Sumiko made our two days in Tokyo the highlight of our time in Japan. We came off a cruise ship with a long wish list and very little time, and she turned it into two relaxed, perfectly paced days.
Day one started at the Edo-Tokyo Museum, where she brought old Tokyo to life before we stepped out to see what remains of it. She had reserved a beautiful mini-kaiseki lunch in Asakusa and had already passed along my wife's dietary needs (no raw fish, no mushrooms, no tofu), so every course arrived ready for her. We walked through Kaminarimon, Nakamise and Senso-ji, then she put us on a rickshaw that carried us from Asakusa toward the Skytree. It was a joyful ride and a memory we will keep. She made sure we reached the Skytree with time to spare for our dinner reservation.
Day two was just as thoughtful. We walked the Tsukiji Outer Market, then she had tickets waiting for the first act at the Kabuki-za, which was exactly the right amount of kabuki for first-timers, and she explained the story so we could follow it. Lunch was a fugu and tempura restaurant she chose for us, again planned around my wife's diet with fully cooked fugu, and it was one of the best meals of our trip. She even added the goldfish art museum, which was a delightful surprise.
What sets Sumiko apart:
Planning: she handled reservations and tickets ahead of time and simply told us what we owed. Nothing was left to chance.
Flexibility: when we wanted to change the plan, she adjusted on the spot without fuss.
Care: she remembered every preference, down to my wife not drinking caffeine.
Knowledge: history, culture and etiquette, explained warmly and clearly, never like a lecture.
Logistics: taxis, walking distances and timing were all managed so we never felt rushed or lost.
She is warm, organized, patient and genuinely fun to spend the day with. By the end it felt like touring Tokyo with a friend who happens to know everything about it.
If you want to see Tokyo well, and especially if you have dietary needs or limited time, book Sumiko. We could not recommend her more highly. Arigato gozaimashita, Sumiko!
Marc and Kathy
There were several available guides for Tokyo but we chose Sumiko-san as she offered several different tour time lengths and the option to choose the places we could visit. After answering a few questions on areas we would like to see as well as some likes/dislikes and insights we would like to experience, she crafted a well-reasoned and thorough schedule for our approval. If it was logistically difficult due to time/distance constraints, she worked with us to alter them so we could see as many locations as possible. Sumiko-san was knowledgeable about the areas, history, and even some hidden spots that would take some not-so-simple research for a typical visitor to discover. She was very solicitous of our needs (altering the pace of the tour if necessary, assisting with our photos, etc.), was very professional/prepared in her descriptions but also exuded a friendly manner that allowed for questions or even changes to the scheduled stops based on the current situation. I recommend this tour because it would be a necessity for the first-time visitor but even more-so when guided by the very capable Sumiko T.
Sumiko is such an excellent tour guide! We loved her! We are a couple in our 70's from the United States. Sumiko was our guide for three days and she was so attentive to our needs whenever we needed to slow down or see something different. Her suggested itineraries covered a variety of different things to see and places to eat. She is so friendly and happy, we're very glad we chose her to be our guide! Some of the things we experienced were a Kabuki show, a visit to Meiji Jingu Shrine which is very beautiful and peaceful, walking through Tsukigi market, Ginza shopping area, Nazu Shrine where we experienced the festival and taiko drum performance, and the Art Aquarium Museum in the Ginza district featuring a spectacular display of living goldfish in a beautiful setting of light and sounds in large and small artistic tanks. Sumiko kept in touch with us before our trip to give us her suggested itineraries, and was very punctual meeting us every day at our hotel. Our next trip to Tokyo will definitely include Sumiko!
Sumiko was an absolutely outstanding guide for my husband and I! She was welcoming, very positive and fun. We loved the way Sumiko shared background information about each site we visited. She clearly is quite knowledgeable about Tokyo and Japanese history and culture. Sumiko was a perfect match for us. We actually were so lucky to have her for two tours in Tokyo’
