Frequently Asked Questions

Every tour is private, so the group is simply the people you book with — you are never put together with strangers. One person is fine; solo travellers are very welcome.

Up to about ten or twelve guests works comfortably. If your party is larger, tell us and we will put on a second guide or a larger vehicle.

Yes. Weekends and public holidays are our busiest dates, so get in touch early — two to three weeks ahead is a good guide, and longer for cherry blossom and autumn.

A few museums and workshops close on certain holidays. If one of those matters to you, we will say so when we send the itinerary and suggest an alternative.

Two to three weeks ahead is a good guide, and longer during cherry blossom season and autumn.

Because every tour is private, what fills up is the guide’s calendar rather than seats. Last-minute dates are sometimes possible, so ask anyway — but the earlier you write, the more choice you have of date and guide.

Send us an enquiry with your dates, how many of you there are, and what you would like to see. We reply within 24 hours with a suggested itinerary and the price.

When you are happy with the plan, we confirm the date and send you a payment link. There is nothing to choose from a calendar — the day is built for you.

Payment is made in advance, after you have approved the itinerary. We send a secure payment link, and the date is held once payment goes through.

You are never asked to pay before you know what the day looks like and what it costs.

Yes, you can absolutely make a booking on behalf of someone else. Just be sure to enter the correct guest details, including their name and contact information, so we can reach them if needed.

If you’re booking for a group, please make sure everyone is aware of the meeting point and tour details.

There is no fixed itinerary to change. Every tour we run is private and built from what you want to see, so we start from your interests rather than from a set route.

Tell us your dates, who is coming and how much walking you are happy with, and we will put a plan together and send it over.

Yes. A single day is the usual shape — six hours in the city, eight hours by private car — but there is nothing stopping us putting several days together.

Send us the outline of your trip and we will suggest how to split it.

Two to three weeks is comfortable. That gives us time to work out the route, check opening days and book anything that needs reserving.

Shorter notice is worth asking about — we will tell you straight away whether we can do it well.

After a tour with us you receive a coupon code, valid for three years.

Just mention the code when you send your next enquiry and we will apply it to the quote. If you never received one, message us on WhatsApp and we will look it up.

One price covers your whole group, up to the number of guests shown:

• Tokyo on foot — Tokyo or Yokohama, same rate for either. 6 hours. From US$550 for up to 4 guests, then US$100 for each guest after that.
• A day by private car — Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone or Mt. Fuji, the same rate for any of them. Car and driver held for the day, hotel pick-up and drop-off. 8 hours. From US$990 for up to 5 guests, then US$150 for each guest after that.
• All-inclusive day — meals, entrance fees and tickets built into one figure. Ask us and we will quote it for your group.

In peak season the private-car days are US$1,200. The exact figure depends on the itinerary, so we confirm it in the quote we send you.

Per group, up to a point. A walking day is US$550 whether there are two of you or four, so the more of you there are, the less it costs each. From the fifth guest on it is US$100 per extra guest. On the private-car days the price covers five guests, then US$150 each.

Children count towards that number like anyone else, and there is no separate child price. Beyond ten or twelve guests we add a second guide, and we will say so in the quote.

Your private guide for the day, and the planning that goes into the itinerary before it.

The walking day includes your family’s train fares. The private-car days — Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone or Mt. Fuji — include the car and driver with hotel pick-up and drop-off.

Meals, entrance fees and tickets are not included as standard — you can pay as you go, or ask us for an all-inclusive day and we will build them into one figure so there is nothing to settle on the day. Either way we set it out item by item in the quote before you commit to anything.

Major credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Payment is taken online through a secure link we send you once the itinerary is agreed.

No — the tour itself is paid in advance by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Do bring some cash for the day itself, though. Many small shops, local restaurants and bars still take cash only.

Not at the moment. The tour is paid in full once the itinerary is agreed.

Our guides vary depending on the day and tour. Each one is a friendly, knowledgeable local who is passionate about sharing the real charm of their city with visitors.

We match the guide to your itinerary, and tell you who it is before the day.

Our tours are conducted primarily in English. While some of our guides may speak other languages, we cannot guarantee availability in languages other than English.

If you have specific language needs, feel free to contact us in advance and we’ll do our best to assist.

Yes, and gladly. Every tour is private, so there is no one else to work around.

Tell us your idea when you enquire — the moment, the place, the timing — and we will work the day around it and keep it quiet from whoever it is for.

Yes. Tell us in advance who it is for and what they would enjoy, and we will build it into the day.

Strollers are welcome. The tour is private, so the pace and the route are yours and we can plan around lifts and step-free routes.

Pets depend on the venues we visit. Tell us in advance and we will build the day around places that will have them.

Yes. The tour is private, so the meals are planned around you rather than around a set menu.

Tell us when you enquire and we will choose restaurants that genuinely cook vegetarian or vegan food, rather than ones that simply leave the meat out.

Tell us when you enquire and we will build the route around it.

Halal restaurants are straightforward enough to find in Tokyo. Kosher options in Japan are very limited, so we will be honest with you about what is realistic before you book.

Tell us the allergy when you enquire, before you book.

We check with the restaurants in advance rather than on the day, and your guide will explain it again in Japanese when you sit down. If somewhere cannot handle it safely, we go elsewhere.

It depends on where you want to go — and because the tour is private, we can build the route around that rather than the other way round.

Tell us what you need when you enquire: step-free stations, shorter distances, somewhere to sit along the way. We will tell you honestly what works and what does not.

Tell us in advance and we will plan for it. A private tour sets its own pace, so there is no group to keep up with and we can stop whenever you need to.

For hearing support, let us know what helps — writing things down, facing you when speaking, quieter venues — and we will brief the guide before the day.

Yes, and it is one of the things guests use us for most. Kabuki seats, teamLab, the Skytree, a sumo tournament, a restaurant that only takes bookings by telephone in Japanese — a lot of it is difficult or impossible to arrange from outside Japan.

The first two bookings come with your tour. After that it is US$30 for each one, which covers the time it takes to hold the date, make the booking and send you the confirmation.

Tell us what you want when you enquire and we will say what is realistic for your dates before you commit to anything.

You do, at face value. We add 6% when we pay in advance on your behalf, which covers the card and currency charges we are billed for doing it. It is not a margin — it is what the transfer costs us.

Tickets are paid for before we buy them, not after the tour. Most of what we book — theatre seats, timed entry, a table held on a deposit — cannot be refunded once it is bought, so we do not put it on a card until it is settled.

The booking fee itself is different. That goes on your tour invoice and is settled with the rest of the tour.

If you cancel afterwards, tickets already bought cannot be refunded to you, because they were not refunded to us. We will always tell you which items are in that position before we buy anything.

Yes. Japanese law requires a child seat for every child under the age of six, so for the private-car days we need their ages before we set off.

Tell us when you enquire and the right seats are fitted before we come for you, at no extra charge. There is nothing for you to carry from home.

Yes, both. If yours stayed at home, or if walking all day is not realistic for someone in your party, say so when you enquire and it will be waiting.

We then build the route around it — lifts, step-free ways round, somewhere to sit.

They go into the plan rather than being squeezed around it. Tell us the ages and the usual rhythm of your day and we work the stops around it.

We also pick restaurants that have high chairs and small plates, rather than finding out at the door that they do not.

We put them in a locker or hold them for you, so nobody drags a suitcase round Asakusa.

This comes up most on the first and last day, before check-in or after check-out. Tell us which it is and we plan for it.

A walking day in Tokyo or Yokohama runs for 6 hours. The private-car days — Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone or Mt. Fuji — run for 8 hours.

Start time is yours to choose. If you want a shorter or a longer day, say so when you enquire.

Tokyo and Yokohama as walking days, and Kamakura, Hakone and Mt. Fuji as full days by private car from your hotel door.

We can meet you at your hotel or anywhere convenient in Tokyo, Kanagawa or Saitama. If somewhere else in Japan is on your mind, ask — we will tell you whether we can do it properly.

We can meet at your hotel or a convenient spot in Tokyo, Kanagawa or Saitama — whichever is easiest for you. The private-car tours — Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone and Mt. Fuji — include hotel pick-up and drop-off.

The exact place and time are confirmed by email before the day, along with your guide’s contact number.

If you think you might be late, please make sure to contact us as soon as possible.

You can reach us at [email protected] or via WhatsApp at +81-80-6986-7446. We will do our best to assist you, but please note that tours usually start on time and we may not be able to wait in some cases.

Your guide will be holding a sign that says “Japan Trails”.

Please look out for the sign at the meeting point. If you have trouble finding the guide, feel free to contact us.

We recommend wearing comfortable clothes and walking shoes, as most tours involve a fair amount of walking.

Depending on the season, you may also want to bring a hat, sunscreen, or an umbrella. A small bag or backpack is also useful for carrying personal items.

Tours run rain or shine, so dress for the day.

If the weather turns, we adjust the itinerary rather than cancel — swapping outdoor spots for markets, temples with covered walkways or local cafés. Your guide always has a backup plan.

In severe weather such as a typhoon we may cancel for safety. If we do, you receive a full refund.

Yes, you are free to leave the tour early if necessary.

Just let the guide know before you go, so we can make sure everything is safe and properly handled. Please note that partial refunds are not available for early departures.

Yes, we recommend bringing some cash with you during the tour. While Japan is increasingly card-friendly, many small shops, local restaurants, and bars still accept cash only.

Having cash on hand will make your experience smoother, especially for food, drinks, or souvenirs.

Yes, if we cancel the tour due to severe weather conditions, you will receive a full refund.

Your safety is our top priority. We will notify you as soon as possible if the weather makes it unsafe to proceed with the tour.

Please contact us as soon as you know. We would much rather move the date than cancel it, and if the guide is free we will simply reschedule.

If moving the date is not possible, the standard cancellation schedule applies — see What is your cancellation policy?

Yes. The price is for the group, so there is no separate child price — children count towards the group in the same way as adults.

Tell us their ages when you enquire and we will set the pace and the route to match — shorter walks, somewhere to run around, and food they will actually eat.

No. Infants and toddlers are not counted towards the number of guests included in the price, so bringing a baby does not push you into the “extra guest” rate.

Tell us their age when you enquire and we will confirm the exact price in the quote, before you commit to anything. Do tell us in advance, so we can plan for a pram and for places to stop and rest.

Yes. Tell us in advance and we will plan the route around lifts and step-free ways round, rather than leaving you to find them on the day.

Some older streets and stations still mean stairs. Your guide will know which ones, and take you a different way.

On a city tour, on foot and by train — which is how the city is best seen, and how your guide will show you to use it.

The private-car tours — Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone and Mt. Fuji — include pick-up and drop-off at your hotel.

If a lot of walking does not suit you, tell us when you enquire and we will plan the day around shorter distances.

All of our tours are private, so one policy applies to every booking. Cancellation fees are counted from the tour date.

• 31 days or more before the tour: free of charge (excluding costs already incurred, such as planning fees)
• 30 to 3 days before the tour: 20% of the tour price
• 2 days to 1 day before the tour: 50% of the tour price
• On the day of the tour, or no-show without notice: 100% of the tour price

Dates are counted in Japan time. If we are the ones who cancel, you receive a full refund.

If we need to cancel the tour for any reason, you will receive a full refund.

We will notify you as early as possible and do our best to assist with alternative options if available.

A cancellation on the day of the tour incurs a 100% cancellation fee (Japan time). No-shows without notice are also non-refundable.

See What is your cancellation policy? for the full schedule.

No, unfortunately we cannot offer a refund if you miss the tour without prior notice.

Please make sure to arrive at the meeting point on time. If you anticipate being late, contact us as soon as possible at [email protected] or via WhatsApp at +81-80-6986-7446. We’ll do our best to assist you, but missed tours are considered non-refundable.

Yes, if you cancel 31 days or more before the tour. Costs already incurred on your behalf, such as planning fees, are deducted.

After that a cancellation fee applies:

• 30 to 3 days before the tour: 20% of the tour price
• 2 days to 1 day before the tour: 50% of the tour price
• On the day of the tour, or no-show without notice: 100% of the tour price

You also receive a full refund whenever we cancel the tour — for severe weather, say. If you are unsure where you stand, write to us at [email protected].

Yes, it may be possible to reschedule your tour depending on availability.

Please contact us as soon as possible through the Contact Us form, by email at [email protected], or via WhatsApp at +81-80-6986-7446. We’ll do our best to accommodate your request.

There is no strict deadline to request a reschedule.

However, we recommend contacting us as early as possible so we can check availability and make the necessary arrangements for you.

As many times as you need, as long as the date you want is free.

Guides fill up on weekends and in peak seasons, so the earlier you ask, the more choice you have.

If the tour is cancelled by our company for any reason, you will receive a full refund.

We will notify you as early as possible and assist with alternative options if available.

Yes, if your original tour is cancelled or unavailable, we can offer alternative dates or suggest substitute tours whenever possible.

Please contact us with your preferred schedule, and we’ll do our best to arrange an option that works for you.

We understand that unexpected situations can occur, but our standard cancellation policy still applies in cases of medical emergencies or flight cancellations.

Please contact us as soon as possible and provide details. While we cannot guarantee exceptions, we will do our best to assist you within the policy guidelines.

If you are unable to enter Japan due to border restrictions, our standard cancellation policy will still apply.

We recommend checking the latest travel regulations before booking. If you have concerns about your situation, feel free to contact us and we will do our best to assist within the policy guidelines.

Gladly. We work with travel agencies, tour operators and other partners who care about the same things we do.

Write to us through the contact form or at [email protected], and tell us what you have in mind — private tours for your clients, custom itineraries, or something else.

Thank you for your interest! At the moment, we do not offer an affiliate program. However, we’re always exploring new ways to collaborate with partners. If you have a unique idea or proposal, feel free to reach out—we’d be happy to hear from you.

Yes, we would love to hear from local businesses. If you run a service, restaurant, bar or cultural venue that you think would suit our guests, get in touch.

Write to us through the contact form or at [email protected] with a short introduction.