Tours/Tokyo/Tokyo Layover Customized Tour from Narita, Licensed Guide
Viator · Private tour

Tokyo Layover Customized Tour from Narita, Licensed Guide

4.6(5)Tokyo1 hour
VIATOR4.5(4)TRIPADVISOR5.0(1)

Description

If you would like to enjoy a layover tour of Tokyo from Narita, this tour is for you! Enjoy an efficient, one-day tour of Tokyo accompanied by a government-licensed and experienced English-speaking guide! Your guide will introduce both modern and traditional aspects of this dynamic Japanese capital. Due to the enormous size of Tokyo, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, a one-day tour would focus on one area. This is usually about 3 to 4 sights in the city. Let us know what you would like to experience, and we will customize a tour that's best for you! Once your tour is complete, your guide will take you to the nearest station to ride the Narita Express. You can enjoy your ride back to Narita after a fun time in Tokyo!

Tour Options

Tokyo Layover Customized Tour from Narita, Licensed Guide
  • Pickup included

Itinerary

60 min

Meet your guide at the Narita international airport(NRT) and head to the world's most exciting city, Tokyo by train. This is a customize tour, please choose 3 to 4 spots from below lists and plan your itinerary with your guide!

30 min

**This tour does not include access to the inside of the Imperial Palace** The current Imperial Palace 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, afterwards.

Pass by

Shibuya Crossing is a world famous and iconic busiest intersection in Shibuya, Tokyo.

30 min

Explore the old fish market in Tokyo!

20 min

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 the Emperor Meiji and the 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.

30 min

This tour will allow you to explore Tokyo more efficiently in one day. Meet at your hotel, then move to anywhere you want.

Admission not included10 min

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.

Admission not included5 min

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.

Admission not included5 min

The Tokyo National Museum (東京国立博物館, Tōkyō Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) is the oldest and largest of Japan's top-level national museums, which also include the Kyoto National Museum, the Nara National Museum and the Kyushu National Museum. It was originally established in 1972 at Yushima Seido Shrine and moved to its current location in Ueno Park a few years later. The Tokyo National Museum features one of the largest and best collections of art and archeological artifacts in Japan, made up of over 110,000 individual items including nearly a hundred national treasures. At any one time, about 4000 different items from the permanent museum collection are on display. In addition, visiting temporary exhibitions are also held regularly. Good English information and audio guides are available.

5 min

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).

Admission not included30 min

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.

30 min

Yoyogi Park (代々木公園, Yoyogi Kōen) is one of Tokyo's largest city parks, featuring wide lawns, ponds and forested areas. It is a great place for jogging, picnicking and other outdoor activities. Although Yoyogi Park has relatively few cherry trees compared to other sites in Tokyo, it makes for a nice cherry blossom viewing spot in spring. Furthermore, it is known for its ginko tree forest, which turns intensely golden in autumn.

30 min

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.

15 min

Roppongi Hills is one of the best examples of a city within the city. Opened in 2003 in the heart of Tokyo's Roppongi district, the building complex features offices, apartments, shops, restaurants, a hotel, art museum, observation deck and more. The office floors are home to leading companies from the IT and financial sectors, and Roppongi Hills has become a symbol of the Japanese IT industry. At the center of Roppongi Hills stands the 238 meter Mori Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the city. While most of the building is occupied by office space, the first few floors have restaurants and shops and the top few floors house an observation deck and modern art museum that are open to the public.

15 min

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.

15 min

Shibamata (柴又) is a neighborhood on the eastern end of Tokyo, not far from the Edogawa River which is the natural border between Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture. The town retains its old-school charm from yesteryear and is a perfect break away from modern Tokyo. One of the main attractions to see is the Shibamata Taishakuten Temple not far from the station.

15 min

Having miraculously avoided major damage during world wars and natural disasters, Yanaka and Nezu—two of the neighborhoods that make up shitamachi, Tokyo's old downtown—retain their last-century charm. You'll find historical sites such as Yanaka Cemetery and Nezu Shrine tucked away among shitamachi's narrow back alleys, traditional wooden houses, izakaya pubs, atmospheric coffee shops and retro stores selling old-style sweets and snacks. Here you can slip back in time to a slower-paced, more genteel Tokyo.

Admission not included15 min

Adults \500 (Group discount \400) Seniors (65 and over) \250 ※Valid ID required. Please purchase a ticket at a staffed counter. Students \250 ※Valid Student ID required. Please purchase a ticket at a staffed counter. Children (junior high school students /15 and under) FREE

15 min

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.

15 min

Odaiba (お台場) is a popular shopping and entertainment district on a man made island in Tokyo Bay. It originated as a set of small man made fort islands (daiba literally means "fort"), which were built towards the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868) to protect Tokyo against possible attacks from the sea and specifically in response to the gunboat diplomacy of Commodore Perry. More than a century later, the small islands were joined into larger islands by massive landfills, and Tokyo began a spectacular development project aimed to turn the islands into a futuristic residential and business district during the extravagant 1980s. But development was critically slowed after the burst of the "bubble economy" in the early 1990s, leaving Odaiba nearly vacant.

60 min

You will return to Narita by train (Narita express or otherwise). The guide will take you to the nearest station to access this train that will send you directly to the airport.

Highlights

Meet up with guide in Narita International Airport
Customizable Walking Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list
Licensed Local English Speaking Guide

What's included

Included
Meet up with guide in Narita International Airport
Customizable Walking Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list
Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
Not included
Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
Private Vehicle
Narita Express Round Trip Ticket: ¥6,140 for adults, ¥3,060 for Children. Prices vary on destination
You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Pickup Locations & Times

This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7.

Traveller Ratings

4.6
5 reviews
5
4
4
0
3
1
2
0
1
0

Important Information

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • For those that have difficulty walking or taking public transportation, we do not suggest this tour.
  • This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.

Reviews(5)

8
895melodym
July 11, 2026
Excellent tour

We had an excellent time. Guide was very knowledgeable and took us to every place we wanted to go. We would definitely use him again.

B
Brenda_C
March 19, 2025
Felt a bit like a forced...

Felt a bit like a forced march; could be greatly improved if guide listened to the guests and slowed down/focus on fewer sites as requested.

Operator response

Thank you for sharing your feedback on your recent Tokyo Layover Tour. We sincerely regret that the experience did not fully meet your expectations. Our goal is to provide enjoyable and personalized tours, and we appreciate your insights on how we can improve. We understand that pacing and flexibility are key to a great experience, and we are sorry if the itinerary felt rushed. Our guides strive to balance covering multiple highlights within the limited layover time while also adapting to guests’ preferences. Your comments will help us ensure that we emphasize better communication and adjust the tour pace to suit each guest’s needs. We truly value your feedback and will use it to enhance our services. Thank you for choosing our tour, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a more enjoyable experience in the future. Japan Guide Agency

P
Patrick_G
March 15, 2025
Wonderful customizable trip

Had a great time and Masa took very good care of us - got us out of the airport with a breeze … on trains efficiently We totally made our time with him customizable - we changed the times of the tour, we changed the city we were going to, we changed the sites we wanted to see, and he did it all for us -just the way we wanted it

Operator response

I thank you very much for your kind review comment. I think I have also enjoyed the conversation and jokes with you on the tour. I learned you have more than enough knowledge about Japan, its history, culture, social problems, and how it is going. Anyhow, I feel relieved that you had enjoyed the comfortable stay in Tokyo and hope you are now enjoying scuba diving in Guam. If possible, I would take you to explore the other regions when you come back to Japan again. sincerely, Masa

A
Anonymous
February 13, 2024
The best use of a day for a full Tokyo experience

Shuji was punctual, carried a "Welcome" sign (no chance of us missing one another at the very busy Narita airport) and was extremely helpful as a translator. He expertly guided me through the bullet train and the subway system as he showed me the wonderful landmarks I had chosen from the available sightseeing locations. Shuji even used a small flag that he carried at the very populous Buddha temple so if I lost sight of him within the crush of people the flag would lead me back! I appreciated the extra thought that was implemented in the tour for a foreigner. His food and sake recommendations were also fabulous. An extremely kind, humorous, patient and knowledgeable tour guide. I highly recommend him!

Operator response

Thank you very much for your high evaluation of my guide. I am delighted to know you have enjoyed the Tour. I also had wonderful time with you while talking a lot about Japanese History, Culture, Food & Daily Life, etc. Cherry Trees are gradually blooming toward late March in Tokyo now. If you have a chance to visit Japan again, you will be welcomed from our heart. Thank you! Shuji

M
Mallory_O
February 11, 2024
Wonderful Layover Tour of Tokyo

We really enjoyed our layover tour with Yoshi! He was very knowledgeable and curated a tour based on our requests and sprinkled in some items of his own based on the various locations. It was wonderful finding a guide that would meet us at Narita airport. We got to see SO much in a limited amount of time. While we traveled between our various stops, Yoshi would share stories, facts and pictures from the neighborhoods etc that we were passing. Yoshi was cognizant of our timing as well. He even accompanied us back to the airport, helped us pick up our stored baggage, and helped us navigate the large Narita airport to get our boarding passes and find the security line. I would definitely recommend this tour and our guide, Yoshi! It was amazing!

Operator response

Thank you very much for good review. I hope you become a big fan of Japan and visit this beautiful island nation on a regular basis. Best regards Yoshii

You might also like...