The Old Quarter of Tokyo - Yanaka Walking Tour
Recommended by 94% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Tokyo, Japan
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
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Overview
Tokyo is a huge, modern city, but you can find pockets of traditional culture if you know where to look. On a small-group half-day walking tour of the Yanaka neighborhood, check out wooden homes, temples, shrines, and shopping alleys, some of which survived the World War II bombings. See a quiet part of Tokyo that many travelers miss and sights you might not find if touring independently.
- Ideal for travelers looking for a different side of Tokyo
- Receive personalized attention on a small-group tour
- Get an intimate look of Yanaka by touring on foot
- Meet your guide and group at a handy meeting point
What's Included
- Guided walking tour with an English-speaking local expert.
- Photo Opportunities throughout
- Food, drinks, and personal expenses
- Gratuities (optional)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Nippori Station2 Chome-19 Nishinippori, Arakawa City, Tokyo 116-0013, Japan
JR Nippori station North Ticket Gate (Outside the ticket gate next to “NewDays” convenience store) Please do not be late. Our guide cannot make other guests to wait long for the late guests.
End point
- Yanaka Ginza3-chōme-13-1 Yanaka, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0001, Japan
Itinerary
1
Tennoji Temple
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Yanaka Cemetery
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Oshiolive
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
The Yanaka's Himalayan Cedar Tree (Pass By)
4
Enju-ji Temple
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Nezu Shrine
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
ヘイゴ・ニケ (Pass By)
6
Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 666 reviews
Melissa_R, Jun 2026
Our tour guide Mamie was amazing and so knowledgeable. We had a beautiful day exploring the local temples and shrines. This was definitely the highlight of my time in Tokyo
Mariko_W, Jun 2026
Junko was amazing. She’s a local to the area and shared so much history about the city. The cemetery area, was beautiful and a must see.
Mark_W, Jun 2026
interesting tour with Junko around the old district of Yanaka. Junko was a great guide and took the time to explain things clearly and answer all our questions.
Kimberly_T, Jun 2026
This was a great first tour in Tokyo for us to learn about Old Tokyo and take in a variety of sites. Our guide Kiyo was very friendly, personable, and knowledgeable. The tour was well-organized and well-paced… but be prepared to walk a lot! Kiyo did give us ample resting points in the shade though, while explaining some of the sites. Sign up… you won’t be disappointed.
Edie_I, Jun 2026
Great tour with Mami, sorry I don’t know how to spell her name! Super cool part of Tokyo. Highly recommend.
Joseph_P, May 2026
We had a great tour with Paulina. Her English was outstanding. She was easy to understand and we learned a lot about the Yanaka area. If we didn't do this tour, we would have never visited the area and learned the important history.
Andrew_C, May 2026
In contrast to the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo this tour took us to a historic neighbourhood with narrow streets and old buildings. We got to learn about some of the history and culture of Japan from our excellent guide.
Trevor_B, May 2026
A very professional guide. Due to rain morning trip cancelled - offered afternoon instead. Thanks.
Visited cemetery, shrines and various back streets seeing some of Tokyo normal life and residences. Thoroughly enjoyed it
Gizmo1818, May 2026
Excellent choice of sites to visit. From a Buddhist temple to Shinto Shrine and even a local craft-beer brewery each stop was interesting and our guide, IA was knowledgeable and prepared with photos and stories. It is a walking tour so wear comfy shoes.
Maria_J, May 2026
Lovely walking tour in yanaka a fascinting part of Tokyo. Beautiful old buildings and relaxed athmosphere.
Jessica_D, May 2026
Fun and educative experience. Our guide, Polina, was very friendly and acknowledgeable. She answered all our questions and had great tips for us.
kasey_c, Apr 2026
Great tour guide. Very knowledgeable. Very helpful and easy-going. The locations she took us to were great. I highly recommend this. Make sure you have a beer at the craft beer shop so so good.
Vicente_C, Apr 2026
Our Yanaka walking tour with Junko was phenomenal, and the perfect introduction to our trip in Tokyo (and Japan). Junko was very knowledgeable, accessible and answered all our questions. She had a deep knowledge of the neighbourhood which she used together with her historical knowledge of Japan. We learned a lot and had a great time!
brneuberg, Apr 2026
Nice walking tour with shrines, parks, old neighborhoods, street markets etc. Of. The beaten, crowded streets of Tokyo.
Neil_P, Apr 2026
Temples, shrines, shogun memorials, tea houses, 100 years old wooden houses. Lots of information without being bogged down in too much detail.
Dianna_L, Apr 2026
A wonderful informative snap shot of the history of the culture. Guide, Reinwas fantastic and very informative
Tevra_F, Mar 2026
Rei provided a brilliant tour. Incredibly informative and lots of time to have photographs in the wonderful Yanaka area. If you have the time this tour is brilliant if you want to explore a quieter and more traditional side of Tokyo.
Giuseppe_V, Mar 2026
The tour was excellent, and Junko was friendly and knowledgeable.
I thoroughly enjoyed the tour, even though it rained. I would definitely do it again.
Paula_M, Mar 2026
Junko was knowledgeable and well-spoken. The information that she shared about temple etiquette was helpful.
Grietje_d, Mar 2026
Highly recommend doing this walking tour of Yanaka. It takes you to a less-visited area of Tokyo, which has a lot of history and is great to learn about this interesting local arty area. Pauline is very engaging and leads this tour in a fun way, sharing interesting stories. If you want to explore Tokyo away from the big crowds, then this is a tour you definitely want to take.
Allison_W, Feb 2026
Polina was a very nice guide and you could tell she really loves living in Japan. I appreciate her not canceling the tour when I was the only one booked for this date. Another guide came along and the three of us had a lot of fun talking about our experiences in Japan while strolling through the charming neighborhood of Yanaka.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your time in Yanaka with Polina and appreciated her passion for Japan. We hope to welcome you again on another tour soon!
Priscilla_C, Jan 2026
A lovely walk through a more residential and quieter part of Tokyo with stops to several Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines with history and stories along the way. Well paced and informative of a Tokyo most tourists don't try a chance to see. Paulina was fantastic and shared so much of her experience and folk stories!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much! We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed discovering a different side of Tokyo with Polina and learning about the local stories. We hope to see you again soon!
Thomas_B, Jan 2026
The tour was excellent. Provided much needed context to and contrast with Tokyo center. The guide was highly knowledgeable, very friendly, and spoke excellent English. I highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see more than just your "average" Tokyo.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much! We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed seeing a different side of Tokyo with our guide. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon!
Amanda_L, Jan 2026
Aya was wonderful and a delight to talk to! She has a lot of great knowledge about the area. She had an answer every question.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much! We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed your time with Aya and appreciated her local knowledge. We hope to see you again soon!
Clare_H, Jan 2026
So valuable to get local knowledge. Our guide was helpful and we enjoyed this tour a lot. Thank you!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your kind review! We’re glad you found the local insights valuable and enjoyed the tour. We hope you have a wonderful time in Japan!
Christos_A, Jan 2026
Really great, Junko was absolutely amazing and very knowledgable. The history of the area was really interesting, highly recommend
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review!
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour with Junko and found the history of the area interesting. Thank you for the recommendation — it truly means a lot to us!
MichelleS, Dec 2025
This is such a wonderful traditional side of Tokyo that you wouldn’t see without a guide and Mami was wonderful! She was so knowledgeable and also funny and kind.
Anne_M, Dec 2025
Mei was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable of the area. Answered all our questions and showed us some great places to try some street food.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
We're happy to hear that we could help you see the best of what the city has to offer. Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us.
Stephen_S, Nov 2025
Our guide spoke the very best English of any of the tour guides I used on this trip. Explained everything and answered my questions fully. Love it.
Amal_H, Nov 2025
Very nice tour of a quieter neighborhood in the middle of a bustling city. Junko was lovely & very knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for choosing our Free Walking Tour in Tokyo and for your great review. We're looking forward to seeing you back soon many more times in the future.
From $45.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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