
ABOUT US
Private Guided Tours in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Beyond
Discover Japan with The Backstreet Guides, your trusted Tokyo private tour guides since 2011. We specialise in private, personalised tours that reveal Tokyo’s vibrant backstreets, hidden gems, and cultural landmarks, as well as Kyoto, Hakone, and other unique destinations.
Our licensed local guides craft tailor-made experiences, allowing you to explore at your own pace while gaining authentic insights into Japanese culture. Every tour is fully private, offering flexibility, comfort, and deeper connections.
Whether it’s your first visit or a return trip, we create enriching, custom journeys that showcase the real Japan. Book your private Tokyo tours for 2026 today!

Tokyo Tours
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Tokyo Day Trips
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Kyoto Tours
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Small Group Journeys
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English-Speaking Private Tours
Walking tours using public transport or tours by private transport. We've crafted tours to cater to all. Drawing from invaluable experience touring with thousands of clients over the past decade, our team has designed these tours to meet diverse preferences and ensure an exceptional experience for every traveller.

Testimonials
We bring the best experience
See what our past guests say about us. Travelers' Choice Award 2024 & 25!
- Tas-wanderer
I had the best day. visiting Nikko dressed in its Autumn foliage- Mayu from Backstreet Guides was so organised and thankfully her English was impeccable (as my Japanese was very,... read more very limited). Mayu picked me up from my hotel and we headed via metro to the Nikko train- Mayu explained what we were doing on the day and after some obligatory photos at the train station (as the leaves of the trees were superb), we were introduced to our wonderful driver who drove us all over Nikko- showing us the best leaves and going to the magnificent Nikko Shrines and Temples as well as the countryside and the sublime views and vistas of this area. This tour was more than I had hoped for and Mayu provided information about the places we visited and the best things we should note- it was a wonderful, calm way to see this amazing area and exceeded all of my expectations!! Thank you for such a brilliant day in Nikko- I shall always remember the fun time we had.
December 4, 2019 -
Thumbs up Backstreet guides - Met at our hotel by our guide Rie, we proceeded to travel around Tokyo suburbs trying amazing food,coffee and craft beer. Throw in a few temples,shrines and shops,it's a full... read more day out thats fun and stress free. Highly recommended 👌.
Curious28322482007
March 2, 2026 -
Fantastic day tour of Tokyo with Junko from Backstreet Guides - Fantastic tour of Kyoto with Junko. She was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and took us through all the major sights of Kyoto AND encouraged us to take fun detours along the... read more way. Having a private guide like Junko was perfect - much better than the giant tours swarming Kyoto.
Marty M
March 25, 2025 -
Amazing day trip to Kamakura from Tokyo - We had the privilege of having The Backstreet Guides as our tour company. They made our first visit to Japan a truly memorable experience. Since the moment I contacted them,... read more Miki made sure that I will get every single request I had and more fulfilled to our liking.
We did the Kamakura day trip from Tokyo, and we had the best time with Rie, our guide. We were lucky to have her for the full day, as well as our driver Cho, they were amazing!! Rie was extremely knowledgeable, kind, funny, just a pleasure to have around. She made the whole day an enjoyable and unforgettable experience, thank you Rie for all your help!
I have to say that if you are looking for a great tour company and guide to visit Japan, do not hesitate to contact them, it made a huge difference in our trip.
beatrizs897
June 20, 2026 - KJTremo
11 family members ageing from 11 to 72 went to Hakone and Mt Fuji with guide Mayu. She was an extremely caring, organised, flexible and informative guide. Highly recommend Backstreet... read more Guides to take you in and around Tokyo. Very very easy to deal with prior to the tour as well.
January 17, 2020 -
Exceptional Tokyo Experience with Backstreet Guides and Rie - Our experience with Backstreet Guides was absolutely perfect. Planning our trip was really fun thanks to Hiroko, who helped us craft a thoughtful two-day itinerary: she made sure everything flowed... read more well in terms of travel distances and incorporated all the special stops we wanted to include. Her attention to detail made a huge difference and it was incredibly rewarding to see it all come to life during our visit.
Our guide Rie was phenomenal! She is a true professional who brought so much knowledge, energy, and joy to our time in Tokyo. Her historical context added so much meaning to every place we visited, and she always knew the most efficient ways to navigate the city. Rie is also a fantastic photographer! She knew exactly how to pose us to capture the perfect shot every time (a huge bonus we hadn’t expected!). What we really appreciated was how she was able to adapt our itinerary on the fly. Whether we wanted to spend more time somewhere or make a spontaneous change, Rie was always flexible and made it all feel seamless.
Rie and the Backstreet Guides made our Tokyo experience truly unforgettable!
NancyD98
June 2, 2025 -
Hakone Hike and Lake Ashi - Our day hike with Rie from The Backstreet Guides was just amazing. She took our family
of four to a traditional tea house, up through the Hakone forrest,... read more and down to Lake Ashi. At Lake Ashi, we ate at an amazing bakery and drank Macha Latte while looking at the Lake. It was one the best parts of our trip!
Nicholas M
April 22, 2025 - javmcparker
We took the Group Tokyo Night Tour on our first evening in Tokyo having landed early that day. It was the perfect way to get over our jet lag... read more as it got us out and about walking (we walked a lot (!) which was great). Mayu was a brilliant guide - she is super friendly, very knowledgeable and has excellent English. Our group was only ourselves and one other couple - I imagine with a bigger group it might feel a bit chaotic. Maya took us to all the “classic” Tokyo sights in Harajuku, Shinjuku and Shibuya. The only thing I would maybe have changed was that where the tour finished in Roppongi didn’t seem particularly interesting. Though that may have been because by that time we were tired.
The next day we took a private morning tour with Mayu where we visited sights on the eastern side of the city, imperial palace, tsukiji market etc. Again Mayu was brilliant - we especially enjoyed seeing the market with her as if we’d gone by ourselves we probably wouldn’t have tasted as many foods or even understood what they were! All in all the two tours really set us up for the rest of our time exploring Tokyo on our own, and I think they were great value.
March 9, 2020 -
The BEST Tokyo Guides - This was our second time booking with The Backstreet Guides. We had an amazing private tour with Rie! We were so grateful to have her with us for 3 days.... read more We found things we never would have seen, ate foods we would have missed, and shopped in spots I’m confident we couldn’t find again even now that we have the address!
Absolutely excellent! Every wish was granted. We couldn’t have hoped for anything better!
Daisy L
March 31, 2026







