SELF-GUIDED AUDIO TOURS of Tokyo

Everlasting Edo: A Guide to Nihonbashi’s History | Secrets of Sensoji: A Tour of Asakusa’s History, Art, and Culture

Teaming up with our partners at VoiceMap, we’ve created an immersive audio walking tour where your phone will guide you through the streets of Tokyo. It’s like listening to a podcast that moves with you! Go at your own pace and start your self guided walking tour today.

How to Use

1. Purchase your Tokyo audio tour by clicking the BUY IT NOW button below. You will receive a tour code from us over email.

2. Download the VoiceMap app. Click the App store buttons above for download (available on iOS and Android)

3. Create Account (or sign in if you have an account).

4. In your VoiceMap smartphone app, go to “Tour Codes” and then enter the unique tour code that you will have received in the “Enter Code” tab.

5. Download the audio files and follow the directions on how to get there.

6. Enjoy!

EVERLASTING EDO: A GUIDE TO NIHONBASHI’S HISTORY

Unearth the best of Tokyo’s oldest district; from Kimonos to crafts & traditional snacks

During the Edo Period (1603 to 1868) Nihonbashi was at the center of all trade and commerce. It was home to the most powerful people in all of Japan.

This sightseeing tour of Tokyo will transport you back to a time when Samurais and Shoguns walked these streets.

Follow their footsteps and discover the best of Tokyo’s living history. This district is packed with age-old snack shops and traditional Japanese crafts. Yes they are still standing, hundreds of year later! Nihonbashi is Tokyo’s best kept secret, a treasure trove of a district overflowing with cultural and historical gems.

Highlights include:

• Nihonbashi Bridge where the zero-mile-marker is located.

• The Bank of Japan.

• Mitsukoshi, Japans oldest department store.

• Our top-picks of Japans must try local snacks.

• Authentic souvenir shopping at a 400 years old fan shop and Washi Paper shop.

….and much more!

This tour is sure to delight history lovers, the culturally curious, foodie explorers, and inquiring minds.

Allow 1-1.5 hours for this audio tour of Tokyo. There is a lot to discover inside our recommended stopping points plus there are plenty of cafes, restaurants, and snack shops along the route for a refueling break.

STARTING POINT: NIHONBASHI PIER

All payments are subject to a 4.8% credit card processing fee by STRIPE.

Directions to starting point:

The tour begins at the entrance of the Nihonbashi bridge. It's most accessible from Nihonbashi Station on the Ginza Line. Exit B12 will give you the easiest path to the starting point. After exiting B12, you will be by the entrance of Coredo Department Store. Enter the store and there will be an elevator on the left in front of you. Take the elevator up to the first floor. After exiting, with your back to the elevator turn right and go straight. You will arrive at the starting point.

If you search "Nihonbashi Pier" on your Google or Apple maps, it will lead you right to the starting point by the tree. It's recommended to use your Google/Apple maps to get there. Do not climb down the stairs by the bridge and stand by the tree.

Best time:

Monday to Saturday, between 10.30am and 6pm. On Sunday’s and public holidays several of our recommended stopping points are closed.

Please avoid taking this tour over the New Years holiday (Dec 31-Jan 3) and Obon holiday in August as most of the stopping points will be closed.

The medicine museum is closed on Mondays.

Due to COVID-19 entry to the Medicine Museum is by reservation only: https://kusuri-museum.com/reservation and Ibasen fan shop is additionally closed on Saturdays.

Recommended places to stop in addition to the listed stops:

Mitsukoshi Department Store: Basement level - The food hall is home to many of Japan’s finest sweet shops.

Coredo 1 : Kiya Knife Shop 1st floor - Established in 1792 Kiya produces some of the best quality knives in all of Japan.

Coredo Muromachi Terrace: Next to the ending point by the Mitsui Tower - Great restaurants and shops

Secrets of Sensoji Temple: A Tour of Asakusa’s History, Art and Culture

Stroll through Tokyo’s finest historical district & discover its vibrant culture

In the year 628 AD, two fishermen hauled a statue of the Buddhist goddess Kannon out of the Sumida River in the Asakusa district of Taitō. The statue was enshrined in 645 AD, marking the opening of Sensoji Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo.

This sightseeing tour of Tokyo will take you on a journey of discovery through the small streets and laneways surrounding Sensoji Temple. Packed full of history, art, handicrafts, and traditional snack shops there is much more to this popular tourist district than you might have first imagined.

We’ll guide you down Japan’s oldest shopping street, Nakamise, and show you Kimuraya, the sweet shop that has been open since 1867 that sells Ningyo-yaki (a sweet baked into the shape of a doll). You’ll hear about post-WW2 architectural resurrections and visit the Hozomon Gate. There, we’ll show you the Owaraji, the giant shoes worn by the Buddha’s guardian spirits. You’ll also learn why five-story pagodas are surprisingly earthquake-resistant!

On this tour, you can look forward to:
• Discovering my top picks of Asakusa’s must-try traditional snacks.
• Learning the difference between geishas and prostitutes at the Asakusa KagekiJo Theater.
• Seeing Japan’s first roller coaster at Hanayashiki, an amusement park that started as a botanical garden.
• Visiting Kamiya Bar, the first ever western-style bar to open in Japan.
• Shopping for authentic souvenirs at a 300-year-old wooden comb shop.
...and much more!

No one actually knows how the Kannon statue ended up in the river all those years ago but this tour's narrators, fictional guide Agatha and Kate of Hello! Tours will help you track down the culprit. Throughout the tour, Agatha will pop up and explain unique traditions and point out interesting items that may help you to solve the mystery. At the end of this walking tour, you’ll view a sketch of three suspects and you’ll be able to put your super sleuth skills to the test by guessing which one threw the statue into the river.

Allow yourself 1 to 2 hours, or go at your own pace, to get the most out of this Tokyo tour that’s sure to delight history lovers, art admirers, food enthusiasts, the culturally curious, and those who enjoy a mystery. There are plenty of opportunities along the way for you to take a break in one of the many cafes, restaurants, or snack shops mentioned en route.

STARTING POINT: ASAKUSA CULTURE TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER

All payments are subject to a 4.8% credit card processing fee by STRIPE.

Directions to starting point:

The tour begins in front of the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. 2 Chome-18-9 Kaminarimon, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034, Japan.

It is recommended to go by train. It is accessible by the Ginza Line or Asakusa Line. On the Ginza Line, get off at Asakusa Station and use exit 2 for a minute walk to the entrance. From the Asakusa Line, get off at Asakusa Station and use exit A4.

Best time:

Go any day of the week from 11 am-6 pm. This is when most shops are opened. Watch for crowds on the weekends.

Precautions:

Some shops that we stop at during the tour may occasionally be closed.

Recommended places to stop in addition to the listed stops:

Any of the shops down Nakamise Street are always recommended.