If you’re looking for a kaleidoscope of flavors, cultures, and experiences, Tokyo should be at the very top of your list. However, if you really want to take advantage of everything this magical city has to offer, you need to do it right.
If you want an experience that’s as unique as the city itself, then you should sign yourself up for one of these top private tours of Tokyo .
This melding of neon lights, hidden alleyways, and skyscrapers is filled with untold stories and secrets that your guide will let you in on. If that sounds like fun to you, let’s jump right in!
Be sure to see our reviews of Tokyo Food Tours, Mt Fuji Day Trips and Tokyo Bike Tours.
Best Tokyo Private Tours by Locals
| Tokyo Private Chauffeur Driving Sightseeing Tour | Tokyo Full-Day Private Tour with Nationally-Licensed Guide | Tokyo Private Custom Walking Tour with Local Friendly Guide | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Luxury Tour | Best Value Tour | Best Walking Tour | |
 | |||
 |  |  | |
| Location: | Hotel pickup and drop-off included | Hotel pickup and drop-off included | Hotel pickup and drop-off included |
| Start: | 9:00, 9:30, 10:00 AM | Anytime between 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM | 9:00 AM |
| Duration: | 7 to 9 hours | 6 hours | 4 to 8 hours |
| Includes: | Bottled water, driver, pocket Wifi, Private tour, transport by private vehicle | Licensed local guide, free photos, transport by private vehicle | Professional local guide |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Private Tokyo City Tours For 2024
- Tokyo Private Chauffeur Driving Sightseeing Tour – English Speaking Driver
- Tokyo: Full-Day Private Tour with Nationally-Licensed Guide
- Tokyo Private Custom Walking Tour with Local Friendly Guide
- Tokyo Private Tour by Car/Van – Guide Option Available (up to 13)
- Private Custom Tour: Tokyo in a Day
Tokyo City Private Tour Reviews
1. Tokyo Private Chauffeur Driving Sightseeing Tour
- Duration: 7 to 9 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Departure Time: 9:00, 9:30, 10:00 AM
- Includes: Bottled water, driver, pocket Wifi, Private tour, transport by private vehicle
This first tour will take you right into the heart of the vibrant Tokyo metropolis, offering up a sensory overload bound to leave you feeling like you’re in some sort of dream.
The Tokyo Private Chauffeur Driving Sightseeing Tour – English Speaking Driver is one of the best choices you can make if it’s your first time in the city, taking you on a deep dive right into the center of it all.
If that wasn’t good enough, the staff is so professional, knowledgeable, and planned everything perfectly to make for a seamless tour.
First on our list is the grand dame herself: the oldest and most prominent temple in Tokyo, called the Senso-ji. This Buddhist temple is nearly 1400 years old, making it not only a gorgeous sight to see but a journey back in time.
Next up is the Tokyo Skytree, which is an architectural marvel towering 634 meters, completely redefining the term “city lights”.
Now head down into the Tsukiji Fish Market, where street food stalls burst full of energy, mouthwatering scents, and all kinds of interesting flavors.
Expand To See More
It’s one of the most renowned fish markets in the world, spanning everything from food stalls to upscale restaurants serving all kinds of seafood. After you’re all fueled up, it’s time to travel to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace where the Edo Castle ruin tells plenty of stories on its own.
The Meiji Jingu Shrine is a serene haven amidst a wild urban sprawl, offering a moment for peaceful reflection in the middle of your tour. Don’t forget the Shibuya Crossing, which is the busiest intersection in the world and is often compared to New York’s Time Square.
Finally, pay a visit to Takeshita Street, where Harajuku’s avante-garde spirit thrives as a breathing masterpiece of youth culture.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Other Experiences You May Enjoy:
2. Tokyo Full-Day Private Tour with Nationally-Licensed Guide
- Duration: 6 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Departure Time: Anytime between 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
- Includes: Licensed local guide, free photos
If the first tour really caught your attention but you’re looking for something shorter, we have you covered. The Tokyo: Full-Day Private Tour with Nationally-Licensed Guide is a few hours shorter yet still packs a punch in terms of learning and excitement.
If you have the morning or afternoon available and would like to see Tokyo’s top sights in one day without the hassle of doing it yourself, this is a great option for you.
What always kind of made me avoid tours in the past was the idea that I’d get herded around with a bunch of strangers like cattle, just ticking off a generic list of sights to see.
By now, I’ve learned that that’s not always the case – you just have to know which tours are the good ones to take. This tour is one of the best, as it lets you completely customize your itinerary, letting your guide create a schedule perfectly tailored to your needs.
Expand To See More
Take some time here before strolling through the Imperial Palace’s Outer Garden, complete with seasonal flowers, original moats, entrance gates, and guardhouses. At lunchtime, you’ll enjoy a Harajuku meal where “kawaii” and “trendy” blend like soy sauce and wasabi.
Speaking of beautiful contrasts, we’ll then hang out in the Meiji Jingu Shrine: a forest oasis settled between the chaos of Shibuya and Shinjuku. Time seems to stand still here, and it’s a wonderful sanctuary for those who need a break amidst the hustle and bustle.
Overall, if you’re looking for a Tokyo masterclass, I highly recommend you consider this tour!
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. Tokyo Private Custom Walking Tour with Local Friendly Guide
- Duration: 4 to 8 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- Departure Time: 9:00 AM
- Includes: Professional local guide
Walking tours are something really special, offering you that up close and personal experience that you simply can’t get in any other format.
If you want an authentic way to see this amazing city, the Tokyo Private Custom Walking Tour with Local Friendly Guide is one of the best, creating an intimate experience where you get a knowledgeable guide to lead you around.
Based on your and your party’s interests, your itinerary will cover some of the most fascinating landmarks in all of Japan.
This full-throttle immersion into the vibrant city’s heart seamlessly combines the modern marvels with ancient wonders, in a way only Tokyo is able to pull off.
The cultural compass of a guide was packed full of fun facts, anecdotes, and intricate pieces of knowledge that only enriched the experience further.
In order to make the most of your time and really experience Tokyo like a local, you’ll be navigating its labyrinthine metro system with your guide who has your back.
Expand To See More
The first stop on the tour is the largest fish market on the planet: Tsukiji Market. It’s an explosion of colors, scents, sights, and flavors where you’ll be able to try all kinds of seafood that you’ve never even seen before.
Then there’s Asakusa, where tradition meets modernity in the shadow of the beautiful time capsule that is Sensoji Temple.
The Meiji Shrine is next on the list, which serves as a tranquil oasis amid the urban frenzy, where you’ll be able to take a mental break before heading to Takeshita Street in Harajuku. You can choose to check out the Imperial Palace’s East Garden, or the electric atmosphere of Shibuya Crossing.
The Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo Skytree, Odaiba waterfront, and various others are available to add to your customized itinerary.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Tokyo Private Tour by Car/Van – Guide Option Available (up to 13)
- Duration: 10 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- Departure Time: 9:00 AM
- Includes: Gas, highway tolls, English-speaking driver, air-conditioned vehicle, Wi-Fi hotspot onboard
If you’re traveling with more than just a few other people, I can’t recommend this next tour enough. The Tokyo Private Tour by Car/Van – Guide Option Available (up to 13) will let all of you travel together while skipping the hassle of waiting for strangers at places you aren’t as interested in.
This tour lets you completely customize your itinerary based on your schedule and personal interests, so you can maximize your tour experience!
Starting off at 9:00 am, you’ll be picked right up from your hotel lobby so you don’t have to worry about scheduling separate transportation or waking up earlier to meet your driver.
The vehicle is not only air-conditioned but comes with Wi-Fi so you’re never without connection in case you’d like to send photos and videos in real-time to loved ones. Make sure to let them know what you’re most interested in so they can build the ideal schedule for you.
Expand To See More
Check out the Senso-ji Temple, which has been standing as a living testament to Tokyo’s history for nearly 1400 years. You’ll learn just a fraction of the countless stories this landmark has seen, but they’re incredibly fascinating.
There’s the Tokyo Skytree, which is a monolith piercing the skyline like some kind of vaporware dream we all imagine when thinking of this city.
Imperial Palace’s East Gardens are like stepping straight into a history book, followed by a delicious trip to the Tsukiji Fish Market. As a haven for foodies, you’ll love fueling up here before exploring the Meiji Jingu Shrine, the swirling vortex of lights that is Shibuya Crossing, the Odaiba District, and so much more.
This is a beautiful adventure that’s perfect if you really love getting down to the raw culture and spirit of a place.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Private Custom Tour: Tokyo in a Day
- Duration: 8 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- Departure Time: 9:00 AM
- Includes: Meet-and-greet service at hotel (if by public transport), professional guide, transport by private vehicle (if by private vehicle), transportation fares (if by public transport), lunch (full-day option only), snacks
If it’s your first day in Tokyo, do yourself a favor and instead of heading to the hotel for a nap, take this tour instead. After just a few minutes of venturing through this magnificent city, you can rest assured any jet lag will disappear.
The Private Custom Tour: Tokyo in a Day lets you explore at your own pace and set your schedule! Navigating Tokyo as a noobie is no joke, so I highly appreciated the fact that our guide came right to our hotel lobby to pick us up.
Your transport will be by comfortable, air-conditioned private vehicle or by public transport if you choose to go with the regular option. Either way, you’ll have your guide there to lead the way and fill you in on interesting tips and historical accounts at each location.
The fun part comes when you tell your guide about your personal interests, so that you can either come up with a half-day or full-day sightseeing itinerary that goes based on them.
Expand To See More
Whether you’re a foodie, passionate about Japanese culture, history, or love the outdoors, they are experts at creating memorable tours that honor those interests. However, there are certain spots that most people would like to visit, regardless.
The Tsukiji Market is one of those, which is the most renowned and biggest fish market in the entire world. The Hama Rikyu Gardens are the perfect example of a traditional Japanese garden, making for a serene escape and great photo ops in the middle of this bustling landscape.
If you’re into shopping, Ginza is a youthful, trendy place famous for its brand names and traditional shops.
With such genuinely cool, knowledgeable tour guides, I’d trust them with my eyes closed to create a customized itinerary for me. Whatever you end up doing, you can rest easy knowing you’re going to have a great time.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
FAQs About Visiting Tokyo
What will I see on a guided tour of Tokyo?
- Tokyo National Museum – This is Japan’s largest and oldest museum. There is a huge collection of art and artifacts from ancient times to modern day. You will see samurai armor and swords, Buddhist scrolls, kimonos, pottery, paintings and lots more.
- Shibuya Crossing – Probably the world’s busiest intersection, here you can watch the crowds of people cross the street in all directions, it’s truly a sight to behold! You will find no shortage of shops, restaurants and cafes for you to try.
- Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden – This large and beautiful park is in the heart of the city. It has not only a variety of Japanese gardens but also French and English as well. There is also a greenhouse with a variety of tropical plants. Stroll the paths and admire the flowers and trees or better yet have a picnic on the lawn.
- Tokyo Skytree – This is the tallest tower in the world! Take an elevator to the observation decks where you will have a panoramic view of the city with lots of photo opportunities.
Sites Seen
Tour Guides
Value
The Tokyo Private Chauffeur Driving Sightseeing Tour is our Editors Choice for the best private guided tour of Tokyo
