Temple & Shrine Tours in Tokyo: Our Top 15

1.Asakusa Walking Tour with Sensoji Temple Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,583 reviews · 2 hours · from $22Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide at Kaminarimon for a two-hour walk through Asakusa. You’ll see Sensoji Temple, Asakusa Shrine, Nakamise Street, Hoppy Street, and Shin-Nakamise. Guides such as Aya, Keiko, Hiroko, and Loc add history, customs, food tips, and local context. The route finishes by Azuma Bridge.

“Terrific tour. Interesting to hear the history and to see the sights. Guide’s English was very good, and delivered with humor. Highly recommend.”

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2.Kegon Falls, Lake Chuzenji & Toshogu Temple

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,577 reviews · 11 hours · from $89

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Ginza to Nikko with an English and Spanish guide. See Shinkyo Bridge, tour Toshogu Shrine, view Kegon Falls, eat lunch, and pause at Lake Chuzenji. The shrine ticket and lunch depend on the option you book. Guides such as Melody, Jorge, and Beru are praised for clear explanations and helpful timing tips.

“Fantastic day! Beautiful colors and incredible place. Melody is a very good guide, she is passionate with Japan and she wants to share Japanese culture. She gave very clear instructions.”

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3.Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Kegon Waterfall Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,266 reviews · 10h 30m · from $84

Travel from Tokyo to Nikko by comfortable coach with an English and Chinese speaking guide. Visit Toshogu Shrine, Shinkyo Bridge, Kegon Falls, and Lake Chuzenji, with a scenic ride along the Iroha Slope. The shrine ticket is included, but lunch and some waterfall expenses are not. Guides such as Tina, Zoe, Jeff, and Vicki are praised for clear explanations and helpful food tips.

“Temple is fantastic , so waterfall ; lake is nice but was raining ( some relief from too hot Tokyo )”

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4.Tokyo Panoramic 1 Day: Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, Odaiba and SKYTREE®

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,222 reviews · from $85

Spend about nine hours touring Tokyo by air-conditioned bus with a licensed English-speaking guide. Visit Meiji Shrine, the Imperial Palace, Odaiba, Senso-ji, and Haneda Airport Garden, then see the city from SKYTREE®’s 350-meter Tembo Deck. Guides such as Mina, Keiko, Sophie, and Yumii have earned praise for clear explanations and careful timing.

“Yumii did an outstanding job. She was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. She checked on us multiple times. She explained everything with detail and did her best to confirm that everyone heard her directions. She did her best to keep Read more”

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5.Zen Meditation at a Private Temple with a Monk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 510 reviews · 1h 30m · from $55Best reviewed

Meet your English-speaking guide near Tawaramachi Station and enter a private Asakusa temple with more than 400 years of history. A monk introduces Zazen meditation, leads practice, and answers questions. The 90-minute visit also includes matcha, sweets, and often calligraphy. Guides such as Tamami, Kazu, and Shota help translate and explain the setting.

“This was a very lovely experience. It was very intimate and the monk was very fun and informative. Our tour guide was a delight and very knowledgeable. Definitely sign up if you’re interested in spiritual teachings. It was a beautiful way to start my day.”

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6.Mt. Fuji Heritage Tour: Traditional Villages, Lakes & Shrine

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 509 reviews · 10 hours · from $50

Spend a full day around Mt. Fuji with stops at Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba, Lake Kawaguchi, Oishi Park, Arakurayama Sengen Park, Chureito Pagoda, and Oshino Hakkai. Guides such as Sia, Kazi, Wanting, and Alex have led recent departures. Expect a shared bus, several photo stops, some stairs, no included lunch, and weather-dependent Fuji views.

“We enjoyed the commentary and quiet atmosphere on the bus . It was a well paced tour allowing for time to see the sights and rest if needed . Kazi was very kind and friendly and patient . The driver was an excellent companion to Kazi.”

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7.Samurai Entertainment Night Show in Kanda Shrine

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 417 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $41

Spend an evening at Kanda Myojin Shrine with a live samurai performance about Taira no Masakado. Arrive at 7 PM for drinks and optional Japanese food, then watch swordplay, dance, music, costumes, and theatrical effects from 8:15 to 9:15 PM. Afterward, meet the performers and take photos with the cast until 10 PM.

“Well here we are again. This is my seventh time to visit this show and I mean the number already tells everything I guess. I would visit this show every week if I could. Amazing acting, sound effects, choreography and music makes this the best samurai show in town. I love all the characters and how cool they are. My favorite story is the Spiderwoman and the Butterfly, the Black Fox and obviously Tairo no Masakado story. You can take pictures with the actors after the show and talk to them. This a must see thing in Tokio !!!”

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8.Asakusa and Tokyo’s Oldest Temple Senso-ji Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 352 reviews · 2 hours · from $14Cheapest good one

Walk from Asakusa Station to Kaminarimon, Nakamise Street, Senso-ji, and Asakusa Shrine with a small group of up to 10. Guides such as Shino, Embla, Nicolas, and Aska explain temple customs, local food, Edo-era stories, and Tokyo life. At $14, it is a useful first look at traditional Tokyo.

“Shino our tour guide was very thorough in her explanations of the shrine and temple. Highly recommend.”

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9.Imperial Palace, Sensō-ji Temple, & Tokyo Tower Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 339 reviews · 4 hours · from $40

Spend a well-paced afternoon visiting the Imperial Palace Outer Area, Sensō-ji Temple, Nakamise Street, and Tokyo Tower. A nationally certified English-speaking guide, such as Junko, Kiki, or Saiko, provides commentary between stops. The $40 price includes transport and Tokyo Tower entry, but not palace interiors, food, or drinks.

“Enjoyable tour, our guide was very friendly and explained everything well”

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10.Meiji Shrine Walking Tour — Shinto & Imperial System

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 266 reviews · 90 - 135 minutes · from $23

Join an English-speaking guide such as Keiko, Yuuka, Yuki, or Ayaka for a 90 to 135 minute walk from Harajuku Station through Meiji Shrine’s forest. You’ll learn Shinto etiquette, see the giant torii and sake barrels, explore the shrine, and finish with tea or snacks at Mori no Terrace.

“The tour was outstanding. Tomo was such an interesting, informed and friendly guide and we loved the whole experience. Highly recommend him and this tour.”

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11.Meiji Jingu Shrine and Shinto Culture Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 245 reviews · 2 hours · from $19

Spend two hours at Meiji Jingu with guides such as Maya, Yota, Ryota, or Andres, learning how to pray at a Shinto shrine, read its symbols, and understand the link between nature and faith. You’ll visit the Imperial Garden, giant torii, sake and wine barrels, and shrine buildings in a small, conversational group.

“Rio was the guide and he was super informative and friendly. Full of energy and a good attitude. Tour was great!”

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12.Meiji Shrine and Shinto Culture Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 225 reviews · from $18

Join a small group of up to 15 people for a two-hour walk through Meiji Jingu with a guide such as Yumi, Sara, Haydn, or Benjamin. You’ll learn how to bow at the torii, cleanse before worship, read shrine symbols, and understand Emperor Meiji’s role in modern Japan. Admission and a mobile ticket are included.

“We had a great walking tour of the Meiji Shrine through the forest with Sara, our guide. She was very friendly and knowledgable and explained the important facets of the Shinto religion and customs. We had been on other tours, but hRead more”

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13.Meiji Shrine Walking Tour — Shintoism & Imperial System

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 209 reviews · from $21

Meet your local guide at Harajuku Station for a 90-minute small-group walk through Meiji Shrine. You’ll pass a huge Taiwan cypress torii, learn Shinto customs, visit the main shrine, explore the imperial garden, and browse charms at the nearby shop. Guides include Yuuki, Nana, Keiko, Nonoka, and Nanami.

“Lovely walk around Meiji jingu learning about the historic significance and traditions of the area. Guide Yuuki was friendly as well as support member Nono”

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14.Private Tour Snow Monkey Park & Zenko-ji Temple

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 184 reviews · 1 day

Travel from Tokyo to Nagano in a private Toyota Vellfire, Crown, or Land Cruiser with an English-speaking driver such as Bilal or Waqas. See snow monkeys at Jigokudani, visit Zenko-ji Temple, and add Matsushiro, Shibu Onsen, or Obuse. Expect about 10 hours, including long driving time, with hotel pickup and drop-off.

“We'd like to extend a huge thank you to Bilal for an excellent experience with our recent activity. He arrived promptly before 8 am and provided smooth driving throughout the trip, ensuring our safety and comfort. His politeness and friendly demeanor were greatly appreciated, as were the welcome coffee, drinks, and snacks. We highly recommend Bilal's service and encourage others to book him for their private tour activities. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

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15.Tokyo Zen Meditation at Private Temple with Monk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 178 reviews · from $56

Meet an English-speaking guide at Kinryu-ji Temple in Asakusa for a 90-minute Zen session with a monk. You’ll learn seated meditation, try calligraphy or sutra copying, join a short matcha tea ceremony, and ask questions about Buddhism. Guides have included Kazu and Tamami. The temple is private and not normally open to the public.

“This was a great experience. Felt very authentic and you don’t need to know anything about Buddhism. You practice meditation, calligraphy, see how to pray at the temple and have a brief tea ceremony. Kazu was a very helpful host and spoke English. The mono, Namiki, was very friendly and answered all of our questions. Highly recommend!”

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