Hato Bus

Did the Panoramic Tokyo tour with my in-​laws in English. It was a fantastic tour! We had two little kids with us (6 and 3) and they did great. A fun way to see a lot of the city. The best part is that my wife and kids have to eat gluten free (say komugi aregi). Our guide «Andy» Sakata-​San called the restaurant and made it happen. Thank you Hato Bus for a wonderful day exploring Tokyo!

I took my girlfriend to Japan around Valentine’s Day of 2009. We had a jam packed itinerary and the full day Hato Bus Dynamic Tokyo tour was absolutely fantastic. We learned so much about Tokyo, the culture, gardens, architecture, people, economy, food, tea, etc. took home so many cherished memories. It is a fabulous tour. Our guide was bi-​lingual, fluent in both English and Japanese. For those that spoke other languages, there are headsets provided to translate an audio recording in other languages, such as German.
We stayed at a hotel outside the city, we met at the Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal in the morning. We picked up people staying in local big chain hotels. Our first stop was the Tokyo Tower (see separate review)! Next we went to Happo-​en to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. We had plenty of time to explore the gardens and the 100 year old bonzai trees! Luckily, there was also a traditional wedding ceremony the day we went and that was really neat to see! Afterwards, we headed to Chinzan-​so. Being a vegetarian, I had a special treat of various vegetables cooked right in front of me on the Mount Fuji molten lava stone grill. It was delicious and had a great view of the surrounding greenery.
Next stop was the Imperial Palace Nijubashi Bridge, which was pretty neat. When many people think of royal families they think of England, but Japan too has the Imperial family who resides here. It is very beautiful with a moat, gardens, guards and it’s just an interesting place historically.
Then we went on a sightseeing boat tour on the Sumida River. I never knew Japan had so many interesting and unique river bridges, different colors and designs. On the boat, we passed a building that is shaped like a beer mug. it’s even a golden yellow color!
When the cruise with narration wrapped up, we went to the iconic Senso-​ji Buddhist Temple and then the tourist Nakamise Street to check out souvenirs and local wares.
Lastly, we drove through Ginza, the most luxurious shopping district in the world and then caught the train back to our home away from home the Ryokan Kangetsu.
The tour was fantastic, we loved our guide who was so friendly and easy-​going (I wish I could remember her name), the places we visited were memorable and exciting, and the price was reasonable.
If we ever get the opportunity to visit Japan again, we would definitely consider Hato Bus for the same or a different tour!

We went on their full day panoramic tour and really enjoyed it! Our tour guide was quite knowledgeable about the history of Tokyo, so learned a lot. Her English was good and easy to understand, so was not a problem. Lunch was included and was located at the top floor of a hotel — excellent views! Definitely worth the money