Have you ever dreamed of having your own private driver that speaks English and helps to guide you around Tokyo? It's almost impossible to be true, especially knowing how expensive Tokyo's car service, and it's impossible for Indonesian to drive in Japan without Japanese Driving License (no your international license won't work here), and how difficult it is to find the parking spot in this city
But being an Indonesian, and after YEARS of trying a lot of transportations in Japan, I can say my favorite transportation vehicle in Japan is none other than the taxi
Not only the drivers are usually very polite, but they've also opened up automatically, and they will never ever cheat you even though you're a foreigner unlike in other countries
You can hail a cab easily at any area in Tokyo, but of course, it's just a normal taxi that runs the price depending on the length and time of travel. However, there's a new service called TOKYO SIGHTSEEING TAXI where you can rent the taxi for a few hours to join a certain course to explore Tokyo or to customize your own tour
The normal taxi in Japan is the sedan, and it can accommodate up to 4 persons. If you rent this service with your other friends and split the bill, the result will be very affordable excursion trip!
The best thing about Tokyo Sightseeing Trip is that it provides English-speaker driver that can explain to you about Tokyo, and they will also be your guide for the whole tour! Also if you need someone to help to take you and your friends'picture during the trip? Just simply ask for the driver's help
It's definitely a luxury tour in Tokyo with a really really fair price
On the tour day, I had my driver picked me up from my home in Tokyo, and we had the normal sedan taxi. After he parked the car, we went to our first stop which is...
SHINJUKU
SHINJUKU KABUKICHO
First stop is Shinjuku. One of the busiest street of Tokyo where you can enjoy both day and night activities to your heart content. And it's also the place to see Godzilla. My driver brought me around to see the Godzilla statue and LCD, while introducing me about the history of Kabukicho
We walked around Kabukicho, and since it's a private tour, I can stop for pictures or shopping whenever I want! And my driver was always there to assist me in translating or introducing shops that I should visit
I also learned a new thing! It was the end of Autumn but I still saw beautiful ginko trees in Shinjuku, and he told me a fun fact that Ginko is a local icon for Tokyo. If you ever come to Tokyo and see the pedestrian fence, it has the shape of ginko!
HANAZONO SHRINE
We walked for around 10-15 mins to a famous shrine in Shinjuku called Hanazono Shrine. I think when someone's visiting Tokyo, they want both traditional and modern experiences, and visiting a shrine is usually one of a must to do list. However, there are many ettiquetes regarding shrines, such as the way to enter, the way to wash your hand, and the way to pray. My driver attentively taught me how Japanese Shintoism pray and I am glad for this experience since it's so helpful!
This place also has red toris area, therefore you don't have to go all the way to Fushimi Inari to take this kind of picture. Best point to have a private driver is you also have your own private photographer lol
OMOTESANDO
OMOTESANDO HILLS
We drove all the way to Omotesando next where the driver left me to shop at one of the best shopping malls in Tokyo, Omotesando Hills. If you want, you can always have your driver to come with you and help you shop! He can help you translating stuff as well as recommending some stores. BUT, if you want to have your own private time, you also can do that
For Omotesando Hills since it's shopping and lunch time for me, I'd rather have it by myself without my driver, hence I will call him when I'm finished!
The restaurant that I had my lunch at on that day is 京 お野菜バル めい
It's a Kyoto cuisine restaurant that incorporates a lot of vegetables, and as always, it's pretty and healthy!
AOYAMA
JAPAN TRADITIONAL CRAFTS AOYAMA SQUARE
The next shop, I went to Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square that's located around Aoyama Itchome area. It's my first time visiting this souvenir shop but this is a really famous shop that gathers a lot of authentic souvenirs from all over Japan in one place. You dont have to go all the way to wherever it is to find your limited-local-items, since they have it here!
From beautiful fabrics to an authentic Japanese doll
They also sell really expensive handmade kimono!
My favorite areas! Kitchen and Tableware! My driver accompanied me for this shopping because it's helpful to have someone to explain what's the function and history behind each product that I am interested at! Like this grater plate that turns out to grate wasabi and daikon
And more unique items!!!
Remember that grater plate? I purchased a big version of it for myself because I want to grate daikon and yam on my own! :D It's really high quality and fashionable as well, besides it's pretty useful, so I am happy with it! And I LOVE the fact that I can just put my shopping stuff inside the taxi, and just carry it to my room instead of going up and down by subway or train. It helps a lot especially when you're shopping!
So let me talk about the most important thing. The price!
The price depends on the length of the tour, and they count it by HOURLY rate instead of the length of distance
I joined a 6 hours course and it's about 30.000 yen
There's also 4 hours course and it's about 20.000 yen
Rate per hour for the sightseeing taxi rental is about 5000 yen
It includes the transportation and English speaker driver (only English is available)
If it's your first time in Tokyo or you don't know where to go yet, you can pick any customized tour offered by them. But if you have your own itinerary, you can always have them to drive wherever you want them to! You would be able to customize your own tour freely such as the tour length, the pick up / drop off place and places to go if you would like to take sightseeing taxi from 23 wards or Tama Area in Tokyo. And since it comes with a private taxi driver that can speak english and guide you around the town. It's a one set price, and you can join the tour with up to 4 people!
If you split the cost with your friends or family, I think this is really an easy affordable alternative to use a taxi in Tokyo
For more information, check out their website down below