Uncommon Explorations
Embrace the Unfamiliar
Discover the Tokyo Hidden in Plain Sight
As difficult as it can be to say much with absolute certainty about a place like Tokyo—with how massive and diverse it is—there’s at least one thing I can say for sure:
Tokyo is the single most interesting place I’ve ever been.
In more than a decade of living here, I’ve spent countless hours exploring this city. Even so, I’ve barely scratched the surface. You’d need multiple lifetimes to see it all.
There’s always more to discover, and I’ve found that the best and most interesting experiences happen when you navigate away from popular areas and venture into the in-between places. Away from major stations, away from what you know, and toward the joy of discovering what you’ve never seen before.
Why Most Visitors Miss the Real Tokyo
Most people never get to know much of a place like Tokyo. It’s just too big, too complex—so vast it easily becomes overwhelming.
If you’re visiting, there’s urgency in seeing the must-sees: Senso-ji, Harajuku, Meiji Jingu, Tokyo Skytree. These places are popular for good reason, but there’s so much more to experience. It seems a shame to leave it all untouched, hidden in plain sight.
Here’s what most people don’t realize: Most of Tokyo isn’t skyscrapers and neon. Most of Tokyo isn’t high fashion or crowded shopping malls.
Most of Tokyo is residential and low-rise. Narrow streets filled with local businesses, quiet shrines, basement music venues, old coffee shops, tiny parks, and cats snoozing in hedges. It’s the juxtaposition of a million contrasting elements that creates the true nature of this city—far more than the popular destinations.
Tokyo is where tens of millions of people live their actual lives: working, relaxing, going to school, falling in love, raising children, pursuing hobbies. These everyday elements form the real fabric of Tokyo and offer a deeper understanding of this place.
How These Urban Drift Tours Work
The Experience
These explorations typically last a few hours—long enough to go deep and discover interesting things, but not so long that it becomes tiresome. Consider it an introduction to an approach you can continue using on your own.
Our Starting Point
We usually begin somewhere familiar: a major station like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ebisu, Ikebukuro, or Akihabara. We’ll spend time getting oriented and understanding the area, which provides crucial context for contrasting what we’ll discover later.
Method
From there, we use strategies grounded in psychogeography and mindfulness practice to guide where we go. For example, we might navigate using:
- Cards drawn from a custom deck of prompts
- Random numbers or algorithms
- Cues from our mood, sensory input, or curiosity
- Arbitrary rules we invent along the way
- Anything else that arises in our imaginations
The Philosophy
These explorations are fundamentally flexible. We have no fixed destination, no rigid schedule, no goal beyond seeing what we can see. We can take breaks, stop for tea, or pause in a park to appreciate our surroundings more deeply.
Where we end up is anyone’s guess, but Tokyo’s dense public transportation means you’ll always be able to get where you need to go next. I’ll help you navigate onward if needed.
This is about paying attention to our environment and how it affects us. It’s about the journey, not the destination.
What I Promise You
Given the unpredictable nature of an organic drift through the city, I can’t guarantee specifics about what we’ll see. However, I can make three promises:
- You’ll see parts of Tokyo that you wouldn’t otherwise see if you stuck to typical tourist routes
- You’ll gain new exploration techniques that you can apply in any city you visit
- I’ll give my absolute best to make it an interesting and fulfilling experience
I’m doing this out of sincere love for this place and feel personally responsible for sharing why I’m so enamored with Tokyo. I wouldn’t offer this service if I didn’t believe in its value.
Tour Variations
Start Anywhere
While we can begin near major stations, we can also meet at tiny stations on lesser-used lines, in interesting parks, or anywhere that catches your interest.
Point-to-Point Wandering
Need to end up somewhere specific? We can start at one location and meander our way to your destination—perfect if you have dinner reservations or need to catch a train.
Follow Your Interests
What fascinates you? I’m happy to integrate your specific interests into our exploration, whether that’s architecture, food culture, local life, or anything else.
Photography Focus
As both guide and photographer, I can combine urban exploration with photography instruction if you’re interested in capturing the city through your lens.
Custom Concepts
Have an idea for a unique outing? Get in touch—I’m always excited to explore new approaches.
Important Details
Weather Policy: Tours run rain or shine unless there’s a typhoon or dangerous conditions. For hot weather, I recommend morning or evening tours. Bring an umbrella and appropriate footwear for rainy days.
Respectful Exploration: Tokyo isn’t an amusement park. Please be respectful—keep noise levels considerate, don’t enter restricted areas, don’t litter, and ask permission before photographing strangers.
Flexible Timing: While booking platforms may show limited hours, I can arrange early morning or late evening tours (within reason). These quieter times often provide especially peaceful exploration opportunities.
Location: We focus primarily on Tokyo’s 23 Special Wards, though I also live in nearby Saitama City and can guide tours there as well—the urban area continues seamlessly between the two.
Accessibility: If you or someone in your group has mobility concerns, we can usually adjust the tour accordingly. Please reach out before booking to discuss specific needs.
Ready to discover Tokyo’s hidden side? Book your urban drift tour and experience the city like a longtime resident rather than a typical tourist.
A DIY guide to getting purposefully lost in Tokyo
Not sure yet? Why not start with a zine?
Think of the zine as a low-cost way to get a sense of what this is all about, and to open up some possibilities in your own explorations, whether or not we ever meet.
Two options for getting it:
- Get the bundle on Gumroad, which includes the ebook, a printable file, and instructions on how to use it to make your own physical copy
- Get the Kindle version on Amazon (USA)
Meet Your Guide
David R Munson
Originally from the USA, I’ve lived in Japan for a decade now and couldn’t be happier about it. I live in Saitama City, just north of Tokyo, with my wife and cat. I’m a photographer, writer, educator, and terminal wanderer. I love cooking, reading, cycling, and studying the world around me.
With a background in photography and nonfiction writing, I approach exploring Tokyo with a contemplative eye, encouraging participants to pay close attention to the world around them. My experiences are designed to help you discover the rich details and stories that make Tokyo such a vibrant place.
Book Your Experience Now
Rate:
The rate for standard-length tours in Tokyo is JPY ¥25,000 for groups of up to four adults (kids are fine, they just don’t factor into pricing). For larger groups or custom outings, please get in touch for rates. Use the conversion widget below if you’d like to convert the rate to your local currency.
Early Booking Special:
Book 30+ Days Ahead, Get ¥7,500 Off
Book your tour at least 1 month in advance, and get your tour for just ¥17,500 (that's ¥7,500 or 30% off). Your reservation is good for up to 2 years from the time of purchase. It's also a great gift option for someone you know who's headed to Tokyo.
Advance bookings are non-refundable (unless I can't fulfill my part of the deal), but are transferrable. Get in touch with any questions you might have.
Currently limited to the first 10 bookings. If you're interested, now is the time reserve your spot.
Reserve Your Spot NowCancellation and Rescheduling
Cancellation more than 7 days in advance will result in a full refund. Cancellation less than one week in advance will result in a partial refund (your booking fee minus ¥10,000). No refunds for cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance.
If you need to reschedule, please get in touch as early as possible, as my schedule does fill up. Rescheduling is usually possible, within reason.
Please understand that these policies are based on the fact that I am a freelancer, and when I take your booking, I block out my schedule and am therefore unavailable for other work.
Booking:
OK so here’s the deal with booking: I am available and ready to go, but am still figuring out good booking solutions. For now you can use the booking link below. Alternatively, you can get in touch by email at david@somewherein.jp and we can go from there. If you’re making arrangements more than a month in advance, I recommend sending an email so I can put a tentative hold on your desired date and time.
In-person payments by cash or card are available upon request.
Finally, once you’ve made your booking or sent your inquiry, please fill out the questionnaire linked below so I can learn a bit more about you.