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Tokyo, by ear.
Look up from your screen.
Listen to the story of the place in front of you.
GuideTunes is a multilingual audio guide for discovering Tokyo's landmarks, neighborhoods, history, and food while you walk, look, and taste. It is designed to keep your eyes on the journey—not on your screen.
Available in 10 languages · Works on your phone · First story in each series is free
Turn “I’m looking at it”
into “Now I understand it.”
Every destination holds stories you cannot notice just by being there. Why a building stands where it does. What history a neighborhood has layered over time. When, and how, a single dish was born.
GuideTunes delivers that background as audio. Instead of stopping to read explanations, you can enjoy it at your own pace—while looking at the view, while walking, while eating.
What gets in the way of a deeper journey?
Even when you want to know more, time, language, and screens keep breaking up the experience.
Fixed schedules
Guided tours come with set meeting times and routes, making it hard to linger freely at the places that catch your eye.
Language barriers
Explanations are often limited to English or a few languages, so you cannot always understand the full story in your own words.
The screen barrier
The more you look things up, the longer you stare at your smartphone—and the less time you spend on the view in front of you.
A guide designed to help you
look away from your screen.
Whenever you like, in whatever order you like, in your own language. GuideTunes keeps the freedom of your journey while letting you enjoy the scenery in front of you more deeply.
At your own pace
Stop, go back, take a break. Listen freely, in step with your own itinerary.
Eyes on the journey
No long explanations to read—enjoy the story while looking at the view or the dish in front of you.
In your language
Choose from 10 languages and understand the background and the culture.
Listen throughout
your journey.
At landmarks
Temples and shrines, architecture, gardens, viewpoints. Hear the history and meaning of what stands before you while taking it in with your own eyes.
While walking
Street names, how the town came to be, life in earlier times. The time you spend moving becomes time spent getting to know Tokyo.
While tasting
Sushi, tempura, soba, ramen. Hearing where a dish came from and the food culture behind it makes every bite a deeper experience.
Between places
On the train or on foot, preview the next place you will visit—or the history of Tokyo itself.
Audio-first
Designed to be understood by ear, not read on a screen.
Available in 10 languages
Enjoy the history and cultural background in the language that fits you.
Your own pace
No fixed start times, no fixed routes.
Beyond landmarks
City walks, history, food culture, even the time in between—all become part of the journey.
Story-led
Not just names and dates—we tell you why, and how.
All you need is your phone
No dedicated device required. Start with a smartphone and earphones.
Three ways to discover Tokyo.
Not only the famous sights—also the food and the city's history. Choose what fits your interests and your itinerary.
Landmarks
Senso-ji, Meiji Jingu, Shibuya, Tokyo Station and more—guides for a deeper understanding of the spot in front of you.
Explore LandmarksFood Stories
Sushi, tempura, soba, ramen—enjoy the stories and food culture behind Japanese dishes.
Explore Food StoriesTokyo Through Time
From Edo to today. Trace how the city took shape and became the Tokyo you see now.
Explore Tokyo’s History
Tokyo stories in 10 languages.
Not only English—we want more travelers to understand the story behind each place in the language that fits them best.
- 日本語Japanese
- English
- 中文（简体）Chinese (Simplified)
- 繁體中文Chinese (Traditional)
- 한국어Korean
- ไทยThai
- Tiếng ViệtVietnamese
- Bahasa IndonesiaIndonesian
- EspañolSpanish
- FrançaisFrench
Made to be heard on the journey.
GuideTunes scripts are not on-screen articles read aloud. They are written to be heard on location—with the length, the wording, the order, and the pauses all adjusted for listening.
- ResearchWe consult multiple sources and organize the history, culture, and background of each place.
- Script structureWe restructure it into a length and flow that travelers can easily listen to on the spot.
- Translation & localizationMore than swapping words—we adjust the expression so the cultural background comes through.
- Audio productionWe check the pace, the voice, and the volume so it is easy to hear outdoors and on the move.
- Content & playback checksWe check for errors, unnatural wording, misreadings, and missing audio.
- Improvement after releaseWe revise and update the content based on usage and feedback.
Not every guide is officially supervised or endorsed by the place or organization it describes. Official, partnered, supervised, and independently produced content is clearly identified where applicable.
AI-assisted. Human-reviewed.
GuideTunes uses AI to assist with research, script writing, translation, and audio production. We never publish AI-generated content without review.
Before release, we check the content, the wording, the translation, the reading, and how the audio sounds, and make the corrections needed. AI is a means to deliver more stories in more languages—it does not replace our responsibility for quality.
- Content reviewed
- Wording refined
- Localization checked
- Audio tested
Not just information to search.
A story to experience on the spot.
Once you know the story,
the same view feels different.
A building you would have walked right past. A dish that looked like any other. Knowing the story behind them makes the memory of your journey more vivid.
Frequently asked questions
GuideTunes is a multilingual audio guide for discovering Tokyo's landmarks, neighborhoods, history, and food while you walk, look, and taste. It is designed to keep your eyes on the journey—not on your screen.
Choose your language, pick a guide, and press play with your earphones on. The "How to Use GuideTunes" page walks you through the details.
See How to Use GuideTunesNo—GuideTunes works in your web browser as is. Depending on your device, you can also add it to your home screen and use it like an app.
Any smartphone with a supported web browser. We recommend earphones so the audio is easy to hear outdoors.
Ten languages: Japanese, English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Spanish, French, Indonesian, and Vietnamese.
Yes. The first story in each series is free, and free content is clearly labeled.
It depends on the content and plan. Please check the purchase screen for current prices.
See prices & plansWe currently focus on Tokyo, and more areas will be added over time.
Yes, you can listen anywhere. The guides are made to be heard on location, though—so they also work well as a preview before your trip or a look back afterward.
They are not required, but we recommend them: the audio is easier to hear outdoors or in shops, and you won't disturb the people around you.
You can listen while walking, but please stop in a safe place whenever you operate the screen. Never look at the screen while walking.
Not yet—an internet connection is currently required to play audio. We recommend using GuideTunes where you have a stable connection.
Yes. The speed button on the full-screen player lets you switch between 1.0x, 1.2x, and 1.5x.
Yes. Log in with the same account, and the guides you purchased will be available on the new device.
Yes. We use AI to assist with research, script writing, translation, and audio production. We never publish AI-generated content as is, though—before release we review the content, wording, translation, and audio, and make the corrections needed.
No. All GuideTunes content is currently planned and produced independently by GuideTunes, and none of it is based on a partnership with, or supervision by, any temple, shrine, or facility. If we ever offer partnered or supervised content in the future, it will be clearly identified on that content.
Please let us know through the contact form. We will review the content and correct it where needed.
Contact usPlease check your connection, the device volume, your earphone connection, and your browser settings. If the problem continues, contact us through the contact form.
Contact usPlease see our Refund & Cancellation Policy for the conditions.
See the Refund & Cancellation PolicyYes. GuideTunes starts with Tokyo and aims to expand to regions across Japan—and, in time, to cities around the world.
Go beyond
seeing Tokyo.
The first story is free. Put in your earphones and enjoy the Tokyo in front of you a little more deeply.
GuideTunes is planned, developed, and operated by Tsurunomaru BASE.
© 2026 GuideTunes