Hey everyone!
On July 20, we had an amazing Tokyo Free Walking Tour with 17 fantastic guests from 8 different countries. It was truly a memorable day exploring the Meiji Jingu Shrine and Harajuku, blend of tradition and modernity!
If you’re planning your Tokyo trip, let me share why our Tokyo Free Walking Tour is an ideal choice for solo travelers, couples, families, and small groups looking for an authentic Tokyo experience.
Connect Deeply with Local Culture and People
One of the standout features of our Tokyo Free Walking Tour is our unique approach: small groups led by multiple local guides. On our recent tour, for instance, we divided 17 guests into 5 groups, each with 2 or 3 friendly local experts. This setup ensures that solo travelers in Tokyo never feel isolated. Our small group sizes foster natural interaction, not just with our knowledgeable guides but also among guests, creating a truly communal and engaging atmosphere.
Tokyo Free Walking Tour guides are much more than just escorts; they’re passionate locals eager to share their city and insights. We know many visitors are keen to connect with Japanese culture and its people genuinely. If you want to explore Tokyo feeling like you’re strolling with local friends, gaining perspectives you won’t find in guidebooks, then this tour is definitely for you!
A Glimpse into Our Recent Tokyo Adventure
On our last Tokyo Free Walking Tour, we kicked off our journey at Meiji Jingu Shrine, one of Japan’s most revered Shinto religious sites. We respectfully passed through the iconic torii gate, walked along the serene gravel path, and performed the traditional purification at the chozuya before approaching the main hall to greet the gods. It was wonderful to see one of our guests from Uzbekistan try a votive plaque! Our guides shared fascinating details about Japanese religion and traditions, even pointing out the unique spot for car purification.
From this tranquil oasis, we then ventured into the vibrant contrast of Takeshita Street in Harajuku. This trendy street, a hub for youth fashion and culture, offered a lively shift from the shrine’s solemnity.
Throughout the Tokyo Free Walking Tour, engaging conversations flowed naturally, and our guides were happy to answer a wide range of questions from our curious guests:
“How many shrines in Japan worship the Emperor?”
“Does the Emperor have children?”
“Does the law be changed to allow a female Empress, like in Belgium where princesses can inherit the throne?”
“How much does it cost to have a car purified?”
“Do you learn languages other than English in Japanese schools?”
“When did Japan first begin commercial trade with other countries?”
Beyond history and culture, these discussions turned into wonderful opportunities to exchange knowledge and ideas from around the world. Our Italian guest, who had studied Japanese well, was particularly interested in the Kansai dialect and had a lively chat with our Kansai-native guide. Our guest from Turkey shared insights about their country, from the official name change to “Türkiye” to details about elementary school summer vacations, local spirits like “Yeni Rak,” Turkish mausoleums, and religious views. A guest from Taiwan, taking the tour during a short 3-4 day trip between flights from Haneda, even noted that despite our humid summers, Japan still felt relatively cool compared to Taiwan! And a Belgian family enlightened us about the delightful differences between Brussels and Liège waffles.
Come join us for a fun-filled and insightful Tokyo Free Walking Tour experience! We can’t wait to share our city with you.
For more information about our tour, please visit our web site at
https://tfwt.jp/top/meiji-shrine-and-harajuku/
https://www.facebook.com/TokyoFWT
https://www.tripadvisor.jp/
Posted by Masa Ito