Tokyo Day Trip: Meiji Shrine, Tsukiji Market & Senso-ji Walk

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(777 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I’ll be honest — I almost missed the meeting point because I got distracted by a vending machine outside my hotel (so many drinks I didn’t recognize). Our guide, Yuki, just grinned when I showed up five minutes late and said it happens all the time. We started at Meiji Jingu and the air felt thick with cedar and incense. There was this quiet hush under the trees, even though we were in the middle of Tokyo. Yuki showed us how to wash our hands at the shrine fountain — I splashed a bit too much but nobody seemed to care.

Harajuku was next and wow, Takeshita Street is just packed. It’s loud in a fun way — music blaring from shops, teenagers laughing in wild outfits (I tried to blend in but gave up). We grabbed crepes from a stand; mine had matcha cream and strawberries and I’m still thinking about it. Omotesando felt like a totally different world right after — wider streets, people dressed like they’re on magazine covers. Yuki pointed out a famous designer store but honestly, I was more interested in people-watching.

At Tsukiji Fish Market, there’s this salty sea smell mixed with grilled seafood and something sweet I couldn’t place. The vendors are quick with their hands and voices — lots of “Irasshaimase!” echoing around. We tried tamagoyaki on sticks (Yuki taught us how to say thank you properly; Li laughed when I tried to say it in Mandarin — probably butchered it). Lunch was whatever looked good at an open stall since some places were closed for the holiday; that randomness actually made it more fun.

Later, standing under Tokyo Tower’s orange beams as dusk crept in, the city lights flickered on below us. The elevator up made my ears pop. Last stop was Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa where lanterns glowed red against the night sky and incense curled into the air. It was crowded but somehow peaceful too — maybe just being tired made me slow down and notice things more. Anyway, if you want a real feel for Tokyo in one day (with someone who knows all the shortcuts), this private day trip is kind of perfect.