Modern Japanese History Tour in Tokyo
Description
On this 3-hour Modern History Tour, explore Tokyo’s wartime past with your English-speaking guide. Begin at Kudanshita Station (9:00 AM) and visit key landmarks that hold relics and memories of World War II. Pay respects at Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates 2.5 million war dead since 1869, and learn about the history and controversies surrounding it. Continue to the Yūshūkan War Museum, dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives, and discover artifacts that shed light on Japan’s military past. Throughout the tour, gain insight into how Japanese people commemorate those lost to war, the struggles civilians faced such as starvation, and the experiences of soldiers—including the mindset behind Kamikaze missions.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Yasukuni Shrine, located in Tokyo, honors Japan's war dead with impressive traditional architecture and tranquil surroundings. Visitors can explore the shrine grounds and a museum featuring artifacts that offer insight into Japan’s military history, providing a reflective experience in the heart of Tokyo.
The Yushukan Museum, located on the grounds of Yasukuni Shrine, offers a comprehensive look at Japan’s military history. This museum features exhibits of historical artifacts, documents, and military equipment, providing visitors with a unique insight into Japan’s past through powerful and thought-provoking displays.
The National Showa Memorial Museum, also known as Showa-kan, provides a detailed look into the lives of Japanese civilians during and after World War II. Through exhibitions of personal items, photographs, and narratives, visitors can explore the impact of the war on everyday life in Japan and the resilience of its people during the challenging Showa era.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Will this be a sensitive topic for some people?
- While the purpose of this tour is to educate and inform about Modern Japanese history (from over 70 years ago until recent times), it may still be a sensitive topic to some people. We really hope that everyone who comes will keep an open mind and will not put our tour guides in a difficult situation; if the tour guide may feel threatened at any point, please note that the tour may have to end and the tour guide may contact local law enforcement if necessary.
- What is the purpose of this tour?
- In this tour, you will learn how the Japanese people commemorate and pay their respects to those who have perished from war, the issues that civilians faced during WWII such as starvation, how Japanese soldiers felt and behaved during the war, learn why kamikaze (also known as tokotai) was so prevalent and how the soldiers told their family members before their inevitable fates.
- Operating Days (Please select your preferred date accordingly)
- This tour operates from Tue to Sun each week (except on public holidays), from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
- Standard Cancellation Policy:
- Cancellation fee of 100% is charged if cancelled 7 days or less before the event
- Cancellation fee of 50% is charged if cancelled 14 days or less before the event
- Cancellation fee of 25% is charged if cancelled 20 days or less before the event
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Reviews(5)
Our guide, Yasuhiro Suzuki, was knowledgeable, tactful, and very personable. A really worthwhile morning tour because of him. Highly recommend.
Hiro was informative and thoughtful. He covered a good mix of historic and every day living info. He clearly knew his material. We really enjoyed his tour and learned a ton.
The tour is well laid out in a fairly compact area. The two museums are must sees for those interested in either the military history of Japan, or the civilian experience from World War 2 through the economic miracle. My guide Mr. Izumi was knowledgeable, as well as kind and patient with my many questions. He made it an awesome experience.
This was a very informative tour regarding Japanese history, particularly military history, since the Meiji reign and including WWII. Our guide was well informed and answered many questions. Many exhibit were in Japanese only, so he was helpful in interpreting the museums. We recommend this tour and our guide, Izumi.
An interesting tour through two museums that don't particularly cater to non-Japanese speakers. Which made having a tour guide indispensable. It would certainly not have been worth visiting either without a helping hand to translate and explain things. The museums essentially cover Japan from the end of the Edo period up until the restoration of Japan after WW2. I would recommend anyone with an interest in history try this tour, if only because it presents to you the perspective of another country upon the tragedies of WW1 and WW2.
