Hidden Tokyo
Backstreets, tiny bars, residential neighborhoods and the corners of the city that never show up on the tourist map.
Came from Instagram? You're in the right place.
Tokyo · 東京
See Tokyo Like a Local.
I'm Toa — a Tokyo local in my twenties. I spend a day showing you my city the way I'd show a close friend: hidden streets, the food I actually eat, quiet shrines, and the photos you came here for.
Why me, not a tour desk
Nothing about the day is pre-written. Before we meet, I ask what you're curious about — coffee, vintage shops, film photography, ramen at midnight — and I build the route around that. You'll never be handed a flag and a schedule.
はじめましてAbout me
Nice to meet you
I was born and raised in Tokyo, and I spent 3 years studying in Canada — which is where I got comfortable in English (IELTS 7.0, EIKEN Pre-1). Coming home, I started seeing my own city the way a visitor does, and I realized how much of the good stuff never makes it into a guidebook.
I create English content about Japan on Instagram, and a lot of people started messaging me asking where to eat, what neighborhood to wander, how to behave at a shrine. So I started guiding.
My goal is simple: help you experience Japan beyond the typical tourist spots, and make sure you never feel lost in translation while doing it.
- Based in
- Tokyo, born & raised
- English
- Fluent · 3 years in Canada
- Certified
- IELTS 7.0 · EIKEN Pre-1
- @toa.tourjapan
@toa.tourjapan
Most people find me here. I post in English about the neighborhoods, food, cafés and small everyday details that make Tokyo what it is — and this is exactly the Tokyo I show you in person.
The day
One day, built around you.
A Private Day With Me in Tokyo
¥12,000per person3 hoursMax 5 people
Extra time: ¥6,000 per person · Up to 5 people per group
Nothing here is a fixed package. Think of this as a starting point, not a menu. Tell me what you're into and I'll shape the day around it.
Plan Your Tokyo ExperienceThe experience can include
- Hidden local neighborhoods
- Local cafés
- Japanese food
- Temples and shrines
- Shopping
- Photography spots
- Local culture
- Customized stops based on your interests
Inspiration, not packages — nothing below is a fixed tour. Mix them, change them, or bring your own idea and I'll build the day around it.
Tokyo Food & Café Experience
Standing sushi, old-school kissaten, third-wave coffee and the small local spots I actually eat at.
Traditional Tokyo
Temples, shrines and old-town districts — with the etiquette and stories explained in plain English.
First Time in Tokyo
The famous places done properly — the right timing, the right entrances, and the local detours in between.
Your Own Idea
Photography, anime, vintage shopping, nightlife, architecture — send me your list and we'll design the day together.
Why me
A local friend, not a tour company.
01
Local perspective
Born and raised here. You get the version of Tokyo I'd show a friend visiting from abroad.
02
Fluent English
Three years in Canada. No awkward pauses, no translation apps — just easy conversation.
03
Personalized experiences
Every route is built from scratch around your interests, energy level and schedule.
04
Not just tourist attractions
We can skip the queues completely and spend the day where people who live here actually go.
05
Young and easygoing
Relaxed pace, honest opinions, no scripts. Change your mind halfway through the day — that's completely fine.
06
Real Tokyo recommendations
You leave with a list: restaurants, cafés and neighborhoods for the rest of your trip.
How it works
How a day comes together.
Instagram → this page → you tell me what you'd love to experience → I build a personal plan → we confirm the details → you pay on the day. No booking engine, no fixed packages.
- 01
Message me
Send your dates and what you're curious about — here or on Instagram. Nothing is committed yet.
- 02
I plan your day
I reply with a route, timing and a meeting point, and we adjust it together until it feels right.
- 03
We confirm the details
Once the plan feels right, we lock in the date, time and meeting point. Payment happens on the day, in cash (JPY).
- 04
We explore together
We meet, we wander, we eat. You go home with good photos and my personal list of places for the rest of your trip.
Guests
In their words.
Placeholder testimonial — replace with a real review from a guest.
Placeholder testimonial — replace with a real review from a guest.
Placeholder testimonial — replace with a real review from a guest.
Placeholders for now — real messages from guests will replace them.
FAQ
Good to know.
Contact
Let's plan your day
Tell me a little about your trip and I'll come back with a plan made for you. No commitment — just a conversation.
Prefer DMs? @toa.tourjapanttzzttaa818@gmail.com