4 Audio Tours in Tokyo for a First Trip

1.Open Top Panoramic Sightseeing Bus with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 254 reviews · 1h 10m · from $11Our pick

Choose a 70-minute City Course through central Tokyo or Bay Course past Odaiba and Rainbow Bridge. The open-top bus uses GPS to trigger audio commentary in Japanese, English, Chinese, French, Korean, Vietnamese or Thai. Japanese-speaking staff help with boarding, but there is no live guide. Bring a 3.5mm headphone plug or rent headphones for 100 yen.

“Overall it was a good tour which gave us a real sense of the size of Tokyo and its culture. The drive over Rainbow Bridge was the highlight but it was good to see how the Japanese people enjoyed themselves on a Saturday afternoon in the parks. So we were satisfied with the value of the tour. The only thing that marred our satisfaction was the reception at the meeting place. I understand that the meeting place is a shared space with another company but we arrived about 20 minutes early having only arrived in Tokyo 4 hours before so we weren’t sure of the timing of the trains etc…”

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2.60min Panoramic Open Top Bus Tour with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 40 reviews · 1 hour · from $14

Ride a double-decker open-top bus from Tokyo Station past the National Diet Building, Tokyo Tower, Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba, Tsukiji and Ginza. A Japanese-speaking guide leads the one-hour trip, while GPS audio is available in eight languages. Bring your own smartphone and earphones to use the audio.

“We enjoyed the one hour tour it’s very comportable”

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3.Tokyo Self-Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 10 reviews · from $9Best value

Explore Tokyo with audio guides for 22 attractions, from the Imperial Palace and Meiji Shrine to Asakusa and Ueno Park. You choose the route, pace, start, and finish. The $9 tour provides SoundCloud audio links and a Google My Maps route, but transport and entry fees are extra.

“All good. Seasonal information would be helpful is that it shows best times to visit. Some places would be best to visit in Soring or Autumn when the leaves changes colour”

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4.Sumo Keiko Training Tour with Audio Guide & Photo

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5 reviews · 40 - 90 minutes · from $85Top rated

At Nakamura-beya Sumo Stable in Ryogoku, watch professional wrestlers train, follow explanations of sumo history, ranks, and techniques on your phone, then take a photo with the wrestlers. A live guide speaks English, Japanese, and Korean; no individual guide name is provided. The venue has air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, and charging stations, and JR Ryogoku Station is about two minutes away.

“Authentic Suno experience even if you know a lot about sumo. Up close and personal. Makes you appreciate the sport and enhances your appreciation for the wrestlers.”

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