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Offered languages
- Japanese
- English
What if one short walk through Asakusa could help you understand Japan itself?
This private tour goes beyond sightseeing. Your expert guide connects Asakusa’s landmarks with Japan’s history, beliefs, art, and relationship with the wider world.
Beginning beside the Sumida River, explore Japan’s isolation and opening to the West. Discover Buddhism and Shinto, compare Japanese and Western dragons at Kaminarimon the Thunder gate, and uncover Buddhist symbolism and ukiyo-e’s (wood block prints) influence on Western art. At Senso-ji and Asakusa Shrine, learn how Japan’s two major religious traditions have shaped daily life and coexisted for centuries.
With a private guide exclusively for your group of up to eight, you can ask questions, set a comfortable pace, and focus on what interests you most—from religion and samurai history to modernization and art.
You’ll leave with more than memories of famous sights: you’ll gain a clearer understanding of Japan itself.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
The meeting place is in front of a Burger King restaurant right next to Exit 4 of Asakusa subway station (G19) on the Ginza line. Please step outside when you reach Exit 4. See below for details. https://bit.ly/3KBlIr5
Itinerary
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1Sumida River
Begin beside the Sumida River with the story of Japan’s isolation and opening to the world. Learn why Japan limited contact with the outside world for more than 200 years, why the Netherlands became its key European trading partner, and how the arrival of Commodore Perry changed the country’s course.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
Get a clear introduction to Buddhism and Shinto, Japan’s two major religious traditions. This background will help you better understand the temples, shrines, and customs you encounter throughout the walk.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Kaminarimon
Look beyond one of Asakusa’s most famous landmarks. Compare Japanese and Western dragons and discover what their striking differences reveal about the cultures that created them.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Nakamise Shopping Street (Kaminarimon)
Walk along one of Japan’s oldest shopping streets while discovering Buddhist symbolism and the fascinating journey of ukiyo-e woodblock prints from Japan to Europe, where they influenced Western artists.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Hozomon
Here, your guide reveals a surprising truth: people in Japan and the West shared remarkably similar ways of thinking 1,000 years ago.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Senso-ji Temple
At Tokyo’s oldest temple, discover how Buddhism is practiced in everyday Japanese life, from purification and incense to prayer. Ask questions and explore the religious and historical subjects that particularly interest your group.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Asakusa Shrine
Finish beside Senso-ji at this important Shinto shrine. Discover how Buddhism and Shinto have coexisted for centuries and why many Japanese people participate in both traditions without seeing them as contradictory.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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