Just finished the most amazing Japan tour with Anna Holling and Brad! So well organised, did lots of activities including stunning nature, culture and yummy food. Saw so much in 13days. Experience of lifetime.This was my 2nd tour with Intro and already booked my 3rd.
A brilliant introduction to Japan, its people and its culture. A top notch guide and a friendly, cohesive group made up for the terrible but unseasonal weather. Despite raining for 15 out of 18 days it didn't stop us from completing the itinerary (except for a landslide which closed the park where we were due to see the snow monkeys). And it was a packed itinerary, so not much downtime (which you might or might not prefer). The biggest disappointment for me however, was the lack of autumn colour. It was really too early in this part of Japan so I think the tour operator should revise their note where it says "Best for autumn colour". I was expecting to find the food to be a challenge but it wasn't, the food was good with plenty of choice and variety. The Temples, shrines, gardens and parks are exactly as you would expect. What you might not expect is that some ancient sites sit cheek by jowl with modern high-rise buildings but usually not the main tourist sites. The Shinkansen was actually better than expected, not to be missed. Plenty of ordinary folk wearing traditional dress, especially in Kyoto.
This is definitely a trip worth booking. Japan is such a beautiful place and my partner David and I really felt that this tour is ideal for a first visit. If you would love to see Japan but are unsure which places to visit or how to work out the transport systems then this trip is ideal, you truly see a diverse range of places and are able to experience so many different things. If you're like me and get a bit anxious with trains, buses and lots of people then I highly recommend booking this trip. Having a tour guide in Japan really allows you to relax and truly take everything in while your guide does all the confusing stuff for you.
From beautiful, traditional Kyoto to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and everything in between, this trip is really worth experiencing.