Private Full-Day Tokyo Sightseeing Tour with Driver or Guide

Senso-ji Temple and Nakamise Street in Asakusa

Senso-ji is Tokyo's oldest temple. Tradition says two fishermen pulled a small statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, from the Sumida River in 628, and a temple has stood here ever since. You enter through the Kaminarimon, the Thunder Gate with its giant red paper lantern, then walk to the Hozomon Gate, the five-storey pagoda and the main hall, where visitors waft incense smoke from the great bronze burner over themselves for good health.

Between the two gates runs Nakamise Street, a lane of around 250 metres lined with small shops selling rice crackers, sweet bean-filled ningyo-yaki cakes, fans and souvenirs. On this Senso-ji tour you spend about 40 minutes at the temple and 30 minutes on Nakamise; if you wonder about the best time to visit Senso-ji, it is the morning, which is exactly when we arrive, before the large groups.

Tokyo Skytree and the view towards Tokyo Tower

Opened in 2012, Tokyo Skytree rises 634 metres above the Sumida district and is the tallest tower in the world. Its design blends a traditional Japanese sword-like curve with the shape of a five-storey pagoda's central pillar, a technique used to absorb earthquake movement. The Tembo Deck at 350 metres and the higher glass-walled Tembo Galleria at 450 metres look across the whole metropolis, and on clear winter mornings you can see Mount Fuji on the horizon.

We plan about one hour here. Skytree tickets are not included, so you decide on the day whether to go up or simply enjoy the tower from below and browse the shops and food court at its base. From the area you also see the red-and-white Tokyo Tower in the distance, and your guide can add a photo stop there later in the day if you ask.

Tsukiji Outer Market

For decades Tsukiji was the world's most famous fish market. When the wholesale market moved to Toyosu in 2018, the outer market stayed, and its narrow lanes still hold hundreds of small stalls and restaurants. This is where Tokyo chefs buy knives, dried bonito and seaweed, and where visitors eat their way through sweet rolled omelette on a stick, grilled scallops, fresh tuna, sea urchin bowls and strawberry daifuku.

Your Tsukiji Outer Market visit lasts about one hour and doubles as the natural lunch break of the day; lunch itself is not included, so bring some cash, as many stalls do not take cards. Tsukiji Outer Market opening hours are mainly in the morning and around midday, and some shops close on Sundays and Wednesdays, so your guide plans the timing to catch it at its liveliest.

Shibuya Crossing, the Hachiko statue and Harajuku

Shibuya Crossing is the famous scramble intersection outside Shibuya Station, where at every green light the traffic stops and up to a few thousand people cross from all directions at once. You walk across it yourself, then take photos from above. Next to the station stands the bronze statue of Hachiko, the loyal Akita dog who waited at this station every day for nearly ten years after his owner died; it is now Tokyo's best-known meeting point.

A short drive away, Harajuku shows Tokyo's youthful side. Takeshita Street, a pedestrian lane about 350 metres long, is packed with colourful fashion boutiques, crepe stands and quirky shops. Together these stops take a little under two hours, and with a private driver waiting for you there is no need to fight your way through the busy stations.

Meiji Shrine and the Imperial Palace

Meiji Shrine, completed in 1920, is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, under whom Japan opened to the modern world. It sits inside a forest of around 100,000 trees donated from all over Japan, and the walk under giant wooden torii gates along the gravel paths feels a world away from Shibuya just next door. You spend about one hour here, enough to see the main sanctuary and perhaps a traditional wedding procession at weekends.

The Imperial Palace stands on the site of Edo Castle, seat of the shoguns for more than two and a half centuries. From the wide plaza you see the stone walls, moats and the elegant double bridge in front of the palace gates. The East Gardens are usually closed on Mondays and Fridays, so the guide adjusts this stop to the day; on a private tour, the order of all stops can be changed to suit you.