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Tours
Cultural Treasures of Japan
14 DAYS
$6,149
pp*
Save up to $300
*Rate is per person, land only, double occupancy, tour inclusions and available options may vary based on departure date.
Please select a date below for more details.
Please select a date below for more details.
Immerse yourself in the ancient and modern cultures of Japan. Learn the art of the tea ceremony, and stand before the famous Senso-ji Buddhist temple. Tour Matsumoto Castle, known as the “Crow Castle” for its black exterior. Taste legendary Hida beef and sip sake at a local brewery. Delve into Kyoto, the marvelous cultural capital of Japan. Board the Shinkansen “bullet” train to travel to Hiroshima to visit Shrine Island and the Peace Memorial Museum. Absorb the beauty of the Golden Pavilion and the majesty of Nijo Castle. Japan slowly draws you into its eclectic culture and charm, revealing incredible moments every step of the way.
Your Tour Includes
- 5 Handpicked Accommodations
- 18 Meals
Included Highlights
- Tokyo
- Ginza
- Asakusa Sensoji Shrine
- Tea Ceremony
READ MORE
Your Tour at a Glance
Getting Prepared
Know Before You Go
Enhance Your Tour
Accommodations
Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
Nights 1-3
Odakyu Hotel de Yama
Night 4
Takayama Green Hotel
Nights 5-6
Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel
Nights 7-8
Nikko Princess Hotel Kyoto
Nights 9-12
Need More Information?
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Trip Reviews
Live, Unedited, & Independent Traveler Reviews
Rating
237 reviews
4.3
Out of 5
Based on 237 independent reviews
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Great tour manager. Very good hotels. Great bus driver. Group meals at the hotels were nice, but nothing special.Scott Laufer
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Tour guide was great, cultural experiences were fun and educational, sightseeing was enjoyable.M Swenson
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Excellent in every way. Especially the tour manager, Nobuko Nakamura. Free time provided was just right, group was punctual and friendly, sights were amazing, accommodations were lovely, the country was beautiful! I could go on and on!! It was a fabulous experience!Linda Swenson
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Overall the trip was fantastic and a great way to explore Japan. The tour manager was well organized and very attentive.
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Overall tour was great. Transportation arrangements to and from Japan deserve one star at best. While most of the tour was top notch I suggest stopping for 30 minutes at the Imperial Palace instead of a drive by and at least two hours at the National Museum instead of one. A bit too much arts and crafts for my liking. Tour well planned and exciting and educational each and every day. Just about right amount of time spent at each site except as noted above. No one 'favorite memorable experience'. Great experience every day. Hotel experience went from fabulous in Tokyo to so-so in Kyoto. Each hotel was slightly less than the one before.
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Well chosen itinerary, excellent guide, excellent driver good food and an excellent balance of free time and planned activities.
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Demonstration of tea service.
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Very poor itinerary. Important viewing was left out.Ameeta Mistry
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Excellent and caring tour manager and driver. All transfers efficiently performed.
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Very mediocre to average tour. Food provided by Collette was awful. Three lunches were at gas stops, when I am traveling overseas that is not what I am looking for.
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Steve was 5 star, and, as a team with the translator, they were incredibly strong. The extra time he spent w the group was incredible, although we didn't benefit from all of it b/c we'd scheduled private guides on a "free day" in Kyoto when Steve kept the day busy. Accommodations in Tokyo were OK, in Hakone was incredible; in Kyoto and Kanazawa were quite disappointing. Lunches and dinners that were provided were, on the whole, also quite disappointing. On the whole, reasonable time allotted for group activities, except at Tokyo Museum
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Great itinerary and good tour leader.
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Hiroshima. Disappointed that no mention of Gen, MacArthur was made after the war that reconstructed Japan.
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Wonderful time in Japan. Clean country and very nice people. The tour inclusions led to a very enjoyable experience.
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Bad experience-A Fellow passenger was was using bad words and cursing,. Kyoto hotel was very small and not comfortable My back pack was stolen from security belt in Osaka. Later found.Rudra Prakash
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Tour guide and food was not up to Collette standards.
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Very well organized tour.Wendy Liverpool
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Tour manager, Yoshiko Ono was very well organized and maintained a good time schedule as she wanted to share as much sights to visit during our stay. When we had a free day, she did an options tour for those who were interested in spite of the heavy rain on that particular day. She got to know each one of us personally and exhibited understanding, caring and was very patient.Kay Low
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Japan was a fantastic trip and Collette always makes travel easy! Cherry blossom season was incredible.Charles Warren
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Outstanding tour guide and exceptional quality. Seeing the cherry blossoms in full bloom and experiencing the tea ceremony, sushi making,learning how to apply gold leaf and stenciling gave me a lifetime of memories.Judy Lawrence
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The tour was well organized and our tour guide was knowledgeable and well prepared. The experiences (tea ceremony, gold leaf, sushi, and stenciling) were fun and added to my experience learning about Japanese culture. Good value for the money. Very enjoyable.
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A few of the Hotels were disappointing and very small especially compared with the others we stayed in.
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The structure of the tour covered many interesting sites yet was flexible enough to allow for free exploration. Plus, the tour guide Nobuko Nakamura was excellent in her job making the tour more enjoyable. The choices of hotels to stay were also top notch with their buffet breakfasts. The transportation at the beginning and the end of the tour for the airport was also smooth and efficient.
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She was so knowledgeable, compassionate, and concerned. Starting with a Pretoria letter and ended with a nice after tour thank you by email.Barry Chambers
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Enjoyed trip and tour manager.
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Bullet train and many other things through out am amazing country.Valerie Smith
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venue at Hakone was marvelousAnne Zaydon
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Our tour guide was absolutely the best. She was knowledgeable, both in historical information, but also in the details of the location. From rating bathrooms to how many steps we were going to have to climb. She went over and beyond everyday.Paul Davis
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Loved driving up Mt. Fuji and visiting Shinagawa-go.
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She rarely answered questions when asked . She usually got around to it, but when a question was asked, we all wanted an answer.
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Interesting, but very crowded sights, Too much "free" time. Overall, a very good experience,Johannes Van Leijenhorst
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Hiroshima Museum
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The tour guide created all kinds of problems.
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I like the outskirts/ countryside / hot spring / all accommodations/ food etc.Cresencia Banzuela
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Junko was an excellent tour guideTarek Mahdi
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The visit to the Hiroshima Peace Museum was very moving. The tea ceremony was educational.
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The tour was wonderful and the sights terrific. The guide was very knoledgeable, and kept the tour moving at just the right pace. The hotels were excelent, Probably the best that I have ever been at.Martin Greenberg
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Riding the bullet train to Heroshima and visiting the Peace Garden and meuseum.
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Riding the Shirenkanson bullet train and visiting the Hiroshima atomic dome.Byron Bader
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The tour gave a great deal of history about Japan. We had a chance to see the country and their people. They are very polite and amenable to visitors in their country. It was fascinating to see Mt. Fuji, Hiroshima, Tokyo and other areas.
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I enjoyed the visit to Hakone - a sharp contrast to Tokyo. Takayama again was different to Kyoto. The sushi making class was a great success!Susan Blamey
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There could have been more recommendations where to eat and shop on our own time. Hiroshima was the most memorable experience. Also, seeing My. Fuji.
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Poor guide, dinners sub-par mostly buffets. Would prefer lunch in better restaurants or credit. Each place we visited seemed rushed. Very little background and cultural information provided by guide.Andrea Trachtenberg
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The trip to the Hiroshima Shrine and the beautiful cheery blossoms in the Mt. Fuji area as well as throughout the trip.Jane Howard
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Loved Hiroshima. Really enjoyed the cultural aspect of gold leaf experience as well as atenciling.Doris Herzke-selvaggi
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Our dinners were exceptional!! Each one was truly a cultural experience.
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The choice of historic sites and cultural venues was excellent, The information provided by the tour manager was helpful in understanding what we were seeing and experiencing.
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Outstanding hotels. Great itnerary.Nancy Mains
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Thought I filled this in but this was a very good experience - great guide, driver and time allotment for most excursions.Cheryl Steensma
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The tour was outstanding and comprehensive. Highlight was the Tokyo Tower, the Kyoto Shrine with 1000 Torii Gates, Horoshima Peace Memorial.
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Traveling throughout the Japanese Alps, the beauty of the Cherry trees (we traveled during Sakura which is the peak of the Cherry Blossom celebration) that was spectacular.
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Hokane was beautiful Fish markets were amazing Final night celebration was wonderfulKris Steedman
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Needed Japanese guide who lives in JapanLois Stitt
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Tour not as advertised. Despite paying a single person supplement, I was given a single room. Fortunately, the country and its fascinating culture were sufficient to make this a truly memorable holiday experience.
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Overall package was excellent. The cherry b;osmosis were awesome.Nafe Arca
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Well organized. Only downside was not enough free time, i.e. at fish market and open air shopping area. Needed more time to eat. Hard to mix shopping and eating for me personally.Jeffrey Altman
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Just a recommendation for inclement weather in Hakone: please have a contingency plan. Felt like half the day was wasted. Have subsequently discovered many things to do there no matter the weather.
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We were very lucky with our timing. We saw Mt. Fuji without cloud cover; the first cherry blossoms; met a Maiko; and made eye contact with the Emperor of Japan. Our free time allowed us to meet some lovely local people.Marily Sampson
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Seeing the Emporer as he drove byRichard Burbidge
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Because that’s what I thought of it.
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Very organized, with a great variety of destinations, modes of travel, and first rate accomodations. I liked the different hand craft excursions.Aben Kaslow
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Kyoto and Kanazawa, Mt Fuji were the best!Catherine Wood
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I thoroughly enjoyed the trip except for the fact that our transfer to the hotel in Tokyo did not materialize and we had to make our own way to the hotel. There were many highlights, seeing Mount Fuji, decorating lacquer boxes and the amazing autumn leaf colour in Kyoto. Having a free day on the last day of the trip seemed odd but our tour manager took some of us to the bamboo forest. We went by public transport and are so glad we didn't miss this amazing place.
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Most memorable moments were incredible views of Mt Fuji and my ride on the Shinkansen - both checked off on my bucket list.
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Great value for money. Two memorable experiences - sunset over Mount Fuji and trip to Hiroshima.Walter Hall
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Mountain drive was thrilling. Winding road around massive mountains on cliffs that overlook a wide green fast flowing river and through long tunnels. Beautiful majestic scenery. Not to lessen each and every venue! It was a great schedule! Would have done 5 stars if the Whispernet audio system wasn’t junk. Poor system!
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No favorite spot, but a fabulous overview of someplace I had never visited before.Kieran Keenan
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Too many to give only one: • the Hiroshima experience • interesting meals • Gould leaf experience • adjusting the schedule during the typhoon .... and much more
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Great value, covered almost everything
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Very well organised trip with lots of memorable experiences. We particularly liked the fact that Collette had organised classes in traditional crafts such as gold leaf painting, stencilling and watching a tea ceremony. Favourite experience was having our photos taken in front of a perfect view of Mount Fuji.Malcolm Turner
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Hot spa baths Making bento boxes Samurai villageHeather Booth
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My favorite memorable experience was making our lacquer boxes.
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The tour was very well planned and very inclusive of what we wanted to see in Japan.Paula Cornelius-lopez
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This was a great holiday which covered a wide range of experiences. The trip was well organised and the guide was excellent. Had quite a wait at the airport on arrival though and a very early departure time on leaving - 2am when we couldn't check in at the airport until 05:40 so had a couple of hours wait. The holiday was worth it though.
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The tour was wonderful and I would rate it a 5; however, when traveling alone it is the additional fee that is added to the cost that is not appreciated. I could take another tour if it didn’t cost so much to travel alone. The only problem about accommodations refers to the one night stay at Hakone which a number of us expressed the desire to stay an extra night at the same hotel. (I would not want to loose another other days though.). A couple of travelers complained about the hotel in Takayama, I’m sure it was the best available in the area. I did like the cultural activities we did—the gold-leaf bento box and painted handkerchief. ******* is an excellent tour guide!! She is so knowledgeable, caring, and compassionate.(Margaret) Dianne Kirkpatrick
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Every part of our tour was excellent but if I had to narrow down a couple of favourites it would have been Mt Fuji and the Goodbye dinner with the Entertainment of the Mika ( Geisha ) girl.Petrina Scott
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A really great tour and how fortunate to see Mt. Fuji in all its glory! The "Geisha" show at our farewell dinner capped of a very memorable experience.David Hilton
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Seeing Mt Fiji was fabulous.Ronald Bagner
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Hiroshima was a must - tinged with heartbreak and yet hope for peace!Michael Grumich
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Making the bento boxes and the bullet train to Hiroshima.
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See the feedback in the first section.Gerard Berlanga
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See my comments provided in experienceMary Murphy
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I sent you the survey last week.Miriam Hudson
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The tour hits all the important spots in Japan and is well organized. The tour involves a lot of walking, as much as 5 to 7 miles some days so this for hardy folks, not anyone who needs any mobility assistance. I thought there was a bit too much free time on some days. But I guess that is personal preference. Excellent cultural experiences like tea ceremony, lacquer boxes, sushi making, Japanese cooking, and painting. Japan is beautiful ɓut plan your trip around the heat and rainy season!
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The overall experience was fantastic!Deborah Tipton
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Do not have a favorite because the entire tour was wonderful. It was very fun to make sushi and learn how to stencil. The hands on experiences were very unique and enjoysble
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From the first day arriving in Tokyo to the last day leaving Kyoto, everything was well executed and went smoothly. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun to be with. There were many memorable experiences from gold leafing, making sushi, stenciling and the amazing dinner experiences. Japan is truly an awe inspiring experience.Sheila Sibley
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We really enjoyed our tour of Japan. Each day was jam packed with activities. We saw everything we wanted. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us quite a bit of history prior to going to temples , shrines, gardens etc. he also had a wonderful personality and a great sense of humor. The coach bus was comfortable and easy to get around. We had a lot of memorable moments and experiences. Loved the Japanese tea ceremony, sushi making class, art classes. Great meals too!Donna Nahum
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The tour manager Ana ensured a pleasant atmosphere during the tour and connected with everyone. Scheduled activity was clearly communicated and the tour included several hands on sessions making Japanese art which you keep as souvenirs.James Davis
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It was fabulous! Clean cities. Interesting places and sights of a culture I knew very little about. Had no idea Japan was so mountainous. Their road system thru the mountains and valleys is amazing. The customs were interesting to learn. Food served was delicious - I stretched my comfort zone there and it tasted wonderful. (Still shied away from adventure in the open market foods.). I think Kanazawa would be my favorite city. Loved all the gold leaf - we made lacquer boxes using gold leaf for a stencil design. It was so fragile to work with. Gave me some insight to the talent one must have to gild chandeliers and such in castles all over the world. In all the cities I always felt safe and as a solo traveler on the always felt safe. Tour companions were also pleasant and inclusive as well so sometimes went places w folks but it was. Ok to be on my own. We hoped to see cherry blossoms and the countryside presented them in beautiful glory. The bullet train to Hiroshima as fast, clean and quiet. The peace memorial there was very crowded. It was hard to go through because of the nature of it but also it’s dark inside (minimal lights) so that along w the crowdedness made me claustrophobic so I quit looking at displays and had to get out. Wandered the park displays. Amazingly the Japanese don’t seem to hold a grudge against the USA for the dropping of the bomb. It was war and it brought an end to that
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I am so glad I took this tour and would visit Japan again. However, if you can visit before turning 60 or in great health, I recommend it. Lots of walking. Approximately 13,000 steps just about every day. It was fun. Climbing to reach the top of Monkey Mountain, walking through Cherry Blossom gardens, gardens in general. We got to see Mt. Fuji; performed a tea ceremony, made sushi, ate and grilled wagyu steak, and had the best Sake. Our guide provided us with many areas of local shopping, taking many of us around in the late evening or after an earlier tour had ended, or dinner. One place that was not on the schedule but was fun to visit was Don Quijote. A store where you can find everything at great prices. We found Cherry Blossom, Matcha, and caramel Kit Kats. Chocolate-covered grapes. Truly a wonderful trip.
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Unfortunately I hurt my back picking up my luggage the day we left and was in pain everyday. The really long days in the bus were the worst. But I am glad I went and remained with the tour. It was the perfect time for the cherry blossoms. Tour guide Steve was so knowledgeable and went above and beyond to make accommodations for me and other vegans.
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Visiting the gardens and riding the bullet train. Also, the food was excellent, the craft activities were inspiring, and the evening watching the Geisha perform.
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It was an amazing tour and Michael our tour guide was exceptional- his patience, knowledge and recommendations was great.
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My purpose for taking this tour and not a later one, was to see the cherry blossoms. That was the highlight of the tour for me; in addition, to see Mount Fuji in person and ride the Bullet Train. The tour manager was a wonderful person to have as our guide. He was informative and knowledgeable of the Japanese culture. He was always willing to go beyond what was expected of him. Example: Many times he escorted interested ones out on evening tours and/or places to eat, which were not a part of the package. The only dissatisfaction I have is mainly with Collette Tours for advertising this tour a 14-day tour. The tour actually began on April 4, 2025, and the very last day of the tour was April 15, 2025, which is a total of 12 days. My roommate and I booked our own air travel--to and from Japan. We did arrive late the evening of April 3, and missed the transfer to the hotel because it had been scheduled for April 2. However, we were able to ride with the transfer that was at the airport picking up another Collette/AAA group going to the same hotel. We had no difficulty with our scheduled transfer to the airport when returning home. Our tour manager was on top of it in making certain everyone was aware of his/hers departure schedule.Sharon Boone
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We started in Tokyo, but there were no special interactions with Japanese art or culture until the last days of the tour. We got to Tokyo a few days early and took in the discovery lab and at the end of the tour we traveled to Nara for parks, deer and temples and then Osaka for the 2025 world expo. Since the expo has been scheduled for years I’m not sure why it was not included in the tour. It was amazing and very much worth the effort to see. Steve is a wonderful guide with insight that only someone who has lived in Japan would have. Thanks for scheduling Steve for our tour.Joan and Bruce Schwan
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Shirakawa, Hakone…resort locations .Kristine Johnson
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We absolutely loved our tour of Japan. Misa was our guide and she was the best. We saw so much in two weeks yet never felt rushed. I don’t have any favorites as we loved it all.
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Cultural treasures of Japan was full of sites and experiences that made a wonderful trip into the past and present of Japan. Excellent tour director shared her knowledge and humour. A great trip by Collette!
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Hiroshima was very moving! I enjoyed seeing Mt Fuji even in the snow! Collette could not control the weather but the snow covered mountain was impressive.Toni Conaway
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Too many temples Wanted visit to Okinawa Wanted a show by Sumo or KarateDinaz D Souza
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The total experience was unimaginable. So spectacular seeing ancient and modern Japanese culture. Visits to the lakeside resort of Hakone, where Mt. Fuji can be seen. Simply beautiful.
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This was a wonderful tour. It really helped me learn about the history and culture of Japan. It is hard to pick my favorite memorable experience as there were so many memorable experiences. But I think I would state it was our visit to the Senso-ji Buddhist Temple in Tokyo. The temple was very beautiful and our guide, Masayuki Nagaoka, explained the workings of the temple and what one should do when visiting a temple. It was a moving experience.Susan C
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Collette helped us experience things we would never do Iif we had been on our own. Our guide, Kelly, had a huge job because it was a big group, a long trip, a huge city and he was our only guide. We have been on trips where there were different guides for different areas. I especially enjoyed the hands-on events… the lacquer boxes, sushi/origami lessons, t stenciling. I also thoroughly enjoyed the time we had with the geisha. Our hotels were over the top. The food and presentation of it was amazing. I have already told everybody I know about it. Great job!!!Sandra McCord
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I really liked everything; but the Mount Fugi hot springs, bullet train and Kyota shopping were my best experiences. Shopping at Bape, souvenirs were exciting.
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I liked our excursion to Hiroshima the best. I had wished I had known the significance of the origami cranes we made. For that excursion I liked making the Japanese dishes that we ate but was lost during the origami partly I did not even know we were making a crane. Our guide, Yasuco, was fabulous. I enjoyed the emphasis on Geisha started by her showing Memoirs Of A Geisha on the bus trip and ending with us being entertained by one. I liked our time off. Another lasting memory will be the baseball game that some of us, including Yasuco on her time off, attended. Another free afternoon we attended a Tokyo park she recommended, and another time we enjoyed the Tokyo museum that I think was also on our own but on her recommendation. Another top highlight of the core tour was our foodie tour. All the food in Japan was superb and a daily highlight of my experience.Kenneth Goldberg
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Making maki rolls .
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The tour was outstanding but the travel arrangements left much to be desired. We were at SFO for over 12 hours.William Ries
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Our tour was customized to allow our group to schedule many of our own special events so Collette only arranged the framework: flights (more expensive than we could book on our own), bus transport (great), tour manager (also great), and a few tours. The tour manager, Yasuko, went above and beyond to meet every traveler’s needs and answer our questions. She told interesting stories to reveal the culture and social mores of Japan. However the hotels are big, corporate and westernized. They are also far away from the most frequently visited sites making for long walks and subway rides. The included tours were ok but just skimmed the surface. Fortunately, our group designed the tour to have lots of free time to explore on our own.Robin Moll
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Great tour of central and southern Honshu. Our guide, Yoko Ozawa, was truly outstanding-best guide I've ever had. She went way out of her way to help us all have an excellent experience. Yoko was knowledgeable, personable, kind, and had a great sense of humor. She was very organized, providing us with maps and useful information throughout the whole tour. I loved all the history but really enjoyed the cultural experiences: learning about the tea ceremony, putting gold leaf on lacquer boxes, stenciling, origami, etc. Takayama's historic area plus the three museums we saw made that my favorite town.Sandra Hau
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I do not know if I can select one experience of my trip that was my favorite - although the visit to the site of the Hiroshima Memorial Museum was impactful and emotional. The tour was nicely sized and the pace enjoyable. I only wished we had more Japanese meals at the hotel hosted gatherings.
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Favorite experience- great views of Mt. Fuji- Itinerary was very nice, if not a bit crowded at times- Our guide Tomeo was fantastic- she was the hardest working person in Japan- always prepared with illustrations and explanations of various cultural traditions and events- she went above and beyond the required to insure that everyone was comfortable in their lodging and when sightseeing on their own. I would highly recommend this Collette tour of Japan to anyone is interested in Japan culture and history and is able to do a lot of walking.
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The food and accommodations on every Collette trip I’ve been on have been excellent. Japan was excellent as always and very special in the choice of hotels. Tokyo & Kyoto were 5 star elegant. Hotel De Yama was one of a kind. The hotels in Takyshama & Kanazawa were ultra modern chic. The osens were a true Japanese experience. Enjoyed visiting the cultural sights with such a knowledgeable guide. Also the hands on inclusions such as the cooking class, gold leafing boxes & the stenciling class were a nice surprise. Having free time on our own was an added plus. Tomoe, our guide gave us a thourough history of the country, the sights, current culture and was always available for questions and problems as they arose. An added plus was the free time we had to explore on our own. All in all I would highly recommend this tour.Rosalie
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All was terrific our tour guide Yumi was fantastic! My only poor experience was with your air travel department that wouldn’t confirm my business class return ticket till 2 weeks before departure and only then because of unlimited phone calls to that department
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This was a first Collette tour and Duquesne University Alumni tour for me. Japan exceeded my expectations. The entire tour was well-planned and had a nice variety of activities. Our tour director, Yumi, was particularly good, managing a relatively large group.Melody Hannegan
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The Tour Manager, Umi, made the tour a totally memorable experience. She handled everything well and was willing to adjust the schedule due to variations in the weather, providing us with better opportunities to enjoy things. The tour was well organized and thought out; never did we feel overwhelmed with a day's activities. The inclusion of several "hands-on" experiences also made the trip memorable.
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Our guide and our manager were wonderful. We especially enjoyed the hands on experiences. The park with all of the cherry blossoms was especially memorable.
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This tour was a wonderful introduction to a beautiful country. We saw and did so many exciting things. Going in April allowed us to see the cherry blossoms at their peak. Taking the bullet train to Hiroshima was a moving experience. I loved visiting the temples and shrines and the lovely gardens. Our guide, Yumi, was a delight. She kept us on time with a firm but very kind hand. She offered us great insight into the people, customs and history of Japan.Terry Klein
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The tour was wonderful. We were able to view the cherry blossoms at their peak. Our guide was very informative. We had several hands- on activities which added to the experience.
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The Tour Guide acted as though we were preparing for the Olympics. It was difficult to keep up at the pace she was moving. No time to take photos. Many in our group grumbled about having to almost run in order to keep the Tour Guide in sight. Several got lost because she was gone by the time one stopped to take a photo.
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We did SO much. I loved everything and my favorite was Takayama. I loved the market, the street food, the sake tastings, the onsen at the hotel, wearing a yukata, and the small town feel.
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Cherry blossoms
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My fav was mt Fuji hotel and dinner - it would have been nice to stay another night there I did not expect to pay for free time which was 1/2 of the trip — so many Japanese cultural things COULD have been shone us! There was an insulting video cartoon as we went through the Japan alps - silence woukd have been better ! I don’t want to say more as it was not a good experienceCynthia Kehring
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Loved all of it. The hands on experiences were a nice way to break up the sight seeing. Excellent tour guide and bus driver.Susan Akers Smith
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Our tour guide was superb and went over and above anything I have ever seen. She provided many more optional tours that were fantastic.
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Beautiful vistas, varied activities, excellent knowledgeable guide. Hotels were centrally located. Food was a delightful experiment for me. I tried everything and loved it all.
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Great tour manager. Very good hotels. Great bus driver. Group meals at the hotels were nice, but nothing special.Scott Laufer
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Excellent in every way. Especially the tour manager, Nobuko Nakamura. Free time provided was just right, group was punctual and friendly, sights were amazing, accommodations were lovely, the country was beautiful! I could go on and on!! It was a fabulous experience!Linda Swenson
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Tour guide was great, cultural experiences were fun and educational, sightseeing was enjoyable.M Swenson
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Overall the trip was fantastic and a great way to explore Japan. The tour manager was well organized and very attentive.
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Well chosen itinerary, excellent guide, excellent driver good food and an excellent balance of free time and planned activities.
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Overall tour was great. Transportation arrangements to and from Japan deserve one star at best. While most of the tour was top notch I suggest stopping for 30 minutes at the Imperial Palace instead of a drive by and at least two hours at the National Museum instead of one. A bit too much arts and crafts for my liking. Tour well planned and exciting and educational each and every day. Just about right amount of time spent at each site except as noted above. No one 'favorite memorable experience'. Great experience every day. Hotel experience went from fabulous in Tokyo to so-so in Kyoto. Each hotel was slightly less than the one before.
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Demonstration of tea service.
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Very poor itinerary. Important viewing was left out.Ameeta Mistry
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Excellent and caring tour manager and driver. All transfers efficiently performed.
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Very mediocre to average tour. Food provided by Collette was awful. Three lunches were at gas stops, when I am traveling overseas that is not what I am looking for.
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Steve was 5 star, and, as a team with the translator, they were incredibly strong. The extra time he spent w the group was incredible, although we didn't benefit from all of it b/c we'd scheduled private guides on a "free day" in Kyoto when Steve kept the day busy. Accommodations in Tokyo were OK, in Hakone was incredible; in Kyoto and Kanazawa were quite disappointing. Lunches and dinners that were provided were, on the whole, also quite disappointing. On the whole, reasonable time allotted for group activities, except at Tokyo Museum
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Great itinerary and good tour leader.
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Hiroshima. Disappointed that no mention of Gen, MacArthur was made after the war that reconstructed Japan.
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Wonderful time in Japan. Clean country and very nice people. The tour inclusions led to a very enjoyable experience.
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Bad experience-A Fellow passenger was was using bad words and cursing,. Kyoto hotel was very small and not comfortable My back pack was stolen from security belt in Osaka. Later found.Rudra Prakash
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Tour guide and food was not up to Collette standards.
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Very well organized tour.Wendy Liverpool
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Tour manager, Yoshiko Ono was very well organized and maintained a good time schedule as she wanted to share as much sights to visit during our stay. When we had a free day, she did an options tour for those who were interested in spite of the heavy rain on that particular day. She got to know each one of us personally and exhibited understanding, caring and was very patient.Kay Low
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Japan was a fantastic trip and Collette always makes travel easy! Cherry blossom season was incredible.Charles Warren
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Outstanding tour guide and exceptional quality. Seeing the cherry blossoms in full bloom and experiencing the tea ceremony, sushi making,learning how to apply gold leaf and stenciling gave me a lifetime of memories.Judy Lawrence
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The tour was well organized and our tour guide was knowledgeable and well prepared. The experiences (tea ceremony, gold leaf, sushi, and stenciling) were fun and added to my experience learning about Japanese culture. Good value for the money. Very enjoyable.
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A few of the Hotels were disappointing and very small especially compared with the others we stayed in.
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The structure of the tour covered many interesting sites yet was flexible enough to allow for free exploration. Plus, the tour guide Nobuko Nakamura was excellent in her job making the tour more enjoyable. The choices of hotels to stay were also top notch with their buffet breakfasts. The transportation at the beginning and the end of the tour for the airport was also smooth and efficient.
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She was so knowledgeable, compassionate, and concerned. Starting with a Pretoria letter and ended with a nice after tour thank you by email.Barry Chambers
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Enjoyed trip and tour manager.
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Bullet train and many other things through out am amazing country.Valerie Smith
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venue at Hakone was marvelousAnne Zaydon
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Our tour guide was absolutely the best. She was knowledgeable, both in historical information, but also in the details of the location. From rating bathrooms to how many steps we were going to have to climb. She went over and beyond everyday.Paul Davis
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Loved driving up Mt. Fuji and visiting Shinagawa-go.
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She rarely answered questions when asked . She usually got around to it, but when a question was asked, we all wanted an answer.
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Interesting, but very crowded sights, Too much "free" time. Overall, a very good experience,Johannes Van Leijenhorst
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Hiroshima Museum
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The tour guide created all kinds of problems.
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I like the outskirts/ countryside / hot spring / all accommodations/ food etc.Cresencia Banzuela
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Junko was an excellent tour guideTarek Mahdi
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The visit to the Hiroshima Peace Museum was very moving. The tea ceremony was educational.
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The tour was wonderful and the sights terrific. The guide was very knoledgeable, and kept the tour moving at just the right pace. The hotels were excelent, Probably the best that I have ever been at.Trusted Customer
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Riding the bullet train to Heroshima and visiting the Peace Garden and meuseum.
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Riding the Shirenkanson bullet train and visiting the Hiroshima atomic dome.Trusted Customer
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The tour gave a great deal of history about Japan. We had a chance to see the country and their people. They are very polite and amenable to visitors in their country. It was fascinating to see Mt. Fuji, Hiroshima, Tokyo and other areas.
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I enjoyed the visit to Hakone - a sharp contrast to Tokyo. Takayama again was different to Kyoto. The sushi making class was a great success!Susan Blamey
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There could have been more recommendations where to eat and shop on our own time. Hiroshima was the most memorable experience. Also, seeing My. Fuji.
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Poor guide, dinners sub-par mostly buffets. Would prefer lunch in better restaurants or credit. Each place we visited seemed rushed. Very little background and cultural information provided by guide.Trusted Customer
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The trip to the Hiroshima Shrine and the beautiful cheery blossoms in the Mt. Fuji area as well as throughout the trip.Trusted Customer
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Loved Hiroshima. Really enjoyed the cultural aspect of gold leaf experience as well as atenciling.Doris Herzke-selvaggi
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Our dinners were exceptional!! Each one was truly a cultural experience.
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The choice of historic sites and cultural venues was excellent, The information provided by the tour manager was helpful in understanding what we were seeing and experiencing.
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Outstanding hotels. Great itnerary.Trusted Customer
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Thought I filled this in but this was a very good experience - great guide, driver and time allotment for most excursions.Trusted Customer
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The tour was outstanding and comprehensive. Highlight was the Tokyo Tower, the Kyoto Shrine with 1000 Torii Gates, Horoshima Peace Memorial.
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Traveling throughout the Japanese Alps, the beauty of the Cherry trees (we traveled during Sakura which is the peak of the Cherry Blossom celebration) that was spectacular.
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Hokane was beautiful Fish markets were amazing Final night celebration was wonderfulTrusted Customer
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Needed Japanese guide who lives in JapanTrusted Customer
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Tour not as advertised. Despite paying a single person supplement, I was given a single room. Fortunately, the country and its fascinating culture were sufficient to make this a truly memorable holiday experience.
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Overall package was excellent. The cherry b;osmosis were awesome.Trusted Customer
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Well organized. Only downside was not enough free time, i.e. at fish market and open air shopping area. Needed more time to eat. Hard to mix shopping and eating for me personally.Trusted Customer
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Just a recommendation for inclement weather in Hakone: please have a contingency plan. Felt like half the day was wasted. Have subsequently discovered many things to do there no matter the weather.
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We were very lucky with our timing. We saw Mt. Fuji without cloud cover; the first cherry blossoms; met a Maiko; and made eye contact with the Emperor of Japan. Our free time allowed us to meet some lovely local people.Trusted Customer
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Seeing the Emporer as he drove byRichard Burbidge
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Because that’s what I thought of it.
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Very organized, with a great variety of destinations, modes of travel, and first rate accomodations. I liked the different hand craft excursions.Trusted Customer
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Kyoto and Kanazawa, Mt Fuji were the best!Trusted Customer
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I thoroughly enjoyed the trip except for the fact that our transfer to the hotel in Tokyo did not materialize and we had to make our own way to the hotel. There were many highlights, seeing Mount Fuji, decorating lacquer boxes and the amazing autumn leaf colour in Kyoto. Having a free day on the last day of the trip seemed odd but our tour manager took some of us to the bamboo forest. We went by public transport and are so glad we didn't miss this amazing place.
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Most memorable moments were incredible views of Mt Fuji and my ride on the Shinkansen - both checked off on my bucket list.
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Great value for money. Two memorable experiences - sunset over Mount Fuji and trip to Hiroshima.Walter Hall
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Mountain drive was thrilling. Winding road around massive mountains on cliffs that overlook a wide green fast flowing river and through long tunnels. Beautiful majestic scenery. Not to lessen each and every venue! It was a great schedule! Would have done 5 stars if the Whispernet audio system wasn’t junk. Poor system!
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No favorite spot, but a fabulous overview of someplace I had never visited before.Trusted Customer
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Too many to give only one: • the Hiroshima experience • interesting meals • Gould leaf experience • adjusting the schedule during the typhoon .... and much more
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Great value, covered almost everything
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Very well organised trip with lots of memorable experiences. We particularly liked the fact that Collette had organised classes in traditional crafts such as gold leaf painting, stencilling and watching a tea ceremony. Favourite experience was having our photos taken in front of a perfect view of Mount Fuji.Malcolm Turner
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Hot spa baths Making bento boxes Samurai villageHeather Booth
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My favorite memorable experience was making our lacquer boxes.
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The tour was very well planned and very inclusive of what we wanted to see in Japan.Trusted Customer
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This was a great holiday which covered a wide range of experiences. The trip was well organised and the guide was excellent. Had quite a wait at the airport on arrival though and a very early departure time on leaving - 2am when we couldn't check in at the airport until 05:40 so had a couple of hours wait. The holiday was worth it though.
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The tour was wonderful and I would rate it a 5; however, when traveling alone it is the additional fee that is added to the cost that is not appreciated. I could take another tour if it didn’t cost so much to travel alone. The only problem about accommodations refers to the one night stay at Hakone which a number of us expressed the desire to stay an extra night at the same hotel. (I would not want to loose another other days though.). A couple of travelers complained about the hotel in Takayama, I’m sure it was the best available in the area. I did like the cultural activities we did—the gold-leaf bento box and painted handkerchief. ******* is an excellent tour guide!! She is so knowledgeable, caring, and compassionate.Trusted Customer
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Every part of our tour was excellent but if I had to narrow down a couple of favourites it would have been Mt Fuji and the Goodbye dinner with the Entertainment of the Mika ( Geisha ) girl.Petrina Scott
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A really great tour and how fortunate to see Mt. Fuji in all its glory! The "Geisha" show at our farewell dinner capped of a very memorable experience.David Hilton
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Seeing Mt Fiji was fabulous.Trusted Customer
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Hiroshima was a must - tinged with heartbreak and yet hope for peace!Trusted Customer
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Making the bento boxes and the bullet train to Hiroshima.
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See the feedback in the first section.Trusted Customer
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See my comments provided in experienceMary Murphy
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I sent you the survey last week.Trusted Customer
