Tokyo 6 hr Private Guided Tour & Tea Ceremony Experience

In this 6-hour Tokyo walking tour, you can experience the traditional Japanese tea ceremony known as “sado”. Sado reflects the spirit of “wabi-sabi,” a philosophy which finds beauty in simple refinement, old ways, and solitude. Beyond just serving and enjoying green tea, one of the main purposes of the tea ceremony is for the guests to enjoy the hospitality of the host in an atmosphere removed from the fast pace of everyday life thus this artistic ritual is held in a traditional tearoom with tatami mats.

In this tour, you will learn the spirit of Japanese tea culture through experience! Your Tea Ceremony experience also comes with a walking tour. You can visit a few sights of your choosing with your guide. Please budget about 2 hours for each sight.

Age: Children can join this tour, however, the tea ceremony experience is for those 12 and up.

Note: The start time for the experience may vary. The estimated start time for the experience will be about 1 hour from the tour start.

Jidaiya’s Japanese culture experience programs are for those seeking for a good alternative of Asakusa sightseeing and for the people who wish to have more profound and authentic Japanese experience.

Asakusa (浅草) is the center of Tokyo’s Shitamachi (literally “low city”), one of Tokyo’s districts, where an atmosphere of the Tokyo of past decades survives. Asakusa’s main attraction is Sensoji, a very popular Buddhist temple, built in the 7th century. The temple is approached via the Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries.

Sensoji (浅草寺, Sensōji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple) is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is one of Tokyo’s most colorful and popular temples.

The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo’s oldest temple.

The current Imperial Palace (皇居, Kōkyo) is located on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo Station. It is the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family.

Edo Castle used to be the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603 until 1867. In 1868, the shogunate was overthrown, and the country’s capital and imperial residence were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. In 1888 construction of a new Imperial Palace was completed. The palace was once destroyed during World War Two and rebuilt in the same style, afterward.

Hama Rikyu (浜離宮, Hama Rikyū), is a large, attractive landscape garden in central Tokyo. Located alongside Tokyo Bay, Hama Rikyu features seawater ponds which change level with the tides, and a teahouse on an island where visitors can rest and enjoy the scenery. The traditionally styled garden stands in stark contrast to the skyscrapers of the adjacent Shiodome district.

Shibuya Scramble Crossing (渋谷スクランブル交差点, Shibuya sukuranburu kōsaten), or commonly known as Shibuya Crossing, is a popular scramble crossing in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It is located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachikō exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection.

Harajuku (原宿) refers to the area around Tokyo’s Harajuku Station, which is between Shinjuku and Shibuya on the Yamanote Line. It is the center of Japan’s most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for adults and some historic sights.

The focal point of Harajuku’s teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens.

Meiji Shrine (明治神宮, Meiji Jingū) is a shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. Located just beside the JR Yamanote Line’s busy Harajuku Station, Meiji Shrine and the adjacent Yoyogi Park make up a large forested area within the densely built-up city. The spacious shrine grounds offer walking paths that are great for a relaxing stroll.

The shrine was completed and dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken in 1920, eight years after the passing of the emperor and six years after the passing of the empress. The shrine was destroyed during the Second World War but was rebuilt shortly thereafter.

Akihabara (秋葉原), also called Akiba after a former local shrine, is a district in central Tokyo that is famous for its many electronics shops. In more recent years, Akihabara has gained recognition as the center of Japan’s otaku (diehard fan) culture, and many shops and establishments devoted to anime and manga are now dispersed among the electronic stores in the district. On Sundays, Chuo Dori, the main street through the district, is closed to car traffic from 13:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from October through March).

Also known as Tsukiji Outer Market (築地場外市場, Tsukiji Jōgai Shijō), Tsukiji Fish Market is a district adjacent to the site of the former Tsukiji Wholesale Market. It consists of a few blocks of wholesale and retail shops, as well as restaurants crowded along narrow lanes. Here you can find fresh and processed seafood and produce alongside food-related goods such as knives.

A visit to Tsukiji Outer Market is best combined with a fresh sushi breakfast or lunch at one of the local restaurants. The restaurants are typically open from 5:00 in the morning to around noon or early afternoon.

Rikugien (六義園) is often considered Tokyo’s most beautiful Japanese landscape garden alongside Koishikawa Korakuen. Built around 1700 for the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, Rikugien literally means “six poems garden” and reproduces in miniature 88 scenes from famous poems. The garden is a good example of an Edo Period strolling garden and features a large central pond surrounded by manmade hills and forested areas, all connected by a network of trails.

Koishikawa Korakuen (小石川後楽園, Koishikawa Kōrakuen) is one of Tokyo’s oldest and best Japanese gardens. It was built in the early Edo Period (1600-1867) at the Tokyo residence of the Mito branch of the ruling Tokugawa family. Like its namesake in Okayama, the garden was named Korakuen after a poem encouraging a ruler to enjoy pleasure only after achieving happiness for his people. Koishikawa is the district in which the garden is located in.

Golden Gai is said to have started around 1950 when the black market that had arisen in front of Shinjuku Station moved and, in this new area, a number of eating and drinking establishments set up shop. Although Shinjuku has undergone considerable modernization since then, Golden Gai seems to have remained largely unchanged.

The alley is narrow and cramped with countless signs advertising the various establishments that line the way. Many of the buildings themselves are made of wood, remnants hanging on from the Showa Era. Most measure only around thirteen square meters (one hundred forty-two square feet). It’s a dim, boisterous place filled with the aromatic smoke of grilling meats. Yet despite the nearly endless number of slick new restaurants available in Shinjuku, this little alley continues to draw the attention of foreign tourists. Golden Gai is a popular “un-touristy” tourist spot.

Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑) is one of Tokyo’s largest and most popular parks. Located a short walk from Shinjuku Station, the park’s spacious lawns, meandering walking paths, and tranquil scenery provide a relaxing escape from the busy urban center around it. In spring Shinjuku Gyoen becomes one of the best places in the city to see cherry blossoms.

• Service animals allowed
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• Wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

• Tour fee
  Add
  Pickup included

• Meet up with guide in Tokyo *on foot
• Tea ceremony experience
• Licensed Local Guide
• Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from ‘What to expect’ list

• Other personal expenses
• Transportation fees: 24 hour Metro Pass Adult: 800 yen, Child: 400 yen
• You cannot combine tour groups
• Admission fee for Rikugien Garden Adult: 300 JPY Senior(+65): 150 JPY Children 12 and under: Free
• Admission fee for Hama Rikyu Gardens Adult: 300 JPY Senior(+65): 150 JPY Children 12 and under: Free
• Admission fee for Koishikawa Korakuen Garden Adult: 300 JPY Children and seniors (+65): 150 JPY
• Admission fee for Shinjuku Gyoen Adults: 500 JPY Seniors (+65): 250JPY Students: 250 JPY
• You can not visit all the places on the itinerary. Please choose 2-3 places for 6 hours.
• Kimono rental

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• This Tour is Provided by Japan Guide Agency.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at Asia/Tokyo.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
• This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 4 valid reviews on TRIPADVISOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 10 Travelers is accepted for booking.