Ultimate Tokyo Tour : Imperial Palace, Sake, Robots, Japanese Gardens and Edo Museum
Period
All Year Round
Time
09:30 - 16:45
Meeting Place
Inside Tokyo Station’s Domed Lobby Area by Green and White Information Board
Price
Adult (13+) | 19,800 | JPY |
Child (6 - 12) | 13,000 | JPY |
Ultimate Tokyo Tour : Imperial Palace, Sake, Robots, Japanese Gardens and Edo Museum
Want to experience quintessential Tokyo where old meets new? This tour will enable you to do just that as you visit many famous and historic locations in the heart of Tokyo. The tour will also provide you with engaging experiences to get closer to Japanese culture!
You will get to visit the iconic Tokyo Station, see Tokyo Imperial Palace outer gate and grounds, and walk through neighbouring Hibiya Park. You will also get to try sake tasting ( or you can try Shochu or the non – alcoholic option of Amazake). You will have a refreshment break like no other at a cafe where Robots serve customers, before heading to a traditional Japanese garden and an Edo period museum to explore their life sized Edo townscape.
HIGHLIGHTS
- See the famous Tokyo landmarks of Tokyo Station, the Imperial Palace Outer gate and grounds, and Nihombashi bridge!
- Sample the traditional Japanese drinks of Sake, Sochu or Amazake!
- Visit a cafe with Robots as staff!
- Visit one of Tokyo’s most popular and traditional gardens!
- Experience a life-size replica of an Edo period townscape!
DESCRIPTION
The tour will begin at 09:30am inside of Tokyo station where you will meet your tour guide. You will meet inside Tokyo Station’s Domed Lobby Entrance by the green and white information board. Once everybody has arrived, you will officially start the tour and your tour guide will escort you to the first destination!
Your first destination will be a combined walking tour of the area of Tokyo station, the outer walls and gate of the Imperial Palace, and the Westernised park of Hibiya. Your guide will also take you to a hidden rooftop terrace where you can see amazing views of Tokyo Station, the Tokyo Skyline and passing trains from above!
![Tokyo-station](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0581.jpeg)
![Tokyo-imperialpalace](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0303.jpeg)
![Tokyo-imperialpalace](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0308.jpeg)
![Tokyo-Hibiyapark](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0316.jpeg)
We will then walk to our second destination, a modern and stylish Sake and Shochu centre where you can sample many types of Sake, Shochu and Amazake (a non-alcoholic rice drink). Your guide will provide you with some facts about Japan’s national drinks, and we will enjoy a relaxing time sitting and tasting. The centre plays bi-lingual documentaries on the brewing process which you can also enjoy! If you have children on the tour, our tour guide will provide some soft drinks/juice options for them to drink.
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0359-2.jpeg)
![Tokyo](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0313.jpeg)
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0360.jpeg)
We will then take a train to Nihombashi! Here your guide will show you the famous ’Nihombashi’ bridge where the start of the old Tokaido road began during the Edo period! This road ran all the way from Tokyo to Kyoto, and was the main road for travellers, merchants and Samurai! We will then take a lunch break before heading to our next destination!
Now that you’ve had your lunch break, we will now take a refreshment break like no other at a Robot Cafe! Here you can order a drink of your choice and enjoy being served by robots! They have hot and cold drinks to suit everybody. As you enjoy your drink in the Cafe seating area (not the diner area), you can watch as the robots around the cafe serve customers! This cafe is unique in that all the robots are controlled remotely by employees who are living with disabilities and therefore can only work from home. The remote staff speak to you through the robots. The cafe gives employment opportunities to those unable to work in physically demanding jobs and helps tackle social isolation, so you can be happy knowing you are helping to support a great cause! You can even have a try at controlling one of the small robots to see what it’s like for the staff who control them remotely!
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0378.jpeg)
![Tokyo-robotcafe](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0381-2.jpeg)
![Tokyo-robotcafe](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0380.jpeg)
We will now catch the train to the area of Kuramae and Kiyosumi, a trendy area and hidden gem off the beaten path from many tourists! Our first stop here will be a traditional and beautiful Japanese Edo period garden where you can walk around and enjoy the nature that surrounds you. The garden has many features of a traditional Japanese garden including rocks, bridges, rest house and Bonsai. You can also see Turtles, Suppon and Heron here! Let’s enjoy the serenity, nature and wildlife here! You can also get a commemorative stamp here as a souvenir of your day!
![Tokyo-Kiyosumi](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0324.jpeg)
![Tokyo-Kiyosumi](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0356.jpeg)
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0335.jpeg)
![Tokyo-Kiyosumi](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0354.jpeg)
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0337.jpeg)
Our final destination will be a nearby museum! However, this isn’t like a regular museum. It is a to scale and life sized replica of a traditional Edo period townscape! You will be transported back in time as we walk through the townscape, where you can enter all the houses and buildings, as well as interact with the objects and artefacts on display. It is a great way to learn about how Japanese people lived during the Edo period and how Tokyo used to look. The sounds and lights will change depending on the time of day to make it feel more authentic. You can even sometimes try Kimono on here, so if we’re lucky we can dress up in traditional clothing.
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0362-1.jpeg)
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0368.jpeg)
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0366-1.jpeg)
![Tokyo-Kiyosumi](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0364.jpeg)
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0369.jpeg)
Once we have finished at the museum, we will head back to Kiyosumi Shirakawa station where the tour will conclude. Your guide will happily assist you for your return journey. To return back to Tokyo station it takes 15 minutes. To return to Shinjuku it takes 31 minutes.
ITINERARY
09:30 | Meet inside Tokyo Station’s domed lobby area by the Green Information Pillar and White Information Board. |
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09:35 | Enjoy a walking tour around the area of Tokyo Station, the Imperial Palace’s Outer gate and Hibiya Park. |
11:00 | Start walking from Hibiya Park to our next destination, a Sake and Shochu Information Centre. The walk will take approximately 10 minutes. |
11:10 | Enjoy a Sake, Shochu or Amazake tasting experience at the centre where your guide will give you some facts about the brewing and manufacturing process. |
12:10 | Walk to Uchisaiwaicho station and get the train to Nihombashi station. The train journey will take approximately 11 minutes. |
12:30 | Arrive in Nihonbashi station and walk to Nihonbashi Bridge for approximately 3 minutes where your tour guide will give you some facts and history about the bridge and the old Tokaido Road in Edo! (Tokyo). |
12:40 | It is now your lunch break! Please enjoy your free time to relax, eat and drink before we meet back up to resume the tour. |
13:40 | We will meet back up and walk for approximately 10 minutes to the Robot Cafe! Here will we spend approximately 30 minutes to have a drink and see the robots! |
14:20 | We will now take a short walk of approximately 10 minutes to get the train from nearby Mitsukoshi-mae station to Kiyosumi Shirakawa station. The journey will take approximately 6 minutes. |
14:40 | Arrive at our next destination, a beautiful and traditional Japanese garden. We will spend around 40/45 minutes here enjoying the nature, peace and wildlife. |
15:45 | Take a short walk of 5 minutes to our final destination, the Edo Townscape Museum! We will spend approximately 1 hour here enjoying the interactive exhibits as your tour guide tells you about the Edo Period and what life was like for Japanese people. |
16:45 | Walk back to Kiyosumi Shirakawa station where the tour will conclude. Your tour guide will happily assist you with any questions or help you need for your return train journey. |
MEETUP POINT
Inside Tokyo Station’s Domed Lobby Area by the green information pillar and white information board @ 09:30am
The tour will begin at 09:30am inside of Tokyo Station’s Domed Lobby area. Follow the signs for the Marunouchi South exit and come out of the ticket gates. Directly in front of you will be the domed lobby area. You will meet your tour guide in front of the green information pillar and white information board pictured below.
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0387.jpeg)
![Tokyo-station](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0376.jpeg)
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0382.jpeg)
![](https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_0385.jpeg)
NOTES
Included
- Sake/Shochu or Amazake Tasting Experience
- Admission fee including drink for Robot Cafe
- Train fee from Uchisaiwaicho station to Nihombashi Station
- Train fee from Mitsukoshi-mae station to Kiyosumi Shirakawa station
- Admission fees for the Japanese Garden and Edo Museum
- Local English speaking guide
Excluded
- Trains and transport before and after the tour
- Food and drink
OTHER INFORMATION
- This tour involves several hours of walking in the outdoors. We recommend that you wear shoes and clothes which are easy to walk in. Please check the weather forecast before you head to the meetup point and prepare an umbrella or rain coat if necessary.
- Please note, this tour involves walking around the Imperial Palace’s outer gate, walls and grounds. It is NOT a tour of the inner gate as to gain access to the inner gate you must join a different tour led by the Imperial Palace and Palace guides.
- The Robot Cafe is non-reservation only, so depending on how busy it is on the tour day we may need to wait for seating.
- There will be free time during the lunch break/free time for guests to enjoy at their own pace. However, please make sure that you are at the respective meetup points at the time stated by your guide on the day of the tour. If you get lost or need assistance, feel free to call the number which is listed on your tour pass, and our staff will assist you immediately.
- Due to this being a walking tour, it is advised that you do not bring any luggage or large bags with you on the tour. It is advised that you check if your hotel can store your luggage for you until after the tour, or you store your luggage at lockers at a suitable location such as selected train stations with appropriate storage. Tokyo station has storage lockers available. Many other stations in Tokyo will also have lockers, especially the larger train stations such as Ueno, Shinjuku and Shibuya.
FAQs
- What should I bring/wear?
- Please wear clothing and shoes appropriate for the season in which you are taking the tour, and check the weather forecast ahead of time. Guests may wish to bring rain coats or umbrellas on rainy days, or sunscreen to avoid sunburn during the summer months. June through to early September is very hot and humid in Tokyo, so please bare this in mind. Stay hydrated and wear sun hats. You can buy items designed to cool you down in Summer from shops in Tokyo such as portable fans and ice packs. In the winter months, gloves, boots, warm hats, and hand warmers are recommended. Please feel free to bring any other items, such as water or snacks.
- Is lunch included on the tour?
- No. This tour does not include lunch however there will be opportunities to purchase food and drinks during the tour. It is advised you also bring snacks and drinks with you. Due to the locations on this tour, there are not opportunities to visit a restaurant for lunch. Therefore, lunch will be a picnic style after the shrine or you can buy drinks and food throughout the tour at the various small cafes and vendors.
- Is this tour wheelchair accessible/appropriate for guests with limited mobility
- The nature of this tour means it is not wheelchair accessible and may not be appropriate for guests with limited mobility, given the amount of walking involved. Should this be of concern, contact us prior to booking to discuss options.
(Travel Agency License No: Nagano 2-562)
Snow Monkey Resorts Tours
2159 Kurita, Nagano City, Nagano, 380-0921 Japan
Tel: (+81)26-219-6256
Member of All Nippon Travel Agents Association
Travel Service Supervisor: Azusa Fukuhara
Period
All Year Round
Time
09:30 - 16:45
Meeting Place
Inside Tokyo Station’s Domed Lobby Area by Green and White Information Board
Price
Adult (13+) | 19,800 | JPY |
Child (6 - 12) | 13,000 | JPY |