Sunday 22 March 2026

We slept a good 10 hours and were up at 6am for our first fay of the tour. After breakfast we met the group in the lobby. I then spent the next 40 minutes sorting out everyone's Esims before we boarded the bus. It is quite a big group, probably in excess of 30 people.

Our tour will begin with a visit to Meiji Shrine, located within a 170 acre forest in the centre of the city. Constructed of
cypress wood and copper, the shrine commemorates Emperor Meiji, Japan’s 122nd emperor, who presided over
Japan’s industrial revolution and emergence onto the world stage.
We will then visit the Tokyo Skytree. Open since May 2012, the Skytree is a television and radio broadcast site, and
contains a restaurant and two viewing platforms. At 634m, it's among the tallest structures in the world. Our entry
ticket includes access to Floor350, giving us a birdseye view over the sprawling city.
Next we visit Asakusa district, and the Sensō-ji Temple. This is Tokyo’s oldest temple, and it's dedicated to Kannon,
the Buddhist goddess of mercy. On the approach to Sensō-ji is Nakamise Shopping Street, a centuries-old
promenade of shops selling traditional snacks and souvenirs like kimonos and bottles of saké.
We also spend some time exploring the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Here, we view the two bridges that form one
of the entrances to the inner palace grounds. The current Imperial Palace is home to Japan's Imperial Family and is
located in the former site of Edo Castle, surrounded by an imposing stone wall and moat system.Read more