First Week Running Tours in Tokyo: Building “Welcome to Japan” and a Night at Japanese Baseball!
- Alex
- Apr 5
- 6 min read
One Month After Launch, It Became Real
One month ago, on March 2nd, I launched Welcome to Japan to the world.
At the time, it felt like a big step. Something I had been building quietly, thinking about constantly, and working towards every single day. But even then, it still felt like the beginning of something unknown. I didn’t know how quickly things would move, or how people would respond.
Then the bookings started coming in.
Through the website, through GetYourGuide, through TripAdvisor. One after another. And just like that, what had been an idea turned into something real. The lead-up to this first week of running tours was honestly a whirlwind, and it’s hard to put into words just how quickly everything came together.
Around the same time, it’s also been one year since I moved to Japan. Early April marks that moment. Looking back, that year has changed everything for me. Not just in terms of where I live, but how I think, how I work, and how I show up every day. I didn’t just move countries. I stepped into a completely different version of myself.
I incorporated this business in May 2025, not long after arriving, and since then I’ve been working towards this exact moment. Long days, constant learning, refining ideas, building something from nothing. And now, finally, I’ve had my first full week actually running tours.
And honestly, it’s been one of the best weeks of my life.
Asakusa: The Perfect Start
The week began in Asakusa, and it couldn’t have started better.
The weather was beautiful, the sakura were in full bloom, and the entire area was buzzing with energy. Yes, there were crowds, but that’s part of what makes Asakusa feel alive, especially during this time of year. There’s something special about walking through Sensoji Temple with that kind of atmosphere around you.
What made it even better was the group I had on tour. They were curious, engaged, and genuinely interested in learning. They asked questions constantly, and that’s exactly the kind of experience I want to create. Not just walking people from place to place, but sharing stories, answering questions, and helping people understand Japan on a deeper level.
One thing that stood out straight away was how much people appreciated the small group size. In a place like Tokyo, it’s common to see large tour groups moving through the streets, sometimes with 20 or 30 people at once. But with smaller groups, everything changes. Conversations feel more natural, people can ask what they actually want to ask, and the experience becomes more personal.
That’s something I really want to keep at the core of this business.
Rain in Tokyo, But Still a Great Day
A couple of days later, I was back in Asakusa again, but this time the weather had completely turned.
Rain, grey skies, a very different atmosphere.
But what surprised me was how little that actually mattered.
The family I was guiding brought such great energy to the day, and despite the weather, it turned into one of those experiences that you remember for all the right reasons. The wife was especially curious, asking questions about Japanese food, culture, and history throughout the entire walk.
And for me, that’s the part I love the most.
As a Japanese person, and as someone who’s genuinely passionate about culture and history, being able to share that knowledge doesn’t feel like work. It feels natural. It feels like I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to be doing. Even in the rain, it was a really enjoyable and rewarding day.
Yanaka: Slowing Things Down
After a short break midweek, Thursday’s tour in Yanaka brought a completely different feeling.
Yanaka has this quiet, nostalgic atmosphere that’s hard to find in other parts of Tokyo. The pace slows down, the streets feel more local, and you get a glimpse into a different side of the city. Walking through Yanaka Cemetery with the sakura lining the path was one of those moments that just makes you stop for a second and take everything in.
It was calm, beautiful, and almost felt like stepping out of the busyness of Tokyo for a while.
The guests I had that day were amazing as well, and moments like that remind me how important these early tours are. Building connections, creating great experiences, and slowly growing something from the ground up. A big thank you to Marisa as well for the review, it genuinely means a lot at this stage.
Harajuku: Contrast at Its Best
Friday’s tour in Harajuku summed up Tokyo perfectly.
We started the day at Meiji Jingu Shrine, surrounded by forest, walking through one of the most peaceful and sacred spaces in the city. There’s a stillness there that you don’t expect in a place like Tokyo, and it always sets the tone in a really special way.
Then, within a short walk, everything changes.
You step into Takeshita Street, and suddenly it’s colour, noise, energy, and chaos. Food stalls, fashion, music, people everywhere. From there, moving through Omotesando brings yet another shift, more refined, more modern, but still full of life.
That contrast is what makes Harajuku such an incredible place to explore, and sharing that with people never gets old.
Tanya thanks so much for your fantastic review also. It means alot!
Why This Week Meant So Much
By the end of the week, one feeling stood out more than anything else.
Fulfilment.
Not just being busy, not just ticking off tasks, but actually feeling like I’m doing something meaningful. Meeting people from all over the world, sharing Japanese culture, telling stories, and creating experiences that people will remember.
This is exactly why I moved to Japan.
This is exactly why I started Welcome to Japan.
A Friday Night to Celebrate
To wrap up the week, Sebastian and I decided to celebrate properly.
We headed out for dinner near the Tokyo Dome and treated ourselves to a big American barbecue meal. After a period of being pretty strict with diet and training, it felt well deserved. Good food, good company, and a moment to pause and take it all in.
From there, we made our way into the Tokyo Dome for my first ever Japanese baseball game.
Inside the Tokyo Dome: More Than Just Baseball
The game itself was between the Yomiuri Giants and the Yokohama BayStars, but what stood out wasn’t just the sport. It was everything happening around it.
Once you understand the basics of baseball, it becomes easy to follow, but the real experience comes from the atmosphere. The energy in the stadium is constant, and every player has their own chant, backed by drums, trumpets, and coordinated cheering from the crowd.
We were sitting closer to the BayStars fans, and they brought an incredible level of energy for almost the entire game. It felt less like watching a sport and more like being part of a live performance.
One of the most unique parts of the experience was the beer girls walking through the stands, carrying large kegs on their backs and constantly moving through the crowd, serving drinks with a smile. It’s something you don’t really see anywhere else, and it adds to the overall experience in a way that’s hard to explain until you see it yourself.
We ended up leaving just before the final innings, as the game stretched towards the three-hour mark, but by then it already felt like a complete experience. I think the BayStars took the win in the end, but that almost felt secondary.
Looking Ahead
Wrapping up this first week, I feel incredibly grateful.
Grateful for the people I’ve met, the experiences I’ve been able to create, and the opportunity to finally do what I set out to do when I moved to Japan.
Next week, it all continues. More tours, more people, more stories!
And on the weekend, I’ll be heading down to Hiroshima for a 50km ultra in the mountains, which is a whole different kind of challenge.
But for now, I’m just taking a moment to appreciate this first week.
Because it’s only the beginning.
Thanks for reading!
Alex I love reading your blogs. Congratulations on your first week!