TOKYO · AREA GUIDE
Tokyo’s best days out.
The 15 most popular yanaka old town tours in Tokyo, from the famous to the underrated. What each one actually involves, what it costs, and who runs it.
Walk Yanaka’s old Tokyo on a 3-hour small-group tour with temples, torii gates, and local shopping stops for $40.
Most Popular“This was a lovely tour of a shrine and neighbourhood. Very quiet and peaceful with lots of nice shops”
Escape skyscrapers on a 3.5-hour Yanaka walk with an English guide, Tennoji Temple, Yanaka Cemetery, and time to shop for snacks.
“Loved walking around the area with our guide providing lots of interesting facts. It was a great introduction to Tokyo.”
Walk Yanaka with an English small-group guide, hitting Tennoji bronze Buddha, Yanaka Cemetery, local shops, and Nezu Shrine.
“Loved the tour, our guide was very kind and knowledgeable. The area is great and felt less touristy than the rest of Tokyo!”
Walk Yanaka and Nezu with Sui: temples, shrines, old streets and local shops in a relaxed 3.5-hour small-group stroll.
“Sui was a great tour guide, she knows a lot about traditions, religion and history in/of Japan, we highly recommend this tour”
Stroll Yanaka Ginza with Nezu Shrine, local street food, and a lucky cat painting café stop on a small-group Tokyo walk.
“Lovely walking tour, which covered Nezu Shrine, and the relaxing old town of Yanaka Ginza. Chihero shared information about the town and took us through many back streets to check out traditional houses and small shops that we definitely would not have found on our own!”
Cook real Yanaka dishes in a private Tokyo lesson, choose lunch or dinner menus, learn from English-speaking instructors, then eat what you make.
“What a great experience! Our chef and instructor, Yuli, is a terrific teacher and skilled English speaker, who put us straight to work preparing the ingredients—chopping, slicing, grinding, mixing, then actually doing the cooking—while she explained some of the proper techniques to creating traditional Japanese food, as well as alternative ways of using other fresh…”
Learn calligraphy in Yanaka, Tokyo with a friendly sensei. Practice strokes, write your kanji on shikishi, and take home your art.
“We veryuch enjoyed this experience. It was the perfect amount of time to try something new. Instructors were knowledgeable and helpful!”
Walk Tokyo’s old-town Yanaka from Nezu Shrine to Yanaka Ginza, paint a lucky cat, and snack at a locals-only market with a small guide.
“We had a lovely afternoon with Yoko, she was patient and very insightful, thank you!”
Walk Yanaka’s old Tokyo streets for street snacks, a Kyushu teishoku lunch, and a wagashi and tea ceremony, with a small-group guide.
“Sandra was an excellent tour guide. We covered the Tokyo old town and had a fantastic tea ceremony. I highly recommend this walking food tour.”
Learn Ikebana with a master in Tokyo’s Yanaka district, choosing seasonal flowers in local shops and visiting historic sights.
“They were so well prepared for me. The translation was excellent. I came away feeling excited and equipped to try some ikebana at home.”
Private 3.5-hour Yanaka and Asakusa night walk with guide Hiroko, temple gate views, snacks, and traditional craft stops.
“Hiroko was an amazing guide! She was personable, knowledgeable, and incredibly sweet. She took lots of pictures for us and showed us a variety of sites in the area. She even helped us make a reservation for dinner after the tour and walked us to the restaurant. Overall a WONDERFUL experience and would highly recommend!”
Walk Shinagawa-Juku along the Old Tokaido Road with hot tea, a friendly English guide, and Edo-era stops for about 3 hours.
“Charlotte, our guide was a wonderful guide - friendly,and knowledgeable of the city, culture, subway system, history and all around district”
Step into old Tokyo on a 3.5-hour Yanaka walk: Yanaka cemetery, Nezu Shrine, local sweets, and small-group Edo-era streets.
“This was an interesting and enjoyable tour. Sumiko was very friendly and knowledgeable about the area and its history and was able to answer all our questions about what we were seeing as well as other questions about life in Japan. We had plenty of time to stop and look at different sights or buy…”
Make onigiri and build a Japanese bento lunch in Yanaka, with tastings, miso soup, and bento-plating tips.
“Fabulous experience and lunch. In a very relaxed and welcoming environment. I learnt so much and keen to make rice balls when I get home. Yuki was a great teacher.”
Private Yanaka Ginza Tokyo walking tour with cat shops, street food snacks, an izakaya drink, and Nezu Shrine’s torii tunnel.
“This was the first tour l ever tried with Viator and it was amazing! We wanted a Cantonese guide and the company was able to arrange a very professional and friendly Cantonese speaking tour guide for us. The experience was so much fun! Read more”
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