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Context Travel Tokyo

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CONTEXT TRAVEL TOKYO (Shibuya) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Great Context Tour of Tokyo - Context Travel Tokyo

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We had a great time with Maciej who showed us a little bit of the area and history! The tasting and... read more

Itsuko showed me and my teenager around the National History Museum. She was so well prepared and... read more

Great Context Tour of Tokyo

Jay clearly had a vast knowledge about Tokyo, its history (both in term of pure historical events and the impact of religion over time) and the growth and change of the city over time. He weaved in a tremendous amount of architectural information that added to the Tokyo story. He was also able to paint of picture of past and current culture in Tokyo.

Dear MilaniFamily, We are so delighted to read your review! The points you make about Jay's architectural walk (painting the Tokyo story, interweaving relevant information) are exactly what we hope to achieve through a Context walk. He's a wonderful docent and we are thankful we have him on our great team of Tokyo docents. We have passed on your kind words and hope to see you again in one of our 38 cultural capitals. Happy New Year and thanks for your feedback. Best, Context.

The docents were knowledgeable, professional and passionate about the subjects they were covering. We have travelled extensively and were particularly impressed by the focused and in-depth approach of your tours and choice of docents. We will definitely use Context for other destinations in the future

Dear ARGABC, Many thanks for your kind words about your time in Tokyo. It's great to read you had an insightful visit as a result of our passionate and hard-working docents in Tokyo. We work hard at giving clients an in-depth immersion into particular themes and we are glad to read that it is appreciated. We look forward to having you again soon in Japan or elsewhere in the world. Best, Lara

Aesthetics/Design was an excellent tour all round. Great to start with the shrine, move through Harajuku craziness and then into the more upmarket areas. We ended at 21_21 Design Sight, rather than Roppongi Hills - which was actually perfect as I had wanted to visit the exhibition currently showing there. Alejandro provided excellent commentary, particularly on contemporary architecture and architects, drawing together design threads and stylistic trends. A brief crib sheet - even just of the names of the architects for the buildings we visited - would have been useful; it would help one to follow up later and find out more. Thanks!

Hi Cathy G, Great to hear your feedback about our Aesthetics, Stylizing Modern Japan walk. It's an interesting route starting at Meiji Shrine and heading through Harajuku up to the 21_21 Design Sight where you ended to see the exhibition. This walk sometimes ends in different locations given the interests and the pace of our small groups. We are happy to read Alejandro's architectural expertise lived up to Context high quality and we will advise him to draw up a little brief crib sheet. Thank you for the advice. We look forward to having you again in one of our 38 cities soon. Best, Context.

My husband and I took the walking tour Aesthetics, Stylizing Modern Japan with Jay. He provided us with an overview of how the sites we were seeing were part of a larger urban design and culture. We had other tours with English speaking guides, but Jay added a thoughtful perspective as to the difference from Western approaches to space as well as personal interactions. I especially enjoyed learning about development patterns that emerged from taxation policies and seeing their results. Even though we had seen some of the sites previously, Jay's perspective added new meaning. I would definitely recommend this tour.

Dear Tobysf, Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed our Aesthetics, Stylizing Modern Japan tour. Jay is a real gem and a great ambassador for Context and everything it stands for. We are happy to read that his thoughtful perspective and his expertise as an urbanist resulted in interesting discussions. We hope to have you and your husband on our walks again soon. Happy future travels, Context.

Walking tour of the anime and manga cultural hub in Akihabara with Thomas Vannet. Extraordinary for his deep understanding of this cultural aspect of Japan. Interesting discussion of gender roles. Visited stores where men who collect dolls shop, manga artists sell their books, and French maid restaurants as well as a Shinto shrine. Suitable for older teens. Simply fascinating.

Dear Kelly969, Thank you for your kind review regarding your Otaku: From Geek to Chic walk in Akihabara with Thomas. We are happy to hear that you had interesting discussions with your docent who is a wonderful addition to our team in Tokyo and a true Otaku expert. Popular culture in Japan is fascinating and we are thankful that your docent helped unearth this for you. We do also have a family version of this walk, to make it more suitable for teens and children in another area, Ikebukuro. We hope we can welcome you on another of our walks again soon. Best, Context.

I did the "Aesthetics, Stylizing Modern Japan" architecture tour in Tokyo. Our guide, Jay, provided a thoughtful and engaging tour. It was nice to be in a small group (only 3 of us on this tour) which made it all very conversational. It was relaxed and comfortably paced and I learned a lot. It was good to do a tour which went beyond a cursory look at landmark buildings. I will do another Context Tour the next time I visit Tokyo.

Hi AnneES2014 - it's always a pleasure to read of clients experiencing thoughtful and engaging walks with us. Jay is a great asset to our organisation and an expert on all things aesthetic in Tokyo. Our groups are never more than 6, so it's wonderful to hear you appreciated being with so few people (only 3). We look forward to having you again in Tokyo, or in one of our 38 cities elsewhere in the world. Best, Context.

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Top Tokyo Day Trips for Curious Travelers

• Presented by the same world-class experts as our walking tours, Context Lectures highlight must-see attractions, reveal hidden landmarks, and explore the best things to do during your trip so you don’t miss a thing.

Mandy Bartok originally hails from the US, but has lived in Japan since 2008. She has written for the travel section of the Japan Times, the nation's leading English language newspaper, and various other print and online publications. She has also worked as a travel consultant for several of Japan's regional governments and travel bureaus. Her true passion, however, is leading tours to Tokyo's undiscovered neighborhoods and teasing out the stories of the dynamic and captivating city she is fortunate to call home.

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Explore with Local Experts Host-led experiences for those who love to dive deep into local life (4.77) See all 58,053 reviews

Bundle and save, add 3 or more tours to your cart and save 15% with code bundle15. with 500 experiences in 60+ destinations worldwide, context is everywhere you want to be..

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Context Private Tours: Inside Guides to Tokyo

LUXE has partnered with pride of guides Context Travel, who run private and small group tours led by an armed cotillion of art historians, PhDs, culture mavens + specialists. They’ll enlighten you via themed itins or bespoke jaunts, so you can spend time taking in the sights, not with your head buried in a book. What’s more, now you can book tours directly through our app. Glam gallivants ahead!

From Play to Pray: Exploring Asakusa

Tokyo is certainly known the world over for its futuristic elements – from egg- and umbrella-dispensing vending machines to self-saucing chopsticks and automatic music-playing toilets – but the Nippon capital also has some 400+ years of illustrious history. And one of the best places to explore the old Edo ways is on a Context tour of the culture-crammed Asakusa neighbourhood.

Once located outside of the city limits, the enclave was home to theatres, shrines and a scandalous red light district, all of which are discussed on this three-hour stroll led by a resident historian. Enroute you’ll visit the area’s most iconic site, the C.7th Buddhist Senso-ji Temple, as well as one of Tokyo’s few remaining Geisha districts before concluding with some quiet contemplation in a traditional garden. Who says this city is all cutting-edge tech and neon bright lights?

Rather go unguided? Download the LUXE app and point your peepers at the Traditional Tokyo itinerary for our pick of the best temples, teahouses and tatami dining experiences.

Book directly at  contexttravel.com

Tasting Tsukiji: A Market Tour

Silly for sashimi? Or just drowning in the ocean of endless stalls that is Tsukiji? Well fret not sakana connoisseurs, Captain Context will safely sail you around the world’s largest and busiest fish fest where savvy shoppers can find everything from nori sheets to caviar and salmon auctioned off by the crate load.

During this three-hour guided gander you’ll learn a bit about the history of the market, observe some produce prep and probably spy a few (seemingly shifty) transactions before having the oppor-tuna-ty to try some raw bites and other Japanese delicacies over a sit down lunch in the outer section of the market. It’s the flippin’ best way to sea this quintessential Tokyo site.

Aesthetics: Stylizing Modern Japan  

The importance of aesthetics is visible everywhere in Tokyo, from impeccably manicured trees to perfect packaging and too-pretty-to-eat cakes. And, of course, the attention to architectural aspects is no different. This three-hour, three-angle urbanists’ expedition takes walkers around the equally style-savvy but distinctly different neighbourhoods of Harajuku, Omotesando and Roppongi, exploring how traditional Japanese notions of design and culture create contrast in the contemporary cityscape.

After admiring the classic Meiji Shrine, you’ll skip over to the famous Takeshita St, lined with cutesy-colourful shops from Gothic Lolita dresses to fashions for Fido. Here you’ll pause to discuss this youthful manifestation of modern Japan, before moving on to grown-up label land Omotesando’s aesthetic principles (and the brands they house). Finally, it’s on to Roppongi Hills to explore Tokyo’s flourishing contemporary art scene with visits to the Mori Museum and the 21_21 design site.

Otaku: From Geek to Chic

From comics to anime cartoons to cosplay, explore all the colour and oddity of Japan’s most misunderstood subculture Otaku in the neighbourhood that serves as the epicentre of this fandom phenomenon, electronics enclave Akihabara.

This three-hour Context tour will take you ambling through side streets (and most likely past an abundance of outrageously attired enthusiasts), to arcade shops and oh-so Japanese purikura (photos booths). Finally, you’ll finish at a ‘maid café’ for a quick gawk at the girls dressed as anime characters and the equally intriguing regulars playing trading card games and making models. This is the Nippon capital at it’s most crazy and kawaii.

Tokyo National Museum

If your impression of Japan is stuck at sushi and Hello Kitty, this is just the tour to knock some authentic insights into you. Say sayonara to the modern metropolis and konichiwa to artifacts dating back to 10,000BC at the Tokyo National Museum.

Located in tranquil Ueno Park, this culture vulture nest houses thousands of sculptures, objects and paintings related to Asian art and archeology, but the Context excursion narrows its focus to the Japanese Gallery. What is more, all tours are tailored to the particular interests of attendees, so you can beef up your Buddhism knowledge, sharpen your Samurai nouce or top up your tea ceremony skills. Just tell your guiding history expert what you want to know and away you go.Book directly at  contexttravel.com

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• Top Destinations
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• Newly Added Tours
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• Pre-Trip Lectures
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• My Favorites
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• Client Orders
• Monthly Commissions
• My Advisor Profile
• Advisor Toolkit
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Credit Balance

Transactions are based on current exchange rates and performed in USD. There maybe slight variations in the price estimates.

Our Difference

Context is a network of scholars and specialists whose aim is to invite travelers off the tourist track and into the real life of the people, history, and culture of the world's greatest cities.

While over 80% of our guides have MA or PhD-level degrees in their fields of expertise, we live by the rule that learning isn't a finite activity. We're inquisitive about the places and people around us. We're inspired by conversations ripe with new perspectives and oft-untold stories. We don't play loose with the facts. Ours is the intellectual seeker's approach to the world: both in life and in work, we thrill at the potent possibility of " yet ".

At day's end—we believe that travel is the ultimate form of education, one best served with a heaping side of meaningful interaction and memorable conversation.

Curiosity is Key ...

... and that's been true since the beginning. Context was founded in 2003 by Paul Bennett and Lani Bevacqua, a husband and wife who landed in Rome after over two years spent sailing across the Atlantic. 

Once in Rome, Paul and Lani fell in with an eclectic group of professors and specialists—architects, native Romans, researchers, writers, archaeologists—and formed Context as a means to connect those experts with travelers yearning for an in-depth understanding of the city.

Now, 15-plus years and over 150,000 tours later, we've grown from a single-city operation to a group of scholars, nerds, and curious travelers spanning over 60 cities across 6 continents. (Someone once called us "affable weirdos," which may be the nicest compliment we've gotten, ever). Just about the only thing that hasn't changed is our passion for ideas and sharing knowledge.

In Context 

We're immensely proud to have been a Certified B Corp since 2011, and we run our business with the understanding that travel should make us defenders of a place, not a means of its deterioration. We know that— done sustainably —travel can profoundly benefit both the visitor and the visited. 

In sum: we aim to live up to our name. To give something "Context" is to connect the dots between eras, geographies, and cultures. It's to weave us all together as part of a larger, shared narrative. 

So, for travelers finding themselves intrigued by how the Baroque rivalry of Bernini and Borromini shaped our modern conception of genius; amblers angling to get a grip on the Haussmannian evolution of Paris and its lasting legacy on the field of city planning; savorers keen to (literally) dig into the cultural underpinnings that make Singaporean street food just  so  sensational:  

Welcome. We're delighted to meet you. 

Like what you see?

We’re always looking for lifelong learners to join our team.

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Want to guide with us?  Apply here .  

Welcome to context travel.

Context Travel is a provider of cultural & historical tours in over 50 world capitals. We’re completely changing the way cultural travel works - as experiences move from an afterthought to the center of a trip. We have a really special product that has impacted thousands of lives. We've been a certified B Corp since 2011 and pioneer in responsible approaches to business practice and travel. We try hard to be a flat organization and idea meritocracy . We care deeply about the employee experience and helping team members achieve their goals & be their best at Context. All of our full-time employees are also shareholders.  Read more about our story, culture & values here . 

In addition, full time employees receive:

• A supportive, mission-oriented work environment with colleagues who care
• Unlimited access to online seminars and in-person tours
• Annual learning & wellness stipend to pursue personal and professional interests
• A competitive salary with 401K (+ match), health & dental insurance (US only)
• Tech stipend
• Flexible PTO (with no caps, encouraged minimums, and parental leave)
• A remote-first work policy
• An annual company retreat to connect with international colleagues (past locations include Lisbon, Barcelona, the Poconos [arguably the most memorable], Mexico City and New York City)

Expert Tour Guide - Tokyo Opportunities

Context Travel is looking for great guides and experts located in Tokyo to lead tours for our global client base

Context Travel  offers cultural and historical walking tours led by deep subject-matter experts in over 60 destinations around the world. With coverage of lesser-known locales as well as main city sites, our expert guides take clients through in-depth, thematic topics to help them get to know a city more deeply. Context tours are designed to be the ideal environment for learning—they are conversation-driven experiences that are structured, but never scripted. From Paris to Tokyo to New York to Mexico City, we have a global network of architects, historians, food experts, ecologists, archaeologists, artists - and more - showing their cities to intellectually curious clients.

We welcome all disciplines of intellectuals, academics, and lifelong learners, be they Ph.D. students, professors, tour guides, or enthusiasts. We offer competitive pay and welcome applications from individuals with the following professions or areas of expertise:

• Food and wine 
• Art History
• Architecture
• Archaeology

In return we offer:

• Flexible schedules on a freelance basis
• Competitive pay commensurate with experience
• A dedicated expert community team
• Organized meetups several times per year to meet the other experts in your area
• Global resources for leading tours
• Unlimited access to learning on our digital platform, www.contextlearning.com 
• What our experts describe consistently as "the best network of clients" - curious, cultured, and affluent

Requirements

• Applicants should hold a higher degree (MA or Ph.D.) in any of the above disciplines or an equivalent credential and/or have licensure to lead tours as required by cities or venues 
• An ability to connect with people of all ages is essential, and demonstrated experience working with or teaching children is a plus
• Fluency in English (all our tours are led in English); bonus if you speak another language, especially Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, or Mandarin

Please indicate your interest here and, if it's a good fit, our team will be in touch with a more in-depth form to learn more about your area of expertise and to set up a short interview.

You can learn more about Context by visiting our website, https://www.contexttravel.com. If you have specific questions about the role, please don't hesitate to email us.

Context Travel is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.   If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. 

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