Nishinippori Tours
Experience Old and Nostalgic Tokyo: Yanaka Walking Tour
5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

Experience Old and Nostalgic Tokyo: Yanaka Walking Tour

By OMAKASE
Recommended by 99% of travelers
99% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Discover the historical Yanaka district of Tokyo on a small-group half-day tour that highlights landmarks from the Edo period. See temples built during the 16th-19th centuries, visit a historical ‘reien’ (cemetery) where visitors rarely go, and view cherry blossoms in the spring. Your guide provides detailed commentary about Japan's history and the heritage of this serene district, which is an oasis within bustling Tokyo.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-80, max of 8 per group
Duration: 3h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Japanese, English, Chinese, Italian, French
More

Highlights
  • Walking tour proceeds at a leisurely pace suitable for most people
  • Hear insightful commentary from the guide
  • Experience the quiet calm of this well-preserved historic district
  • Small group limited to 10 people allows a more personalized tour

  • Professional guide
What's not included
  • Food and drinks(100-500 yen depending on what you want to try)
  • Transportation expenses
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Entry/Admission - Yanaka


Start:
  • Nippori Station, 2 Chome-19 Nishinippori, Arakawa City, Tokyo 116-0013, Japan
    The meeting point is Nippori station, north ticket gate located on the 2nd floor of the station building. You can access the meeting point by JR Line and Keisei Line. Please be ready 10 minutes prior to the meeting time. Your guide will be waiting for you there with a sign board.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Stroller accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 22178P4

    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • A maximum of 10 people per booking
    • Tour duration can be extended at a rate of 3,000 yen per group, per hour, payable in cash
    • Please inform your staring time when booking. The start time is from 9:00 am or 14:00 pm.
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 22178P4

    From
    $73.19
    per adult (price varies by group size)
    Select date and travelers

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    Itinerary
    • 2 Chome-19 Nishinippori, Arakawa City, Tokyo 116-0013, Japan
      The meeting point is Nippori station, north ticket gate located on the 2nd floor of the station building. You can access the meeting point by JR Line and Keisei Line. Please be ready 10 minutes prior to the meeting time. Your guide will be waiting for you there with a sign board.
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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
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      1,131
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      Joined in October 2015
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      Miyo and Keiko were wonderful guides! Unfortunately, the weather was very wet, and there was a major snafu with our reserved taxis. I might suggest that, in the future, if taxis are reserved, that one guide stay with the taxis and one guide collect the guests. Due to the delays, our time at the botanical gardens was very short. However, with so much rain, that may have been the case without the delay. Lunch was amazing and well organized. The highlight was the Kochi Castle. We had a couple of members of our group that could not climb the stairs, so Keiko stayed behind with them. Miyo continued with the rest of group. She was very informative and knowledgeable about the history. We did find, after the fact, that there is path to the castle, rather than having to climb the steps. Neither of the guides seemed to be aware of the path, but were glad to learn of it for the future. Miyo and Keiko were kind, helpful, and friendly. They did all possible to see that we made the best of the weather and difficulties.
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      Wet and wild in Kanazawa :-)
      Even though it was the wettest day Japan has experienced (not quite but it did not stop for a minute) we had the best time. Yumiko was an absolute delight. Full of knowledge and history. I cannot imagine how amazing Kanazawa must be when the sun shines as she is spectacular when it rains.
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    • russelltN2734IH
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    • Y1861YFgloriaw
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      Thank you Yukiko!
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      Thank You Milo & Chiharu!
      Thank you very much Miyo & Chiharu for the fabulous day tour we recently had with you in Osaka! What a wonderful day we had with you both. It was great to have the tour with you on the very first day we spent in Osaka as it gave us the confidence to explore on our own for the next 5 days and to know where to go for all the best places to eat! You were both such lovely company, very professional and knowledgeable. It was such a pleasure to meet you both, Thank you for taking such good care of us!!! Matthew & Michelle Hay
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    See all 1,131 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles307 reviews
    Excellent
    290
    Very good
    15
    Average
    0
    Poor
    0
    Terrible
    2

    Joel F
    Castle Rock, CO19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2023 • Friends
    It goes Yumi was exactly what you want in a tour guide. Knowledgeable, very friendly, and kind. She was very attentive to making sure this experience meet our personalized preferences by asking us questions and recommending the best stops. The story of the last Shogun, the Sumo Yokozuna, and the beautiful shrine were outstanding.

    Additionally, she helped us make purchases along the way by both translating and offering guidance that only locals would know. Simple shopping as a foreigner can be quite stressful!

    Side note, the people we encountered along the way were wonderful.

    I highly recommend Yumi and this experience.
    Written February 12, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for joining the tour and posting an excellent review! We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with Yumi. We appreciate your participation so much and hope you will come back to Tokyo and explore hidden gems again. When you have the chance to travel Japan again, we will be happy to host you anywhere at any time. Best regards, Misaki
    Written February 14, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    airamyh
    116 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I have been to Tokyo a few times but I saw a side of Tokyo that I never had before. It was a quiet, peaceful, not crowded, artisan filled experience. Masayo our guide was welcoming and knowledgeable. I really enjoyed the winding narrow residential streets and visiting the ginza at the end and eating street food. It was also great exercise with lots of walking to burn off all those calories haha. I would recommend tourists to bring cash with them so they can enjoy the street food. Oh wait, I forgot to add that the tea ceremony was an enjoyable pause on the tour.
    Written October 28, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for joining the tour and posting an excellent review! So happy to hear that you enjoyed with Masayo. We appreciate it so much and when you have the chance to travel Japan again, we will be happy to host you anywhere at any time. Best regards, Takeshi
    Written October 28, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Donald K
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2024 • Couples
    Rie was the most knowledgeable tour guide and host we can imagine. Her conversation skills are impressive and she was very responsive to our many questions, taking time to carefully explain her answers and also being thoughtful about what was important to us to learn.

    Her explanation of Japanese customs and traditional history taught us many details we will always remember. She is the best example of a loyal Japanese citizen who also expresses interest in other cultures and diversity.

    We would recommend her service to everyone we know who plans to visit Tokyo and appreciate the experience.
    Written April 1, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear Valued Customer, Thank you for your kind words! We're delighted to hear that you had a wonderful experience with Rie and enjoyed your tour of Tokyo/Yanaka area. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back for more memorable experiences in the future! Regards, Mariko
    Written April 4, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Zippytennis58
    Sawbridgeworth, UK36 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Emiko met me as planned. I was the only one on the tour so became a private tour. Emiko was engaging, full of knowledge and happy to adapt to my interests.
    We covered about 5 miles as we strolled around the Yanaka district visiting Temples and Shrines with a stop at the beer hall.
    The district is one of the oldest surviving so quite a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city districts
    I would highly recommend Omakase as a tour guide company!
    Written April 28, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear valued guest, Thank you for your view, we are really glad you enjoyed our Yanaka tour - the area in indeed a wonderful contrast to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo! If you ever come back to Japan, we'd love to guide you again. Regards, Dara
    Written May 7, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    SALT-54LT
    Yeppoon, Australia15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2019
    We booked the tour as our first to do after arriving in Tokyo to experience old Tokyo, the tour didn’t disappoint. It’s hard to believe this little community survives in the hustle of Tokyo.
    Our guide Arika was awesome!!!! Arika’s english was perfect and her knowledge of the area was excellent.
    After the Tour was complete we asked Arika some questions regarding our JR Rail pass, Arika assisted greatly with not only her advice but by accompanying us to the JR Rail office to translate our questions. Arika went above and beyond and we can’t thank her enough for assisting us.
    We highly recommend this tour, hopefully your experience will be the same for you as it was for us.
    Written January 5, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for joining the tour and your wonderful review! I’m glad that you had a great time in Yanaka with Arika. I hope you will come back to Tokyo and explore hidden gems again. I’m looking forward to seeing you next time!
    Written January 11, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Christine D
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2024 • Family
    After navigating the train system, we met our guide, Masaharu Kai, at Nishi Nippori Station and began our tour of the Yanaka Old District area in Tokyo.

    We had a wonderful 4 hour tour exploring, Yanaka Cemetery, an art gallery, food stalls and all the back streets of the Old District area.

    Masa was a wonderful guide, full of humor and goodwill. It was great to see the old part of Tokyo City.
    Written June 5, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear valued guest, Thank you so much for your kind review! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed the walking tour of Yanaka, and our guide Masa made the tour enriching and enjoyable for you. We hope to have the pleasure of guiding you on more adventures in the future. Best regards, Kyoko
    Written June 24, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Togeth
    56 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a great walk through an historic part of Tokyo. Himito did a fantastic job of explaining all of the interesting aspects that we saw as well as sharing about life in Tokyo. We covered a lot of territory in 3.5 hours but it was all done at a leisurely pace. We highly recommend this tour if you want to see a nostalgic part of Tokyo with Himito, an expert guide.
    Written January 16, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear Valued Customer, Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review, it really means a lot to us! I'm glad you enjoyed the tour with Himiko and I hope we'll be able to help you explore Japan even more in the future. Best regards, Monica
    Written January 24, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Stijn T
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2023 • Couples
    My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Mutsuko was a great guide: we learned lots about Yanaka specifically, the history of Tokyo and Japan more broadly, and Japanese culture and traditions. That was excellent, because we did the tour on our second day in Tokyo. We would highly recommend doing the same: you will get more out of the rest of your stay, with Mutsuko's introduction (and recommendations) :)

    Mutsuko also recommended local treats to try - and they were all so tasty! We appreciated that, because it can be overwhelming to see all the different food. What should you try? And where?

    Finally, as to Yanaka specifically: it's a very cute, quaint neighborhood, that highlights the juxtaposition of Japan (and Tokyo's) very long history, with the inevitable pressure, and desire, to modernize. There were so many beautiful streets, houses, coffee shops, and restaurants, that ranged from preserving the (very) old, to really avant garde modernism, that might as well be in the heart of Paris or Barcelona (thick clean, minimalist concrete etc.). So Yanaka, the neighborhood, is really a nice neighborhood that serves as a kind of portal into Japan: modern pressures on centuries old tradition, shaped by the imperial family (royal, emperor) and shoguns (think, civil government); Shintoism and Buddhism...

    Thank you so much Mutsuko!
    Written October 3, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear Valued Customers, Thank you so much for your kind words. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us. We are glad to hear that Mutsuko gave you some good recommendation, since, as you said, it can be over overwhelming deciding what food to try and where. Mutsuko is truly a gem to have on our team! We count ourselves lucky. If you ever plan to explore Japan again in the future, we'd be delighted to assist you again. Thank you once again for choosing us and for your wonderful feedback! Best regards, Monica
    Written October 4, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Phyllis O
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This tour was the highlight of my trip. Yoshimi was an excellent guide and I felt so comfortable exploring Yanaka with her. Her English is really good too. Definitely recommend if you want to get a taste of authentic old Tokyo and learn a bit of history.
    Written December 11, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for joining Yanaka tour and posting an excellent review! We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with Yoshimi. We appreciate your participation so much and when you have the chance to travel Japan again, we will be happy to host you anywhere at any time. Best regards, Takeshi
    Written December 12, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Jodie H
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Despite the rain and cold conditions this was a lovely walking tour. Yumi was wonderful and very well prepared. It was great to see the cherry blossom, a few temple and shrine ceremonies and to experience the quietness and history of this area in a city of hustle and business. Thank you Yumi!!
    Written March 26, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear Jodie, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5-star review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed our tour with Yumi and that we were able to provide you with a great experience. We take pride in offering high-quality tours and exceptional customer service, and we are pleased to see that our efforts have paid off. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will be shared with our team. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back on one of our tours in the near future. Best regards, Mariko
    Written April 2, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Experience Old and Nostalgic Tokyo: Yanaka Walking Tour provided by OMAKASE

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