Thank you for joining our Tokyo Free Walking Tour in Ueno and Asakusa. On the day of our two-guided tours, the 8th of September, we welcomed 12 guests on our walking tour. These people came from different regions of the world, including Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, U.K and U.S. Strong typhoon was approaching Japan, and Japanese meteorological agency repeatedly issued the alert. In Tokyo, however, we had strong sunshine and occasionally scattered clouds in the sky, and the daytime temperature rose up to around 30 degrees Celsius. Seemingly, scorching heat of the sun has not been pushed back yet. Under these circumstances, we met twelve guests in Asakusa and Ueno. Some of the attendants of Asakusa Morning Tour made their time to join Ueno Afternoon Tour. We really appreciate it. Around 10 a.m., we started a morning tour at Asakusa. After overlooking the entire Asakusa district from the rooftop of the Asakusa Information Center, we moved to a gorgeous gate called Kaminarimon Gate, or a thunder gate in English. After passing through the 250 meters shopping stretch, we witnessed temple visitors waiting for their turn in a long line to worship. They’re going to make wishes like improving their […]
Thank you for joining our Tokyo Free Walking Tour in Asakusa and Ueno. On that day, the 25th of August, we welcomed 6 guests on our walking tour. These people came from different regions of the world, including Canada, Chile and Netherlands Finally, peak time of summer season is coming to an end. Seemingly, we no longer experience a sweltering day, which started early in August following rainy season and left unbearable sensation of scorching days in Japan. Under these seasonal changes, we met 6 people at Ueno and Asakusa. At first, we started our morning tour at 10:00 A.M. in Asakusa. Our walking started from an iconic location in the area named “Kaminarimon Gate” or Thunder Gate and ended at Asakusa Shinto Shrine. Upon arriving at the main hall of Sensoji Buddhist Temple, a lot of people were surrounding an incense burner and bathing the smoke from there. Due to religious faith, this smoke is believed to heal their wounds. Eventually, appealing smells of food wafting out of food stalls come into our nose. Walking and eating is also one of the attractions for temple visitors. Meanwhile, at the concourse of Ueno Station, a large stuffed panda warmly welcomed […]
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join our Asakusa/Ueno Park tours on August 11. It was a very hot day in the middle of summer. We welcomed 11 people from Italy, Australia and America. As some of you may be aware our website has been renewed and the long-awaited Ueno Park Tour page is here! It has been added to our Website as the fourth tour. I hope that the new page will raise the interest and awareness of Ueno Park Tour. There is an interesting and exciting place at Ueno/Asakusa area. It is Kappabashi Street which boasts the Japan’s largest kitchen ware products. It is located almost in the middle between Ueno Park and Sensoji Temple. You could walk from each place. The closest station is Tawaramachi of Tokyo Metro Ginza Line. The big statue of a chef is the landmark of Kappabashi Street. It is recommendable for a foreign visitor to get a handy map. The map has industrial classification in English with the free Wi-Fi spots which is available at most of the shops for free. The total length is approximately 1 kilometer with over 170 shops specializing in kitchen tools […]
Thank you for joining our Tokyo Free Walking Tour in Asakusa and Ueno. On that day, July 28, we welcomed 9 guests on our walking tour. These people came from different corners of the world, including Australia, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippine and Spain. Recently, the Japan Meteorological Agency has announced the end of the rainy season in Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures in the Kanto region. This long-awaited report about the shift from rainy to summer season has inspired those people who are looking forward to finalizing their summer plans since they can now choose the perfect days for their travel and activities. On the morning of July 28, the temperature rose up to 30 degrees Celsius and reached the high of 32 degrees and more, during the early afternoon. This is the typical pattern of weather changes during the season called “tsuyuake toka”, which can literally be translated to “the ten days after the end of the rainy season”. During the tsuyuake toka, a mass of warm air prevails over the entire Japanese island. In effect, we have an immediately stable weather, characterized by humid climate and hot days, which normally lasts up to around two weeks. The warm […]
We Tokyo-Free-Walking-Tour welcomed cumulative total number of 17 guests from Spain(6), UK(3), Canada(2), Austria(2), Germany(2) and France(2) to Asakusa morning / afternoon tour & Ueno Park tour held on July 14th Sunday. We appreciate a lot for all of the guests joining our tours and would like to express special thanks to the guests who joined plural tours of us!! Above mentioned each area has their own unique history and traditional culture. We have been expanding our activity from East Garden of Imperial Palace to the other areas and now we came to cover total four tours in Tokyo as shown in the map. As you can see, Asakusa and Ueno Park are just near by which enables efficient combination. We hope all of guests had memorable experience at our tours. We have now a special plan of Weekday tour on coming July 17th at East Garden of Imperial Palace. Please check “tour calendar” of this site for detail. By the way, now is still in “Tsu Yu” or rainy season in Japan. The day was light rainy day, unfortunately. However, good point is, this level of rain sometimes makes young green leaves more brilliant and […]
Tokyo Free Walking Tour provides with 4 route tours regularly: East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Saturday, weekly & weekday once a month) Asakusa (Sunday, bi-weekly) Meiji Jingu Shrine & Harajuku (Sunday, bi-weekly) Ueno (Sunday, bi-weekly) (Please refer to our calendar : https://tfwt.jp/tour-calendar/) In addition to regular tours listed above, TFWT also offers private tours based on request, but only if we can arrange tour guides. The Asakusa tour held on June 25 was the good example. We welcomed 20 guests from Hawaii, who were participants of “The 2019 Summer Study Tour To Japan, Pacific Asia Administrative Council” including 17 selected students from all over Hawaii and 3 senior leaders. Traveling multiple places in Japan for two weeks and having lots of activities, they selected our tour as one of the last day events. We feel honored that they choose our tour. Luckily it was a comfortable sunny day during an early summer rainy season. 20 guests, divided into 4 groups, enjoyed with site view and local shopping. We were impressed with their excellent manner and eagerness to know new things. This time we had more than a month lead time for coordination. But please do not hesitate to send […]
Thank you for your participation to “Tokyo Free Walking Tour – Asakusa Route & Ueno Route” on June 23 Sunday. We welcomed 20 guests from Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, India, Switzerland, UK & USA. The clouds hang low all day, thus during the tours we worried when it starts to rain. But the deity of weather was on our side! Probably you might be aware that it is the rainy season in most part of Japan right now and we’ve been having humid weather. Does this sound depressing? That makes sense. But let me share you some enjoyments during rainy season. The early summer rainy season is called tsuyu and written with kanji characters meaning plum rain. Because it is the when plum trees bear fruit. Water plants produces beautiful flowers, such as irises and water lilies. Fireflies can be added to the attractiveness of this season. They can be found flying about at night near the clean water’s edge, while emitting light from their lower abdomens. The myriads of tiny blinking lights creates fantastic atmosphere. Special ceremonies “Chinowa kuguri” are held at shrines on the last day of June as it marks the halfway point of the year. Stepping […]
Thank you so much for joining the tours in Asakusa and Ueno Park on Jun 9. We welcomed 17 guests from USA, UK, Germany, Mexico, Philippines and India. Tokyo entered the rainy season on June 7. The weather forecast told that there could be raining but thankfully it was not happened. Cloudy and a little humid but not so hot. It began to rain after night, so we were lucky. We really appreciate all guest for sharing your precious time together and enjoyed our tour and conversations with the guests. We are often inspired by unexpected questions and information from our guests and today’s tours were definitely the ones. We wish our guests had the good time with us, too. Speaking of time, June 10 is “Time Day” in Japan. It is not a national holiday, but I think it is one of the candidates because there are no national holidays in June. The Emperor Tenchi, who is the 38th Emperor, on June 10 in 671, approximately 1350 years ago, first made a water clock and made it a time clock to Otsu in current Shiga prefecture. Based on the historical event, Time Day was enacted in 1920. Time went […]
Many thanks to 9 guests in the morning and afternoon tours at Sensoji Temple and Asakusa Shrine in Asakusa town. Our guests were from Hong Kong, Italy, Estonia, Finland and Israel. It was really clear and dry Sunday, which was very suitable for walking tour. We were glad to have wonderful guests in a very great moment in our history. The tours were very historic in the sense that these tours have become our last regular tours in Heisei Era. Heisei is Japan’s own calendar year name officially used along with Gregorian calendar. Heisei started from 1989 when Emperor Hirohito, father of current Emperor died and the current Emperor, Akihito ascended to the throne. Then this year was 31st year from 1989, which is Heisei One. On 30 of April, Emperor Akihito abdicated, and then next day, 1 of May new Emperor Naruhito ascends to the throne. This Enthronement day is start of new calendar year name, Reiwa. This year 2019, is marked as Heisei 31 and Reiwa 1. It sounds complicated so that is why we use Gregorian calendar together. Due to such big events, from this weekend to next weekend and following Mondy, 6 of May, are holidays. […]
We welcomed 21 guests from France, India, Hong Kong, Mexico, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey & USA. Wow, we are happy to know our guests cover 5 continents! It was a lovely sunny spring day though it gradually became cloudy and windy at the end of afternoon tour. Period of “sakura”(cherry flowers) in full bloom has almost finished in Tokyo. OK. Please do not disappoint! A flurry of cherry blossoms blown in the wind is so romantic. Senso-ji in Asakusa is one of the most visited and photographed temple in Tokyo with long history which is some 1400 years. Thus, there are lots of events & ceremonies related to Senso-ji temple and its neighborhood districts. One of such events, “Shirasagi-no-mai or White Heron Dance” was performed on Sunday in front of Senso-ji temple. This was first performed in 1968 to commemorate the century anniversary of Tokyo as the capital of Japan. The beautiful dance was demonstrated by participants in historical costumes such as white heron, pole carrier, parasol carrier, warrior and musician. by Akemi
