Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places
Stranger than fiction; Tokyo's weirdest places

What you'll do

Discover the quirky underbelly of Tokyo, following your host to bizarre places that only a local insider could reveal to you. Why not sample strange foods in Omoide Yokocho - aka Piss Alley - like frog sashimi, pig testicles and grilled salamander or descend into the kawaii monster cafe that’s an explosion of adorable monsters and rainbow candy? You could be treated like royalty at a maid (or even a butler) cafe, or buy quirky gifts in the Alice in Wonderland shop or a 100 yen store. And for the weirdest places of all? There’s always Clone Factory, where you can have a doll made that’s the identical, terrifying miniature version of yourself, or discover some very underground anime sub-cultures with your host to tell you all about it. 

Where you’ll go

You’ll explore one or two of west Tokyo’s eclectic neighborhoods, where the weird and wonderful is never far away! If unusual stores selling wacky items you never knew you needed, and themed cafes are what fascinate you, you could explore Shibuya, the enormous entertainment district, and Harajuku, the epicenter of Tokyo’s youth culture. Or perhaps streets dedicated to Japanese sub-cultures like otaku and kawaii are what fascinates you? In that case, your host could lead you through Shibuya, where owl cafes are an everyday occurrence, or Ikebukuro, a neighborhood in north-western Tokyo that’s known for its indie anime and manga stores and quirkily themed bars - like the Detective Cafe, where real private detectives mix the cocktails… 

  • Private & 100% personalized tour

  • 4 hours

  • Matched to your ideal host

  • Walking Tour

  • Hosted in English (On request: Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish)

  • Meet at your accommodation or a central location

Experience outline

  • Join your host and discover some of the weird, wacky and wonderful places in Tokyo you never knew existed!
  • Explore a district famous for anime, manga and cosplay culture
  • Visit a totally unique pet cafe like a snake, owl or hedgehog cafe, or experience one of Tokyo’s famous maid cafes
  • Explore Piss Alley - a historic lane packed with tiny bars where you can eat some unusual dishes and drink local sake and beer
  • Ask your host about niche Japanese sub-cultures, and visit the places where you can experience them

Things to know

What’s included

  • Private & personalized itinerary
  • 4 hours in the city with a host
  • 2 beers, coffee or soft drinks
  • 3 tastings of unusual foods
  • Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options)
  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

What’s not included

  • Food & drinks (other than the ones included above)
  • Cover charges to additional venues (other than the one included above)
  • Transportation costs
  • Gratuities (optional)

Cancellation

  • Cancel 14 days before the experience for a full refund
  • Worry-free cancellation terms: book with peace of mind knowing that you can cancel for free up to a day before the experience and receive a full refund.

Photos taken by our hosts and guests

City Unscripted guests photos

Reviews

    We loved our tour. Saya, our guide, was lovely and really helped us understand how to navigate the city using the transport systems. We were overwhelmed by the transport system but after spending the afternoon with Saya we were confident to do it by ourselves. Saya picked a delicious meal for us, which catered for my vegetarian diet, and showed us some interesting places across Tokyo. We would definitely recommend this tour for other newbies to Japan.

    January 2020

    Samantha B

    Travelling alone, I wanted to make the most of my time in Tokyo and be introduced to some interesting neighbourhoods. Kenji was a wonderful host. He personally picked me up from my hotel and we spent a full 5 hours exploring some "off the tourist strip" spots in Tokyo. Thanks to his tips, I was able to navigate my way back to a number of these spots and as well, he helped me master the Tokyo Subway (which at first can be a little daunting). Great tour to commence your stay in Tokyo.

    August 2019

    Lorraine O

See more reviews

Meet our local hosts in Tokyo. One of them will tailor this experience to your wishes!

We’ll expertly match you to your best suited host based on your interests, personality and the experience vibe you’re after.

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