Tokyo: Sugamo Food, Culture, and Calligraphy Tour

Tokyo, JP

About this activity

Experience Tokyo’s best-known spots, getting away from the touristy areas in the process. Following some cultural hot spots and shopping, you will experience a unique Japanese calligraphy class which features a unique prize at the end.

Highlights

  • Take a 4-hour cultural experience
  • Enjoy lunch and local food tastings at 5 food stops
  • Browse the shops at a local shopping arcade for souvenirs unique to the area
  • Take an authentic Japanese caligraphy class
  • Take home a t-shirt with your own kanji character from your personal brush work

Full description

Your Sugamo culture and food tour will begin with a local sweet treat from a shop that has been in the area for around a hundred years. This charming location has a great friendly atmosphere and creates original snacks and classics with a twist found no-where else in Tokyo. Following that, head on to Jizo Dori, the famous local shopping arcade where you will have a chance to visit regional shops celebrating prefectures across Japan. Stop at a famous temple and learn about this haven for older Tokyo residents who are still quite young a heart, before heading to the district’s popular 800-meter-long street which is also affectionately known as the “Old Generations’ Harajuku”. Browse pickle stores, snack stalls, and interesting shops, and take in the local vibe on your way to a favorite spot for a delicious lunch and dessert. Following lunch and an exploration of this colorful and fun area, you'll head to a hidden calligraphy studio and experience the ancient art of Japanese Calligraphy called Shodo. There you can create your own Japanese kanji character with a fantastic teacher, and once you have written your Japanese kanji with a brush and ink there is a wonderful added bonus: you will get to take home your own high-quality t-shirt with your character on it.

Included / Excluded

  • • Local dishes at 5 food stops
  • • Lunch in a local restaurant
  • • Dessert
  • • 1 drink
  • • Traditional calligraphy experience with professionals (all materials are supplied)
  • • Customized t-shirt
  • • Local English-speaking guide
  • • Hotel pickup
  • • Gratuities
  • • Transportation costs
  • • Additional drinks or food (not included but possible to purchase at guest expense)

Important information

Know before you book

  • • Please wear comfortable walking shoes
  • • Dietary options are available
  • • If you join the tour as a single traveler, please email the supplier before booking
  • • A copy of your passport information is required for all participants aged 10 and over

Know before you go

  • Please arrive at the meeting time on time. A copy of your passport information is required for all participants aged 10 and over.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts

Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund

Reviews

GetYourGuide
Ross
Jul 2026
5.0

o this was a fun, informative, interesting and tasty tour! we loved our time with our engaging guide Yoshiko. The small tour was great. the food venues interesting and the company great. we did this as a private tour and I think we got more from.t that experience. Happy to recommend.

GetYourGuide
Bryan
Jun 2026
4.0

Great Food, Mixed Experience The food on this tour was exceptional — outstanding quantity, quality, and variety. We enjoyed generous portions of delicious local specialties. However, finding the meeting spot was very difficult. The instructions pointed to a mural that had been taken down with no clear alternative. Our guide Mae was friendly and knowledgeable, but she seemed awkward and not very engaging. She didn’t encourage group introductions, so we felt disconnected and noticed other guides were much more lively. She’s nice and knows her material, but may be better suited to a different role. Hoping the company can provide support without this affecting her job. The food made it worthwhile, but better logistics and energy would improve it.

GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide traveler
Apr 2026
1.0

Very disappointing, far from town and no real food tasting.