Private A5 Wagyu Food Walk in Asakusa

Asakusa is one of the parts of Tokyo with older streets and temples. The walk follows the approach to Senso-ji, often described as the city's oldest temple, and turns into the side streets where small restaurants cook for locals as much as for visitors. This tour joins a private guide to a route through that area, with a meal of A5 wagyu as the centrepiece.

A5 is the top grade of Japanese beef, and the meal here is yakiniku, meat grilled in small pieces at the table. The listing mentions other dishes on the way, among them tempura and more than one piece of good sushi, so the walk works as a tasting route rather than one long sit-down dinner. Local seasonal desserts and soft drinks are part of the price. Alcoholic drinks are not, and neither are gratuities.

Between courses you walk. The guide, who speaks English and Japanese, takes you past Senso-ji and through the shopping streets around it, and you have time to buy souvenirs. The listing gives the group no fixed size beyond calling it a private tour, so the pace is set by your own party. The whole walk lasts two and a half hours, which suits a late lunch or an early evening.

Expect to be on your feet for most of it. Wear shoes you can walk in, and tell the operator about any food allergies when you book, since the meal centres on meat, seafood and fried dishes. The guide meets you in front of the meeting building holding a flag; the exact location is on the booking page, so save it before you travel.

Senso-ji is dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, and is approached through the Kaminarimon gate and the long Nakamise shopping street. Asakusa is served by the Ginza and Asakusa subway lines and by the Tobu line, so it is simple to reach from central Tokyo. The area is busy at weekends and on public holidays, and a food walk with a guide is a way to leave the crowded main street for the quieter lanes behind it. Grilled meat leaves a smell on clothes, so wear something you do not mind carrying through a day of sightseeing afterwards.

The tour is run by Japan Local and Fun Experiences and booked through GetYourGuide, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. It suits couples, friends and families who would rather eat their way through a neighbourhood with a guide than choose a restaurant on their own. If you want a quieter, more formal meal, the private omakase dinner in Ginza on this site is a better fit.