Asakusa’s best moments often happen away from Sensoji’s main gate. This three-hour food walk leads you through old downtown streets, local shops, rustic lanes, and small eating places while your guide explains the customs behind the food. I like the small group of up to 10 and the way the tour combines a proper lunch…
Tokyo’s famous Daikoku Parking Area car meet is not easy to reach on your own. This three-hour ride with local driver Toshiro takes you there by way of the Metropolitan Expressway, Bay Shore Route, and Rainbow Bridge, with a second car stop at Tatsumi 1st PA. I like the small group size and the chance…
Tokyo has one of the world’s most useful urban rail systems, and this pass gives you access to Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines for one, two, or three days. You can enter and leave at any station on those networks, making it easy to connect major sights and neighborhoods without stopping to buy another…
Tokyo’s real car culture comes alive in the passenger seat of a Japanese sports car, not behind a museum rope. This private evening trip takes you from your hotel to Daikoku Parking Area, where local owners gather with GTRs, Silvias, Evos, 350Zs, and other prized JDM machines. I like the one-and-a-half-hour stop at Daikoku, which…
Tokyo is a terrific place to stop chasing famous sights and start looking at lines, shadows, and reflections. Laurence Bouchard’s four-hour workshop takes you from Ebisu to Roppongi and Yurakucho, where ordinary structures become bold black-and-white compositions. I like the small maximum of six people, which gives Laurence room to review your work and offer…
Tokyo’s Imperial Palace is more than a grand photo stop. This walk links the polished Marunouchi district with the old Edo Castle grounds, then carries you into Kagurazaka, a neighborhood of shrines, narrow lanes, cafés, and traditional restaurants. The changing scenery is the main attraction. I like the small group, limited to eight people, and…
Asakusa gives you Tokyo’s old face in a city known for its new one. This private walk takes you through Sensoji Temple, Thunder Gate, and Nakamise Street, adding three Japanese street foods so the visit feels like more than a quick temple stop. Guides such as Ryota, Sewa, and Mari have also made room for…
Mt. Fuji private tours work best when you want a full day of mountain views without piecing together several trains and buses. This 10-hour outing takes you from Tokyo or Hakone to the 2,300-meter Fifth Station, Chureito Pagoda, Oshino Hakkai, and several lakeside and shrine stops. I like the private vehicle for up to six…
Mt Fuji is the star here, but the real selling point is the private car and flexible route. From Tokyo, you can spend the day around the Fuji Five Lakes or ask to focus on Hakone and its hot springs. That freedom matters when weather, crowds, and your own energy can change the plan. I…
Edo Castle is gone, but its massive stone foundations, moats, gates, and garden grounds still give you a strong sense of the power once held here. This 90-minute Imperial Palace tour takes you into the East Gardens, where Tokyo’s modern skyline gives way to samurai-era walls and quiet ponds. I like the mix of solid…
Insider guides, cultural deep-dives and current-affairs reporting on Tokyo and Japan, written by people who live here and go to the places they write about.