Top Japan Unique Experiences - page 8

​If you are planning to do Street Kart Akihabara, do yourself a huge favor and ask for Gyula as your guide. He made what was already an exciting activity into the absolute highlight of our trip to Tokyo! From the moment we arrived, Gyula brought incredible energy. He was incredibly funny, kept us laughing, and made the entire group feel like family. ​Epic Photo Shoots: Driving through the streets of Tokyo dressed up in costumes is surreal, and Gyula made sure we have the memories to prove it. He took tons of fantastic, high-quality photos of us on the road that we will treasure forever. I was a bit nervous about how my mom would handle the experience, but Gyula went above and beyond. He took special care of her, constantly checking in to ensure she was comfortable, confident, and okay every single step of the way. His kindness was truly heartwarming. ​His safety briefing and driving instructions were incredibly clear. We always felt secure and protected under his watch, which allowed us to relax and have the absolute best, most memorable time. ​ Thank you, Gyula, for taking such amazing care of us (especially Mom!) and giving us a core memory of Tokyo! 10/10 highly recommend!

If you’re thinking about taking a rickshaw tour in Asakusa, ask for Diego. We had such a brilliant experience with him from start to finish. He was so friendly and easy to chat to that it felt like we were exploring the area with a local friend rather than being on a tour. His English was excellent, which made it easy to ask questions, and he shared some really interesting stories and insights about Asakusa that we would never have discovered on our own. He also took some fantastic photographs for us along the way. He knew all the best spots and made sure we came away with memories we’ll genuinely treasure, not just the usual quick holiday snaps. The tour was relaxed, fun and full of little details that made us appreciate the area even more. Diego has a great personality and genuinely enjoys meeting people, which really comes across. One of our favourite moments was teaching him the Irish word “craic”. Hopefully he’s adding it to every tour now because he definitely brought plenty of it himself! Thank you, Diego, for making our visit so memorable. You’re a credit to the team and we’ll be recommending you to anyone visiting Tokyo.

Great experience! The family that hosted the tea ceremony had a wealth of knowledge. They were also extremely kind and answered any questions we had about the ceremony. I have admit as a 5’10 woman I was worried about kimono options but they were very inclusive and had plenty. Also, the team did a great job styling my braids.

Absolutely excellent experience. I learned more about sake than I ever expected. If you ever wanted to demystify sake and know what you’re ordering and how to pair it with different food, this is the activity for you. The guides were excellent - friendly and knowledgeable. And answered all the questions we had.

I came to Tokyo and took my 18 yr old son and his 19 yr old best friend to this excursion. I thought doing this at night would be particularly fun. We all had a great time. I’m glad I wore a sweater (I didn’t put on a costume) as it was cool driving around at night. The highlights for us were the Rainbow Bridge and seeing Tokyo Tower lit up. Overall the kids had more fun than they thought they would. My 14 yr old couldn’t come unfortunately so I’m sure we’ll be back in 4 years to do it again. Our guide, Brian, was great. Of note I booked through Viator so had to pay for the optional insurance when we got there but no big deal. There seem to be other amenities offered if you booked through the tour directly (Go pro camera, etc).

Yusei was our tour guide and he was great! I'm so glad we had him to take us around and point out specific items to try. Otherwise we may not have ended up trying as many new things, or would have ended up in long lines unnecessarily. Don't eat breakfasts before this tour! You will eat quite a bit along the way.

Small group, great instructors, great menu. We each prepared our own meal. We leaned techniques in Japanese cooking cuisine ,about the ingredients they use. I fell in love with Japanese cuisine and intend to practice it at home. We were not hungry but we ate it all. In the following days bought the egg pan , cooking tools and a lot of spices.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We absolutely loved YUCa’s cooking class and it may well end up being our favourite experience from our entire Japan trip. Yuca’s studio kitchen is beautifully set up — intimate, welcoming and clearly designed with love. Our class of six felt just the right size, and Yuca and her husband were both incredibly warm, hospitable and knowledgeable. The ramen and gyoza we made were genuinely delicious, and we left feeling confident enough to recreate them at home. We were travelling with our nine month old son and Yuca was wonderfully welcoming of him from the moment we arrived. She was happy for us to bring his pram up the stairs so he could sit comfortably during the class, and she even made him his own little onigiri for lunch — such a sweet and thoughtful gesture that completely melted our hearts. It’s about an hour from Shinjuku but don’t let that put you off — it is absolutely worth every minute of the commute. And when you arrive, Yuca provides a sheet of local recommendations for sightseeing, cultural experiences and food nearby, which is such a thoughtful touch. We followed her suggestions and spent the afternoon at Yanaka Ginza and Ueno Park — a perfect way to round out the day and explore a part of Tokyo most tourists never see. Don’t hesitate, just book it. The experience, the food, the hospitality and the local knowledge Yuca shares make it exceptional value and a truly memorable way to connect with Japanese culture. Highly, highly recommended! 🍜🥟