exclusions: Travel expenses and entrance fees for your own, Money for food/drinks, souvenirs and extra activities for your own, Hotel pick-up and drop-off, Train ticket fee

Reviewed By muhammadkamranalinak

Very good ???? experience I really enjoyed it fully fantastic I never forget it weather no pollution everything is perfect and appreciated.

2. [Virtual Tour] Tokyo Highlights

Tokyo, Japan Japan Wonder Travel
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5.0 based on 33 reviews

***The tour time below is Japan Standard Time.*** ✅A great birthday/ surprise gift for anyone who likes Japan *If you can't find the convenient time slot, please send me a request. * This is an online interactive experience so please take off your mask and turn on your camera and microphone! :) After introducing ourselves to each other, we will start exploring Tokyo together. I will show you the popular landmarks, food, culture, and some tips to enjoy the city like locals by using pre-recorded videos, photos, and some quizzes along the way. Tokyo is a big city. Let's grasp the lay of the land, what Tokyo has to offer, and get ready for your future trip to Tokyo(physical one!). Places we cover are; Tsukiji and Toyosu market, Meiji shrine, Senso-ji temple, Harajuku, Shinjuku and Shibuya area. *We will start the tour on time so please make sure not to be late. * *If you do not show up on the tour time, we will not reschedule and refund you.

Inclusions: Explanation about Tokyo city, Tokyo consulting service, English speaking online guide, Q & A session about Tokyo and Japan

Exclusions: Real guide

Reviewed By trxihbbt

This tour was so informative and fun, Yosshi was really friendly and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed learning about all the places that inspired the Ghibli films, and can't wait to add some of the spots to our itinerary when we're able to visit Japan! Thanks Yosshi!

3. Tatemono-en (Edo-Tokyo Open air Architectural Museum) Tour

Showcase Tokyo Architecture tours
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5.0 based on 3 reviews

Tokyo boast number of fantastic contemporary architecture. However, some of you may feel that they haven't seen much of the traditional buildings in the city. One of the reason many of those traditional buildings aren't seen in the city was from the history of Edo (old Tokyo) . Many historical buildings in Edo has been destroyed due to fires, floods, earthquakes and warfare. This Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum opened for the purpose of relocating, restoring, preserving and exhibiting buildings of great cultural value that cannot be preserved at their original sites and has made possible the passing down of these valuable cultural heritages to the next generation. From private homes to public bathhouse, there are so many fascinating buildings to look at. We are sure there will a lot of questions about Japanese life style, history and the stories behind the works coming up to your mind while strolling the museum, and we are to help you!

Inclusions: Private professional guide, hotel pick up

Exclusions: Entrance to Tatemono- en (Edo-Tokyo Open air Architectural Museum, food and drinks, Hotel drop-off, Transportation to/from attraction

Reviewed By noacidblanco

There's no building like the Nakagin Capsule Tower in the whole world, and sadly it's not clear how long is going to last. After years of admiring the building from the outside, I decided to discover the inside. I was so lucky that my guide Yuka was available for a visit on December 31st, it was a fantastic way for me to finish the strange year 2020. The history of the building is just fascinating, and listening to it while you inside make you understand a lot about the history of Tokyo and Japan itself. Architecturally and aesthetically, the building is just astonishing, so unique. I totally recommend the experience ... before it's too late. I keep my fingers crossed and hope that this magnificent piece of architecture gets the recognition it deserves because I truly believe Tokyo wouldn't be the same without it.

4. Ramen cooking experience with Gyoza and other side dishes

Yoyogi-Uehara Station, 3 Chome-8 Nishihara, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0066, Japan Japanese Cooking Class Tokyo, Musubi Cooking Class
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5.0 based on 10 reviews

Testimony: "Ramen and Gyoza Extraordinaire My partner took me to Tokyo for a quick adventure in honor of my 49th birthday. The highlight of our trip was cooking with the instructor. She welcomed us into her beautiful home and taught us how to make homemade ramen and gyoza. She is a professional chef, having lived and worked in New York and Chicago for a number of years, and her expertise is clear. She is organized, and she makes cooking seem effortless. She did quite a bit of prep work before our arrival and made sure we were okay with the tasks she assigned us: chopping, dicing, stir-frying, folding gyoza. Our creations were absolutely delicious, the best we have ever tasted. How fulfilling to know that we made them ourselves.  We enjoyed our time with the instructor immensely and felt that we left her home as "friends" rather than students or clients. "

Inclusions: Small group, Japanese home-made cooking class with one main dish, two side dishes, and miso soup with rice., Learn to make Umami/Dashi (soup stock), Apartment visit (instructor's home), Use of apron and cooking utensils, All ingredients and copy of the recipe to take home, Local taxes, Accommodation as per itinerary

Exclusions: Transportation to/from meeting points

Reviewed By Karen T

Akiko looked after us from the moment we met at the train station. Her knowledge of cooking and ingredients was extensive and happily shared. I would certainly recommend the experience. One of the highlights of our trip.

5. Cherry Blossom Season "Hanami" Online Experience

Tokyo, Japan Arigato Japan Food Tours
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

Join us on this VERY LIMITED edition Cherry Blossom seasonal experience as we share all the traditions of Sakura Season in Japan. Many Japan fans and travelers around the world have dreamed of their trip to Japan during this beautiful season but have had their plans postponed due to travel restrictions. You can still have fun with your friends and family this Spring! Travel together on a shared virtual getaway to the land of the rising sun! Meet us for this online interactive experience to celebrate the cherry blossom season and learn all about this special time across Japan.

Inclusions: Great “after-tour” resource guide with links and information , Information about the Cherry Blossom season in Japan , Time to find out more about your Japan wish-list., Local English speaking expert

Exclusions: Internet fees, Guide tip/ gratuity

Reviewed By JustinSendai

This was my second virtual tour with Arigato Japan, and again I am impressed. The booking, tour itself, and follow-up "resource pack" (so you don't have to take notes!) are professional and stress-free. Lauren puts things into perspective how important tea is in Japan, which seems to be as important as rice to Japanese people. It was interesting to hear how temperature changes affect the characteristics green tea, including how much caffeine is released, but also why tea caffeine won't make you jittery like coffee does. I appreciated the host shared with us not only history, culture, and production of tea, but clued us in on changes to the tea industry and its possibly future.

6. Tokyo Wackiest & Weirdest Places Tour with a Local: 100% Personalized & Private

Shinjuku Station, 3-chōme-38-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022, Japan City Unscripted Tokyo
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

Allow your host to introduce you to the quirky underbelly of one of the world’s most wonderful and outlandish cities as you go to places like the Museum of Parasites (informative, and slightly crawly, we admit) or the crazy, committed cosplay districts like Akihabara. Head to a themed snake cafe where you can cuddle up to a slithery friend over coffee and if that's not for you there’s also hedgehog and owl cafes! Round off your time in Piss Alley which despite its misleading name, is actually a super eccentric alleyway home to many izakaya pubs! Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You'll also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

Inclusions: Private & personalized itinerary, 4 hours in the city with a host, 2 beers, coffee or soft drinks, 3 tastings of unusual foods, Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options), Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

Exclusions: Food & drinks (other than the ones included above), Cover charges to additional venues (other than the one included above), Transportation costs, Gratuities (optional)

Reviewed By eugenius101

Kento is most definitely the perfect guide for late night adventures around Shinjuku. Highly personable with an enquiring mind and a lot of fun , I’m sooooo glad I stumbled into one of his tours . If a traveller wants to get to know the Golden Gai area , this is most definitely your man . The meal before was wonderful and somewhere I would never have discovered by myself - and cheap as ! This is the real thing , with a brilliant guide .

7. Private Tour: Chartered Car to Mt. Fuji Lake Kawaguchiko or Hakone and Lake Ashi

Tokyo Star Agency
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5.0 based on 97 reviews

A full day to take the best shots of the scenic Mt Fuji and have cultural experiences. In this activity you can choose on either spending the day around the most popular Lake Kawaguchi and five lakes of Mt Fuji, starting from a perfect shot at the Arakurasengen Park for a panoramic view of Mt Fuji and the five-story pagoda on your background etc,. The other choice will be Hakone well-known place for its hot spring resort, Hakone Shrine with its torii gate standing on the Lake Ashi where cruising is also recommended and ride a ropeway to reach for another scenic view from 1327 meter high. Your guide will be picking you up at your requested central location in Tokyo at 8:30 am. Lunch will be served with the local traditional dish of the region at your expense. Please tell us how you would like to spend your day and we will be happy to give you the best of it.

Inclusions: Hotel pickup/drop-off, Round-trip private transportation by air-conditioned minivan, Private guide (English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean professional guides are available), One bottled water per person

Exclusions: Entrance fees (hot spring, museum etc.), Food and drinks, Lunch

Reviewed By Tinalyon75

We had an Excellent experience and Ken was really accomodating. My family and I would highly recommend this trip for people of any age. He spoke very fluent English which made our experience enjoyable and overall a day well spent!

8. Full-Day Private Nagano Tour: Zenkoji Temple, Obuse, Jigokudani Monkey Park

Nagano Station, Japan, 〒380-0921 長野県長野市大字栗田59 Japan Awaits
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5.0 based on 30 reviews

On this tour, spend a full-day in Nagano exploring the city and enjoying what this quaint town has to offer. Your English-speaking tour guide will pick you up from your hotel or Nagano Train Station at 8:45 AM. You will either take public transportation (train and bus) or private chartered vehicle around town based on your booking. Immerse yourself in the city's culture and visit major Nagano attractions such as Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, the famous Zenkoji Temple, Chikuma River, Obuse Town, and relax in a traditional onsen/ hot spring (optional).

Inclusions: Private tour with English-speaking (or other available language) tour guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels within Central Nagano only), Transportation within Nagano City , Fuel surcharge

Exclusions: Food and drinks, Onsen (hot spring) fee: 700 JPY per person, Other optional activities for guests .

Reviewed By 926maggieh

While we were sad to have to cancel our July trip to Japan due to the pandemic, we found the process of working with Japan Awaits to be easy and efficient. I can't speak to the full experience since we weren't able to go, but filling out the form and our communication with the company was no problem. And their prompt and courteous response to our request for a refund speaks to their professionalism. We will definitely come back to ask for their help in procuring tickets to the Studio Ghibli Museum when we do finally make it to Japan! Fingers crossed for next summer.

9. Private Custom Tour: Tokyo in a Day

Venture
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5.0 based on 280 reviews

This is a fully customized private tour, either 8 hour full day tour or 4 hour half day tour. We will create your tour based on your interests and of course we will give you some suggestions. You will experience the best of Tokyo on foot or by car. See Tokyo highlights, from shrines and museums to the world’s largest fish market - Tsukiji Market, or explore distinct neighborhood shops, and sample Japanese cuisine.

Inclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off (if by private vehicle), Meet-and-greet service at hotel (if by public transport), Professional guide, Transport by private vehicle (if by private vehicle), Transportation fares (if by public transport), Lunch (full-day option only), Snacks

Exclusions: Fees for optional tours, activities and lessons, Gratuities

Reviewed By sarahcM8539YQ

The session with Noriko was great and I recommend it even if you are worried about virtual experience. I have done several virtual tours but this was the best one full of excellent information. Noriko answered all my questions had great food and sake information to deliver.

10. Akihabara Anime & Game Culture Virtual Tour

Akihabara, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0006, Japan Magical Trip
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4.9 based on 18 reviews

Virtually visit Tokyo's Electric Town in Akihabara (Akiba) with a local guide! Join this Akihabara anime tour in Tokyo to hunt games and anime goods. This virtual tour has been designed for those who plan to visit Akihabara someday and have interests in Japanese anime & game culture. What travelers treasure the most during the trip is time. To make the full use of every minute, getting a guide is a great way to avoid all those time wasted on getting lost in the street. Especially in Akihabara where there are tons of travelers just going there and purchasing electric products around station, you cannot expect all the fun subcultural spots to be set around station. If you are a game or anime lover, you may get disappointed by finding it so hard to reach all the fun spots like I used to experience. Joining a tour will save you a lot of time and energy for a better traveling experience! *All times specified are in Japan Standard Time(GMT +9:00). Please check your time zone*

Inclusions: 1 hour with a local guide

Exclusions: Equipment and internet connection, All Fees and Taxes

Reviewed By wwtara

Fantastic virtual tour! The guide, YH, was a delight, full of knowledge, laughter and fun anecdotes. We were complete Sake beginners and learned so much. The material is well prepared and very personal with many opportunities for questions. I cannot wait to visit in person!

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