Tokyo Private Tours

  The Backstreet Guides are the best! - The toughest part of planning our Japan vacation was knowing where to start. So we opted for a more personalized tour of Japan, with its rich history, gorgeous nature,... read more shrines, temples, incredible food, and beautiful people. We had ideas about what our overall experience should be, and one specific item we had to see, but other than that, we needed help narrowing down choices for our 2-week trip. The Backstreet Guides did just that - we had the pleasure of working with the in-house team (Michi and Hiroko), who assisted us over email with our itineraries. We had plenty of freedom to modify them, but didn’t have to, as they did a great job. We were happy that they were able to provide transportation from Narita Airport to our hotel and our guided tour to Nikko. I would like to highlight that due to the time difference between the U.S. and Japan, email is the primary method of communication. We booked 4 separate tours and were assigned three guides: Mari, Rei, and Ai.

Mari accompanied us the day after we arrived, guiding us from our hotel to the Studio Ghibli Museum, where she highlighted interesting parts. Rei, a Tokyo native, is a great storyteller, certified guide, and world traveler. She was our guide in Tokyo for one day and in Nikko for another, making us feel at home with her personalized style and sense of humor. As food lovers, we particularly enjoyed her recommendation of her father’s favorite restaurant—it was so memorable, we still talk about it! Finally, Ai, also a certified guide, welcomed us in Kyoto with her warm smile. We appreciated her use of an electronic notebook to show us architectural features we might have missed. Her expansive knowledge and passion were evident. The cost was reasonable for three adults, and we will definitely use them again when we return to Japan. Arigato gozaimasu!

  Amazing experience in Osaka/Kyoto with Saki! - The Backstreet Guides continue to be the most spectacular group of people. Japan is such an amazing place, and its only made better by this team. They are excellent in... read more communication prior to your tour. We've used them several times now on multiple trips going back to 2018 and they are always so much fun!
This trip was a first for us in Osaka, so we were paired with Saki N for a private journey. She met us at our hotel and was open to planning the day "on the go". We had scheduled a short trip from the US and were looking for more of a relaxing trip rather than one of running or waiting in lines. She ensured we had the most wonderful day. Took us to an amazing quiet lookout of Kyoto and a cab ride to point out some of the sights. We had an excellent Ramen lunch which was a great recommendation as we were able to get to the new popular spot before it was too busy. Such an excellent lunch.
There's so much more to call out, but I cannot stress the hospitality of this entire team. They will ensure the day is all about you and are genuinely interested in your happiness.
If you're looking for a tour in Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto - and you're reading this, you've found the best possible option. Reach out to the team and get your dates scheduled. They can be busy, so please ensure you reach out early. I believe they begin booking 6 months in advance.
Thank you so much to the team for an amazing day, and to Saki for her patience in showing us the sights of Kyoto. We look forward to a future trip and more time!

  Do it... you won't regret it! - Great tour with Mana Nakano.
She was prompt in meeting at hotel, had a historical presentation about Tokyo. We went to the Ueno station, Imperial Palace Gardens, and several other... read more places. It was very interesting. I enjoyed the whole day!
I also did a day tour with Rie to Kamakura, and that was really good, too. Kamakura is a wonderful coastal town just south of Tokyo. The last time I was there was 16 years ago, and happy I went back.

  Outstanding Tour by Rie  - Rie was an outstanding tour guide. She took us to two markets, two shrines, and other fascinating places. She was punctual, knowledgeable, patient with our slow pace of walking, and... read more very kind. We highly recommend her without reservations.

  Our day with Backstreet Guides in Kamakura - Even though it was a very wet day Mami and our driver Mr Chow safely made it a day to remember Mami's local and historic knowledge was amazing we came... read more away with a much deeper understanding of the Japanese way of life it was an ideal tour for our first visit to Japan.
Thank you
Eric and Jill

  Day in Kyoto  - The tour was amazing, our guide Ai was very knowledgeable and had answers to all our questions. She took us over a large area in a good amount of time... read more so we got to learn about the history and modern culture.

  THE BEST OF KYOTO WITH THE BEST TOUR GUIDE - The best of the best: Excelency and profesionaly, KIndly, well known and punctual. We visit 1000 torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha, Foodie adventure in bustling Nishiki Market, Geiko (Geisha)... read more district of Gion, Eat lunch like a local!, Yasaka shrine and its beautiful two story gate. Atmospheric local lanes of Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka
Kiyomizu temple, UNESCO World Heritage site. Our tour Guide was Mayumi and she was the best tour ever in our trip to Japan. Thnks

  Great day in Tokyo  - We had a wonderful day in Tokyo on the Market & Modern Culture tour with our guide, Rie. She showed us the best spots in Tsujiki market that locals... read more prefer, taught us so much about the city, and helped us overcome the language barrier when we wanted to do a little shopping. Would highly recommend the Backstreet Guides!

  We visited several shrines and gardens using public transportation. - Mami was very friendly and knowledgeable. She explained things well making sure we were comfortable with the pace of the tour. And we saw a lot!
Thank you, Mami, for... read more a wonderful experience in Kamakura.