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Tokyo Tours: Everything You Need to Know

By Nick Whitfield

March 31, 2023

Tokyo Tours: Everything You Need to Know

Tokyo, Japan, is a busy, vibrant, and exciting city full of beautiful landscapes, futuristic technology, and creative sub-cultures that attract tourists worldwide. Regardless of the time of year, Tokyo is an excellent choice for your next travel destination. Whether you're a foodie, looking for a luxury shopping experience, or interested in viewing cherry blossoms during their peak, there are plenty of experiences in Tokyo for you to enjoy.

Tokyo is an excellent city for solo travelers or anyone traveling in a group. Of course, if you've never been to Japan or speak the language, there will be a bit of a barrier when trying to navigate the city. One of the best ways to overcome these obstacles is by joining a guided tour while on your trip. On tour, your local guide educates you on the rich Japanese culture and history everywhere, from food to historical districts, keeping you informed along your journey. Guided tours are an excellent way to explore the city without getting lost or disorganized.

If you're considering traveling to Tokyo, or have an upcoming trip and looking for ways to explore the city, booking a tour with City Unscripted allows you the freedom of coming to Japan, knowing you'll be in the best company.

How Do Tours Work?

City Unscripted offers a wide variety of Tokyo tours for you to choose from. Whether you're interested in touring the best Japanese food in the city, taking a quick trip out of the city to view a Unesco world heritage site, Mount Fuji, or experiencing Tokyo nightlife and sampling sake, there's a tour option for you.

First, review all of the Tokyo Tour options listed on our site. Click on each tour to learn more about what's offered, the duration of the tour, and some general ideas of what your host may add to the itinerary.

Your Itinerary

The great thing about City Unscripted's tours is that each tour is tailored to meet the needs of the tour participants. If needed, your guide creates a fully customizable itinerary, so you and your group get the most out of your tour. If you have any special requests or accommodations, contact your guide after your tour is booked to help them create an itinerary that works for you.

On each tour page, you see a general idea of places to go and experiences to have, and these are just simple suggestions that may pique your interest. Each of the local guides has their special bars, restaurants, and attractions they prefer, and use their guidance to help create an experience of a lifetime.

Tour Durations

Many City Unscripted tours range from three-four hours. But, for anyone looking for a full day tour, there are a few options geared towards spending up to 8 hours with a guide while you explore some of the city's best attractions or take a day trip to the surrounding areas outside of Tokyo. While visiting Tokyo, you may realize that one tour isn't enough and decide to book multiple throughout your stay because there's so much to see and so little time! Of course, touring the city with a guide is the most time-effective way to see the city and the best way to experience Japan's capital through the lens of a local.

Most City Unscripted tours are walking tours, with public transportation available if needed, so it's important to wear comfortable shoes and clothing as you'll be on your feet for an extended period.

Tokyo Food Tours

Joining a food tour while in Tokyo is one of the best ways to get a taste of the city's cuisine. Try delicious ramen, fresh tuna sushi rolls, matcha tea, udon, tempura, soba, yakisoba, and karaage.

Sushi lovers will enjoy the sushi tour available on City Unscripted. Take a tour of your guide's favorite sushi spots in Tokyo. Your guide creates an itinerary that takes you to multiple sushi atmospheres and eateries that offer a wide range of sushi and other delicious foods for you to try.

If you're looking for more than just sushi, City Unscripted has you covered. The Eat Like a True Tokyoite tour provides a general food-tasting experience guided by a local resident. Your guide takes you to some of the best places in Tokyo to give you a well-rounded, authentic feel for what makes Japanese food excellent. Many of the eateries you'll visit are izakaya, which are casual bars in Japan. These spots are famous for their delicious foods and great beverages and for providing space for great conversation among guests.

While eating out in Tokyo, it's important to note that there isn't really a tipping culture, much like in other areas of the world. The wait staff and restaurant employees are paid a wage that isn't dependent on tips, and many people will turn down any efforts to do so.

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Hidden Gems of Tokyo Tours

Tokyo is full of hidden gems that many tourists overlook due to their lack of knowledge of the city's offerings. With the help of a local guide, your itinerary is curated to create the ultimate experience for you while avoiding tourist traps when possible. If you have a particular type of attraction you want to experience on your trip to Tokyo, your host can point you in the right direction. City Unscripted offers a Best Kept Secrets tour where a guide takes you to the more unknown attractions of the city, where you become immersed in local culture.

Don't be afraid to ask your host about more common tourist stops, such as the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, the Tsukiji Fish Market, Shibuya crossing, or the Tokyo Skytree; even though these are a little more common than other destinations, they are surely a sight to see and a great way to spend your tour!

The best-hidden gems can only be found with the help of a local, and even more so with the help of a local tour guide. Not only will you find unknown stops, but they also help you navigate the bustling city of Tokyo, which can be quite confusing without proper knowledge of the area.

City Unscripted offers a Stranger than Fiction tour where you embark on an adventure into the weirder side of Tokyo. This is one of the best tours for anyone who enjoys cosplaying, wacky cafes, or Japanese subcultures.

If you're a gamer, anime, or manga lover, join the Geek out in Akihabara tour, where a local guide takes you to huge arcades, electronics megastores, themed shops, and unique cafes. Tell your guide ahead of time what your special interests are and see if they can find a themed cafe or a specific store that features them!

Who Can Join a Tokyo Travel Tour?

City Unscripted encourages anyone and everyone to book a Tokyo tour! If you're a solo traveler, don't worry. These tours are private and available for singles. Booking a solo tour allows you to have a more personalized experience, lets you go at your own pace, as well as allows for more time to connect and network with your host. If you're traveling and feel like socializing, booking a food tour or a short sightseeing tour is an excellent option to get you outside and enjoy everything Tokyo has to offer.

If you're traveling in a pair, joining a tour allows you both to bond over the exciting experiences of the city and get to know your guide along the way. For any pair traveling in late March to early April, a cherry blossom tour is a wonderful way to spend your trip. Walk through Tokyo's best blossom viewing destinations, learn about the history and culture behind these trees, and even have a picnic in the park to enjoy the natural beauty.

Traveling with kids? No problem! Consider joining the Child's Play tour, where you and your children may stop at attractions like the Edo-Tokyo Museum, the Tokyo Aquarium, Alice in Wonderland Cafe, or any other child-friendly stops your guide chooses!

Next Steps

The next step is to book your first Tokyo Tour with City Unscripted. Review the available tour offerings, and check in with your group to see which sounds the most fun. If you can't decide, don't be afraid to book multiple tours while you're in the city. Whether you're staying in central Tokyo or any other area of the city, City Unscripted works with you on where to meet and what attractions to see and makes sure you spend the duration of your tour immersed in Japanese culture.

When selecting a tour, you can choose the specific date you're looking for as well as the time of day, which is optional. This makes it easy for you to find time on your trip to join a tour without having to meet strict tour times or guidelines. Always read through what's included in each tour, and bring any necessary items, such as a drink or snacks, if your tour doesn't include these in the experience.

You don't need to know Japanese to have the ultimate experience in Tokyo. With the help of a local guide through City Unscripted, you can dive straight into the city, explore the local cuisine, see beautiful landscapes, and experience the city through Tokyo's hidden and sometimes strange side to make this one of your most memorable trips yet!

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Hey curious traveler!
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