Yanaka Tours: Discover Hidden Old Tokyo - Authentic Walking Experience Away from Crowds
If you want to experience the local Japanese atmosphere in Tokyo, we recommend visiting Yanaka Ginza. While many areas of Tokyo changed significantly after World War II, only Yanaka has preserved its old appearance intact. Yanaka Ginza has about 60 individually-owned shops lined up, where you can observe the daily life of local people.
Yanaka is also called the "cat town" because you can encounter many cats while walking through the streets. There's also the famous Yanaka Cemetery, known as a cherry blossom viewing spot, making it an enjoyable area for leisurely strolls.
This time, we'll introduce Yanaka Tours that efficiently explore the Yanaka area.
Types of Yanaka Ginza Tours Available
Yanaka Tours offer two main types of tours for exploring Yanaka. Both tours can be enjoyed even by first-time visitors to Japan.
The first type is tours that visit Yanaka's recommended tourist spots. You can learn about Japanese history and culture while visiting old temples, shrines, and traditional buildings. Local guides provide detailed explanations, so even those unfamiliar with Japan can participate with confidence.
The second type is gourmet tours that let you enjoy Yanaka's food culture. You can taste traditional Japanese sweets that have maintained their flavors unchanged over time, and long-established gourmet foods beloved by locals.
Both types of Yanaka Tours are conducted in small groups, so the close distance with guides and the ability to ask questions casually are attractive features.
Comparing Recommended Yanaka Ginza Tours Introduced in This Article
| Yanaka Historical Walking Tour in Tokyo's Old Town | Yanaka Walking Tour The Old Quarter of Tokyo | Old Town Tokyo Food Tour – Daytime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour Overview | Yanaka walking tour led by a local guide with deep knowledge of the area. | Walking tour exploring traditional buildings and temples in Yanaka. | Food tour visiting small local eateries in the Yanaka area. |
| Features |
・Takes you to local favorite spots. ・Get detailed insights into the history and culture. ・Experience unique cultural activities exclusive to Yanaka. |
・Visit five sightseeing spots and enjoy delicious food in just 3 hours. ・Small group size creates a friendly atmosphere and makes it easy to ask the guide questions. |
・Sample a variety of handmade dishes beloved by locals all in one experience. ・Enjoy not only main courses but also sweets like matcha and traditional Japanese confections. |
| Place to Visit |
・Nezu Shrine ・Hebimichi / Snake Road ・Local Cafe ・Yanaka Ginza |
・Yanaka Ginza ・Yanaka Beer Hall ・Tennoji Temple ・Yenaka Cemetery ・Nezu Shrine |
・Yanaka Ginza ・Shitamachi |
| Number of Reviews | 63 | 378 | 2,631 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.9 |
| Booking Site | Official Site TripAdvisor |
Official Site | Official website |
| Estimated Cost (As of September 2025) | ¥10,300 | ¥6,000 | ¥28,050 |
| Recommended For | People who want to experience Japanese culture firsthand with a local guide. | Those who want to make the most of Yanaka sightseeing in limited time. | Those who want to try lots of Japanese local cuisine in a short time. |
The first tour is guided by locals who show you hidden spots, offering special experiences while learning about Japanese history and culture in detail. The second is a 3-hour tour that efficiently combines 5 tourist spots with gourmet experiences, and the third is a gourmet tour visiting small local restaurants.
Since the prices and duration differ, please choose Yanaka Tours that match your interests and travel schedule.
For Deep Enjoyment of Yanaka Ginza's Traditions and Culture, Local Tours Guided by Residents are Recommended
There are three recommended Yanaka Tours for exploring Yanaka, each with different attractive features.
If you want to fully enjoy Yanaka Ginza, we recommend participating in local Yanaka Tours guided by local residents. This is because they can show you hidden places not written in guidebooks and special spots known only to locals.
In these local Yanaka Tours, rather than just sightseeing tourist spots, you can actually shop at local stores and visit places residents use daily, giving you glimpses into Yanaka's everyday life and residents' lifestyles. Additionally, local guides who know the area thoroughly provide detailed explanations, allowing you to learn about Japanese culture in depth.
Being Taken to Local Residents' Recommended Spots Unknown to Tourists
The first attraction of local Yanaka Tours is being shown places that ordinary tourists would have difficulty finding.
In the shopping district, you can observe how shop owners conduct their business, and in narrow alleys, you can encounter small stalls selling traditional light meals. Since you also walk through residential areas, you can feel the real daily life of Japan as if you've stepped into locals' lives.
The tours include meals at restaurants serving authentic Japanese cuisine, so you can feel the homely warmth that tourist-area restaurants cannot provide.
Yanaka Tours allow you to experience quiet and peaceful Japanese life, different from Tokyo's bustling areas like Shibuya and Shinjuku.
Sightseeing While Listening to Detailed Explanations About Japanese Culture and Traditions
The second attraction of local Yanaka Tours is being able to tour while hearing detailed explanations about Japanese history and culture.
Local Yanaka Tours first visit Nezu Shrine, one of Tokyo's oldest shrines. Nezu Shrine is famous for its vermillion gates called torii that form tunnel-like sequences, similar to Fushimi Inari Taisha, a representative tourist spot in Kyoto.
By participating in the tour, guides will explain in easy-to-understand terms the background, such as "what meaning the torii have" and "why they are vermillion colored." You can also learn the correct way to pray at shrines and proper manners while actually practicing, so you can understand the concepts of Shinto, Japan's traditional religion.
Since Yanaka Tours provide such detailed explanations, you can learn deeper aspects of Japanese culture compared to individual sightseeing.
Enjoying Yanaka-Specific Activities and Special Experiences
Being able to have special cultural experiences unique to Yanaka is also one of the highlights of local Yanaka Tours.
During the tour, there's time to rest while enjoying drinks and sweets at a local café. The café where you rest is a historic place that was the first in Japan to offer painting experiences for Maneki-neko, Japanese lucky charms believed to bring good fortune.
In Yanaka Tours, you can paint Maneki-neko figurines with your favorite colors and patterns. Learning about uniquely Japanese culture while creating a one-of-a-kind souvenir is my recommended point. Since you can take the completed Maneki-neko home, it becomes a special travel memento.
Local Yanaka Tours are perfect for those who want to experience Japanese culture firsthand.
4 Author-Recommended Tours to Deeply Enjoy the History and Traditions of Yanaka Ginza
Yanaka Walking Tour The Old Quarter of Tokyo
Source:Tokyo Localized
If you want to efficiently experience the charm of Yanaka in a short time, I recommend the Yanaka Walking Tour The Old Quarter of Tokyo. This tour is a 3-hour walking tour that visits traditional architecture and temples in Yanaka.
My favorite point about this tour is that you can enjoy both 5 tourist spots and gourmet food in just 3 hours. You'll visit representative places like Yanaka Ginza, Yanaka Cemetery, and Nezu Shrine, and at each spot, you can also taste local street food.
The tour is limited to a maximum of 10 people in small groups, making it easy to ask the guide questions and creating a homely atmosphere. Additionally, the tour offers two time slots to choose from - morning and afternoon - making it easy to adjust to your travel itinerary.
If you want to fully enjoy Yanaka sightseeing in limited time, please check out these exceptional Yanaka Tours.
Meeting point: JR Nippori station North Ticket Gate (Outside the ticket gate next to "NewDays" convenience store)
Tour area: Around Yanaka
Start times: 10:30, 13:30
Old Town Tokyo Food Tour – Daytime
Source:Arigato Travel Tours
If you want to experience various types of traditional Japanese cuisine at once, the Old Town Tokyo Food Tour – Daytime is perfect. This tour is a gourmet tour that visits small-scale restaurants in the calm atmosphere of the Yanaka area, away from the bustling city.
What I think is the attractive point of this tour is that you can taste handmade dishes popular with locals all at once, from crispy croquettes (deep-fried mashed potato dishes) to charcoal-grilled yakitori (skewered grilled chicken). You can enjoy not only main dishes but also desserts like matcha and Japanese sweets.
This tour is recommended for those who want to try many Japanese local gourmet foods in a short time, making it one of the most comprehensive Yanaka Tours available.
Meeting point: In front of Coffee Room Renoir Nippori
Tour area: Around Yanaka
Start times: 10:15～10:30
Experience Old and Nostalgic Tokyo: Yanaka Walking Tour
Source:Omakase Tour
If you want to enjoy strolling while feeling Japanese history, I recommend the Experience Old and Nostalgic Tokyo: Yanaka Walking Tour. This tour is a walking tour where you can feel the good old Japan as if you've time-traveled to Tokyo from the 17th to 19th centuries.
My favorite point about this tour is that it includes an experience of the Tea Ceremony, a ritual of drinking tea. You can actually experience the formal way of making tea by a professional tea master in a tasteful tatami-floored room.
If you want to experience Tokyo's calm atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, check out this tour. Among all available Yanaka Tours, this one offers the most authentic cultural immersion.
Meeting point: JR Nippori station (North Exit)
Tour area: Around Yanaka
Start times: 9:00, 13:00
Tokyo ART Walking: National Museum and Yanaka ART Area
Source:Tripadvisor
If you want to enjoy art and culture simultaneously, I recommend the Tokyo ART Walking: National Museum and Yanaka ART Area. This tour visits museums and small galleries in the Ueno and Yanaka areas.
The tour visits 9 art spots, allowing you to experience a wide range of Japanese culture from traditional to contemporary in just half a day. You can encounter art from various genres such as sculpture, painting, textiles, and contemporary art, helping you become knowledgeable about Japanese art culture.
Additionally, the special point unique to this tour is that you can also enjoy actual interactions with artists at small galleries visited after museum tours.
If you're interested in both traditional Japanese culture and contemporary art, please check out this tour. This represents one of the most culturally enriching Yanaka Tours for art enthusiasts.
Meeting point: JR Ueno Station, outside the Park Exit ticket gates
Tour area: Ueno, Yanaka, Nippori
Start times: 9:30, 14:00
Recommended for Japanese Culture Lovers! 3 Local Tours Where You Can Visit Yanaka Ginza Along with Surrounding Historical Spots - Yanaka Tours
1-Day Tokyo Highlights Tour with a Private Car and Guide
If you want to efficiently tour Tokyo's popular tourist destinations, the 1-Day Tokyo Highlights Tour with a Private Car and Guide is highly recommended. This tour is a private tour where you can experience various charms of Tokyo in one day, from Tokyo's historic shrines to trendy spots, with a dedicated car and private guide. These exceptional Yanaka Tours provide an immersive cultural experience.
The tour allows you to enjoy areas with vastly different atmospheres, from the sacred space of Meiji Shrine to the traditional streetscapes of Asakusa and the bustling Scramble Crossing in Shibuya. My personal recommendation point for this tour is that all entrance fees, meals, and drink costs are included, so you don't have to worry about your budget.
If you want to efficiently visit Tokyo's main spots in limited time, please consider participating in these premium Yanaka Tours.
Meeting point: Hotel pickup in designated areas
Tour areas: Harajuku, Tsukiji, Akihabara, Shibuya
Start time: 9:00
Tokyo Off the Beaten Path 6hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Source:Tripadvisor
If you want to avoid typical tourist destinations and discover Tokyo's hidden charms, the Tokyo Off the Beaten Path 6hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide is recommended. This tour is a 6-hour private tour guided by someone who knows Tokyo inside and out, visiting local areas not found in guidebooks. These authentic Yanaka Tours offer unique insights into traditional Tokyo.
Centered around the two districts of Yanaka and Nezu, which escaped damage from wars and natural disasters and retain their traditional streetscapes, you'll visit historical sites hidden in back alleys, traditional houses, izakayas, and cafes. My favorite point is that they customize the spots you visit according to participants' preferences.
If you want to discover Tokyo's charms that many tourists don't know about, please check out these specialized Yanaka Tours.
Meeting point: Designated hotels or airports
Tour areas: Nezu, Yanaka, Sendagi, Asakusa, Tsukiji
Start times: 9:00, 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00
Private Custom Tour: Tokyo in a Day
Source:Tripadvisor
If you want to enjoy private, personalized Tokyo sightseeing, the Private Custom Tour: Tokyo in a Day is perfect. This tour is a private tour where destinations can be completely customized according to participants' preferences. These flexible Yanaka Tours cater to individual interests and schedules.
You can choose from half-day or full-day tours. My recommendation point is that you can choose from a wide range of genres and areas, from historical spots like Meiji Shrine and Imperial Palace Gardens to shopping areas in Harajuku, Omotesando, and Shibuya.
If you want to enjoy special Tokyo sightseeing that's uniquely yours with a guide, please consider participating in these personalized Yanaka Tours.
Meeting point: Designated hotels or airports
Tour areas: Tsukiji, Asakusa, Harajuku, Yanaka
Start times: 9:00 (for half-day tours: 9:00 or 14:00)
