This tour is Bleisure(Business + Leisure) service for a Business traveler who has a business meeting with Japanese and need an help for Japanese⇆English interpretation.
It is possible to decide how to divide 7 hours into business & leisure. The business schedule can be changed suddenly but we can be flexible to shift the schedule and utilize free time to enjoy walking around Tokyo for food & drink, shopping and cultural activity.
And to hire a proper level of business interpreter in Tokyo, it will cost more than US $700. Our leisure tour gives you very reasonable price to support your business.
This is a walking tour and we use metro(subway) for the transportation. You buy Tokyo Metro 24-hour Ticket (600 yen/ person). Using this ticket, we can visit anywhere in Tokyo as much as possible. If you would like to visit the place where Tokyo metro does not reach, you may need to purchase other tickets. If you would like to use taxi, it is possible but it will be on your account.
Posted By : WilkeySky
I travel to Japan several times a year for business and I usually hire one or two single-event experiences like a 2-hour group ramen crawl. However, this time I had a few free days and I wanted to maximize the depth and impact of my time in Tokyo. So I researched private guides in Tokyo with the intent of scheduling two customized guided solo tours to see and do all the things I’ve been wanting to do but really couldn’t because of access, knowledge, or language. Ultimately, after a series of communications, I decided to contract with Takashi. The reasons I made this choice were because he corresponded in excellent English, was detailed and precise about arrangements, had a wealth of options in the kinds of experiences I wanted, and was clear and professional about the scheduling, expectations, and costs. His service was what I’d expect from a seasoned, experienced, tour and concierge professional.
Ultimately, we settled on two part-day sessions, solo. On the first half-day evening, we fulfilled my wish to visit an authentic neighborhood sento. So much fun! Hot water, brisk washing, scented baths, and mingling in with the locals. I only wish I could have partaken in the ritual of after-bath fruit milk but I’m lactose intolerant. But what a wonderful experience. Reference the Japanese live-action show “Sunshine Sento Sake” for a sense of what it’s like to be a salaryman who loves sento, beer, and bar food!
Speaking of food, we also went to a locals’ izakaya. I usually try to explore by myself when I’m in the city but it can be a roll of the dice. Once I ordered three dishes (no English menu) and I couldn’t recognize any of them. Another time I stopped in what looked like a sushi restaurant. It was...but niku sushi, specialty raw horsemeat! Which was surprisingly good, BTW. So it was a genuine pleasure when Tak helped me make sense of the menu in ordering a range of delightful and satisfying small dishes. And then we walked some truly interesting areas...let’s just say Yoshiwara and leave it at that. Finally, we closed out the night with food, sake, and a shamisen performance by bar staff that were also musicians! The music was so much fun, it was truly a joy and I even got to pose with the staff and hold a $10,000 shamisen. Intimidating!
On the second half-day, we focused on shopping and food, again. I can eat and drink almost nonstop and this was a delight. We walked less touristy areas outlying Asakusa and of particular note was restaurant street where I was able to buy unique things for family and friends, such as realistic plastic food. And for me, some professional restaurant aprons, workwear, etc. because I do most of the cooking at home. We also visited a street-side restaurant for oden, usually found only in the cooler seasons. And this food was rich, nourishing, and delicious. And another TV-show inspired experience was to have hotcakes and coffee at Coffee Tengoku. Which I did, with butter and syrup. Another wish ticked off the list. Reference the show “Kantaro the Sweet Tooth Salaryman.” We walked and had snack and coffee in trendy Kagurazaka. And we also visited Nihombashi, Ueno, and more for a full and satisfying time.
One of my interests is in seeing all the faces of Tokyo, especially the hidden places, the sides that are usually unknown to outsiders. I took so many photos during these tours and they capture magical and mysterious sights for me to keep and share. Tak was excellent in that as a local, he quickly understood what I was after and brought be to see things that were not always so shiny or for outsiders’ eyes. And this I greatly appreciated.
Logistically the two experiences went flawlessly. Payment was straightforward, clear, inclusive and I got to make suggestions and decisions about how to spend my time not just at events but in transit on trains and buses. Tak also has excellent guide instincts in that he adeptly stayed out of camera frame as I snapped my hundreds of tour photos. And he was attentive to when I just needed a little quiet, no-talking downtime to recharge while riding the local subway. He kept us on schedule without making me feel like I was being herded, which attests to his skill in planning and spacing not just the events but rests and travel.
In sum, I give Tak the highest possible recommendation for a professional, fulfilling, skilled solo tour experience. I will be back in 2020, probably after the Olympics and I will surely contract him to show me even more interesting faces and places of Tokyo, Japan.
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Posted On : 2019-12-20 08:33:04 
Posted By : lomandremaruk
Takashi was very patient and professional. He provided great interpretation for the home plazas that we had visited and helped us find the information we needed. He has sound experience in international business relations so his language abilities between Japanese and English were very smooth. We had a great time working with him, and are grateful to have found someone who is friendly, energetic, and knowledgeable. Next time we are in Tokyo, we will definitely be working with him again!
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Posted On : 2019-12-19 04:33:33
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