Paper lanterns glowing above a narrow izakaya alley in Shinjuku at night

Tokyo

Hidden neighbourhoods, food and izakaya night

Duration: 9 hrs
Group size: 1 to 6 guests
Transport: Private vehicle
Pickup: Your hotel
Price: From $350 / group

This day starts late and finishes late. The point is the parts of Tokyo that only make sense on foot and after dark: wooden shopfronts in Yanaka, standing counters under the railway, and an izakaya where the menu is on the wall in handwriting.

Your guide orders for the table and explains each dish. If anyone in the group does not drink, the itinerary works exactly the same, and we plan around halal or vegetarian requirements in advance.

Hour by hour

The day, stop by stop

13:00
Hotel pickup
A late start, so the evening does not feel rushed.
13:45
Yanaka Ginza
A shopping street that survived the war and the bubble. Senbei crackers, tea shops and a lot of cats.
15:00
Yanaka backstreets and Nezu Shrine
Wooden houses, a small cemetery avenue, and a tunnel of vermilion gates with almost nobody in it.
16:30
Ameyoko market, Ueno
Loud, cheap and crowded. Fruit, dried fish and standing snack bars.
18:00
Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku
Six narrow lanes of grill smoke and paper lanterns. Two or three small plates at a counter.
19:30
Izakaya dinner
A neighbourhood izakaya away from the main streets. Your guide orders in rounds and translates the menu.
21:15
Golden Gai walk
A short walk through the tiny bar district, with a stop only if you want one.
22:00
Drop-off at your hotel
Door to door, so nobody navigates the last train.

Where you'll go

The places on this day

Included

Private vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide
Hotel or accommodation pickup and drop-off in the pickup area
Fuel, tolls, parking and driver expenses
Bottled water on board
Itinerary planning before the day, including dietary and prayer needs

Not included

Meals and drinks, unless listed in the itinerary
Entrance fees to shrines, museums and observation decks
Personal shopping
Gratuities, which are never expected
Travel insurance
Food and drink at the counters and izakaya

Good to know

Season

All year. Winter evenings in the lantern alleys are particularly good.

Walking level

Moderate. Several short walks on uneven lanes, with the vehicle never far away.

Weather

Most of the evening is under cover. Umbrellas are on board.

Questions about this tour

Is this tour suitable for children?: Yanaka and Ameyoko are fine for children. The late izakaya section suits older children better, and we can finish earlier.
We do not drink alcohol. Does the tour still work?: Yes. Izakaya food is the centre of the evening, and every venue we use serves tea and soft drinks.
Roughly what should we budget for food?: Around 4,000 to 6,000 yen per person covers the snacks and the izakaya dinner comfortably.