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
Our tour was the best experience of Japan! We presented Sumiko a challenge requesting an itinerary that was very diverse. We wanted to see temples and shrines, shop for unusual local items such as a floor seat, shop for anime collectibles that were not available in regular stores as they were retired years ago, and see all of the nature Japan is noted for while experiencing an authentic Japanese lunch. We wanted all of this to take place outside of the tourist areas and explore local venues only. We even asked to attend a summer festival if one was available. Sumiko exceeded every request! We were brought into the local communities and saw a beautiful Samurai garden, a local church designed by a famous Japanese architect, a beautiful local temple where we actually met a family having a baptismal ceremony, a local market where we were able to purchase a beautiful floor cushion hand made, ate lunch at a gyoza restaurant that had a waiting line out the door (their is no way you could ever locate this restaurant it was the most incredible meal we ever ate), then took local trams to an anime store that my son LOVED as he found 3 very rare items, and ended our day at a local festival that we were able to watch live bands and sword demonstrations! The entire time, Sumiko would provide the history behind everything we saw which allowed us to truly form a connection. This tour was more than sightseeing. It was a memory made with a wonderful person that we will hold onto forever. Thank you Sumiko for a priceless and treasured memory!
Dear Sumiko, we once again want to Thank You for the wonderful day which we spent together, for your help in planning our trips and for your introductions in Tokyo as well as Japanese culture and history. We enjoyed every moment with you.
This was our second day with our favorite guide Sumiko, also our favorite person whom we met on our trip to Japan. She arranged an amazing day for us outside Tokyo at outdoor art museums in or near the Hakone region. Everything was planned to perfection and we were able to see and do so much in one day. We can’t praise her enough for her planning, flexibility, organization, and communication skill. She was quite simply the best guide of many while we toured Japan for the past two weeks.
