Walking day tours of Tokyo - Thursday?

Have found Backstreet Guides walking tours but have to meet away from hotel. Is navigating Tokyo very difficult? Are these tour guides the best?

Individual travelers often explore Tokyo on their own, with the help of a guidebook (or two), and their advance research on websites like this one you are on :)

There is a useful printed atlas available from Amazon etc: 'Tokyo City Atlas. A Bilingual Guide' (��15)*, but it's quite difficult to get lost in central Tokyo for any length of time.

[*Slice out the pages you need for your walk.]

1. Kit yourself out with a GPS/compass equipped smartphone or tablet, pocket WiFi and use Google Maps/StreetView.

2. Low tech: Sketch a basic map before you go, include the largest roads, rail lines, stations and landmark buildings. A quick glance and you'll know where you are.

Basic notes like 'Third road on the left, with the Family Mart on the corner' will get you from A to B. Most tourist places are signed in English, but you can always copy down the Kanji for somewhere to help spot it on a public map.

Even if somewhere only has a Japanese-language website, it will probably have a map you can use.

3. If you do get lost, head for the road with the most traffic (and most traffic signs), or find a rail line and follow it to a station.

4. There are public maps on boards dotted around central Tokyo.

5. Maps are handed out/available at many stations.

6. If you really are lost, ask a policeman: there are kobans (small kiosks with police officers in) everywhere. They may not speak much English but they have maps and are used to lost tourists. They also have access to translators by phone.

7. Go into a konbini (convenience store), buy something and ask the way to the nearest station at the checkout. 'Where is the station' is pronounced: "Eki wa doko des ka?" [written, it would be 'desu', but the 'u' is silent.]

8. Ask a fellow tourist/ex-pat.

9. Hail a cab. See the J-G page for details on costs.

I've never felt uncomfortable walking around central Tokyo, day or night. It's very different to London. Just keep your suica card charged with some credit, and have at least a taxi fare on you in cash.

David, thank you so much for your detailed response to my enquiry. It has answered many questions for me, and I feel confident that we will be right once we get there and have a feel for the city.
Thgank you again.

You can book free tours here:

Tokyo - http://www.tokyofreeguide.com

Volunteer guides here

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/travel/guide/list_volunteerGuides.ph...