New tours reveal real way of life in Tokyo

I've always resisted the idea of taking a guided tour on my annual visits to Japan. My interests are pretty niche and I know Tokyo well enough that friends there often have trouble suggesting new places for me to visit.

This year I decided to try two guides offering personalized tours.

One, Lee Chapman, is a photographer who specializes in older neighborhoods. The other, Mark Hobold, writes a history blog called Japan This! that is sometimes too geeky even for me.