This is a short version of the full day tour. You can select smaller number of the spots or can use this as a digest and visit the spots on your own later.
NOTE: Sumo practice visit is not available due to COVID-19 precautions.
Your hotel front desk in Tokyo/Yokohama or JR Ryogoku station when the Sumo training house is chosen.
Your choice of either your hotel or your preferd spot in Tokyo.
Pick up two to three spots from below list in either side of the city. If one each from the east and west side are chosen, your time loss will be 30 to 40 min..
When either Tsukiji market or Sumo morning training session is selected, add one spot from the east dide spot.
No Sumo practice tour is available due to COVID-19 precautions.
East side of Tokyo
Tsukiji market or Sumo training stable house(their availability required).
Asakusa Sensoji temple and its surrounding quarter
Kappa-bashi kitchen ware street
Ueno Park district with Yanaka cemetary and old residential area
Akihabara, the nerd's town with manga and anime
The Imperial East Garden(closed on Mondays and Thursdays)
Tokyo tower and Zojoji temple
Ginza district
Other spots of interest(surprise spots) in the east side
West side of Tokyo
Shibuya (the world busiest pedesrtian crossing, The loyal dog Hachi stature and Center-Gai street)
Harajuku(Omote-sando high street, Takeshita-dori(girls shopping alley), Meiji Shrine or real Samurai Katana-sword shop)
Shinjuku (Kabuki-cho quarter, Golden-Gai corner, the Godzilla street and Omoide-Yokocho(piss alley)
Yasukuni shrine(the controversial shrine)
Note.
This is a time saver's tour in Tokyo. Tsukiji fish inner market and the tuna auction moved out to Toyosu.
Sumo training stable visit depends on their availability. Minimum 10 day prior notice is required. Also, patronage finance of 3300jpy per PERSON is asked by the training house, paying in cash before going into to the house..
Oyakata, the head of the traning house is the Chareman of Sumo Association.
My guide fee, my train fares and my meals only.
Your transportation fares, meals/beverages or admission fee if required.
please inquire on each facility’s availability, before booking.
Please inquire on the availability of each facility before booking. They may be closed occasionally due to various reasons.
It is a custom to offer a patronage finance when you visit the training house. It is asked to be (tba)jpy per person.
The guide will collect cash before knocking on the training house door.
Around 1000jpy per person.
I was unable to complete my tour with Akira (Arti) as I ended up not feeling well on the day of the event, but wanted to provide a review regardless. All of my correspondence leading up to the day was exceptional and timely and it was clear that Arti was going to provide a very good tour. I would not hesitate to use Arti on a future trip based on his level of professionalism in all of our transactions.
My family and I were enjoying our time in Japan, but struggled to really take in the culture and history of such a wonderful country and city (Tokyo). We chose to do an English tour to help us better immerse ourselves. Akira was responsive and worked with me to cover the things I thought myself and my family would enjoy most. Akira communicated well and I never had a problem speaking the entire time in English. We met Akira on time at a metro station five minutes from our hotel, which was very convenient. Akira walked us through the agenda again and we were off, navigating the metro like pros. We chose first to go to a temple, then the Imperial Palace gardens, then to Hirijuku for a special treat and all the shopping we wanted. Throughout the trip Akira talked about the Japanese history, the history of Tokyo and the Imperial Palace. We spent a lot of time talking about culturing and the religions and practices of the Japanese. Akira was fantastic and showed us everything we asked, and more with some surprises. If we had more time, the motorcycle tour sounded like a blast!
Thank you very much for your favorable comments. I’ll make my maximum efforts to improve my tours even further.
As the weather was on and off Arti kept in constant communication on go/no go. Everything was a breeze from getting to the Kofu bike shop from Tokyo, renting the bike and the tour itself. Arti is extremely knowledgeable and very kind to stop and explain the history and culture of what we are viewing. 5 star day all around. Next time we will definitely go again with Arti for tours if we are around Japan. Pleasure to have had Arti lead our family on the motorcycle tour.
Thank you very much for your favorable comments. The weather wasn’t perfect but we could enjoy Mt. Fuji area. I will keep improving my tours.
Akira (aka Arti) is a great guide. Very knowledgable of the area, kept on schedule, and provided us all of the points in the itinerary. He had fun stories and was great with conversation. He even provided some pointers for shopping for specific souvenir items. Although it is an extra few hundred dollars, the private taxi is worth his recommendation for the Mt. Fuji area - we wouldn't have been able to see everything without it.
Thank you very much for your favorable comments. I will make my efforts to make my tours even better for the future.