Japan Travel Agents

The itinerary had early mornings and it presented some challenges particularly on hotel-change days, you’re up early, you arrive at the next destination, and then end up losing a lot of time just waiting around. Check out time is typicallt 10:00am and check in time is 3:00pm. Hotels allow for early bag drop off which is great but you're dropping off your bags, lined up with everyone in the same area as those checking out. By then you’re usually tired from the travel itself and could really use a shower or short rest, but instead you’re stuck filling the day — until check-in time. The result is you start the evening already exhausted, with little energy left for anything social.
As an example, I arrived in Osaka at 10:30 am, couldn’t check in until 3:00 pm, walked around for hours, had lunch, and by the time I finally got into my room, my feet were sore, I was overheated, and just wanted to shower and rest. I unpacked, repacked for the next day, and ended up too tired to go out my last night — which became a theme of this trip. I definitely packed too much into each day and would recommend doing less each and extending your time in each city.
That pacing would give more time to actually enjoy each city rather than rushing through it. Frequent hotel changes really take a toll!

Even though I didn't travel during peak season, the crowds were intense. Kyoto was especially overwhelming — Kiyomizu-dera Temple were shoulder-to-shoulder, and after 4 hours I still hadn’t reached the actual temple. In the Gion district, the narrow alley ways were intensely crowded to the point of being frustrating. I eventually gave up and found a tiny English pub — something I could easily do back home :(

One last note — tattoos are still a challenge in Japan. I was stared at or ignored in several places, including restaurants and at both tattoo friendly sento and onsen, which left me feeling self-conscious - with that said there were more moments of feeling welcomed. I often ended up eating lunch and dinner from convenience stores — the food there was great, varied and affordable but I missed out on restaurant experiences. It might be worth mentioning to other solo female travellers with visible tattoos that they could face that kind of reaction, just so they’re prepared.

Eleanor my travel coordinator was exceptional and went WAY beyond my expectations in her attention to care and accommodation. Thank you again Eleanor for all the care and detail you put into planning this trip — you’ve been wonderful - before / during and after my Japan adventure

Hotel Review

Yuno Yado Shoei

My stay at Yuno Yado Shoei was an absolute highlight of my trip — a deeply traditional and genuinely restorative experience. From the moment I arrived, the hospitality was warm, attentive, and unhurried in that distinctly Japanese way that makes you feel truly welcomed The ryokan itself is elegant and peaceful, with every detail — from the tatami rooms to the onsen — designed for comfort and calm. The meals were beautifully presented and thoughtfully prepared, offering a real taste of regional Kyoto cuisine. I also appreciated how quiet and respectful the entire atmosphere was; it created a sense of stillness that’s rare to find while travelling If you’re looking for an authentic ryokan stay that honours tradition without feeling touristy, Yuno Yado Shoei is the perfect choice. I left feeling grounded, rested, and grateful for the experience 🖤

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Tokyo City Tour with Cemetery & Harajuku

Tokyo

Yumi was absolutely integral to my Tokyo experience. As a solo traveller, I couldn’t have asked for a better guide — warm, knowledgeable, funny, and genuinely charming. She instantly made me feel at ease and curated the tour perfectly to my interests, blending local history, hidden neighbourhood gems, and everyday cultural moments in a way that felt natural and immersive Her storytelling and humour brought Tokyo to life, and the day flowed effortlessly — never rushed, always intentional. We ended the tour sharing sake together, which was the perfect way to wrap up such a meaningful experience. It felt less like a guided tour and more like spending the day with a dear friend who loves her city and wants you to love it too Exploring Tokyo with Yumi was unforgettable — thoughtful, personal, and full of heart 🖤

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yumi!!!!

Transport

Transit in Tokyo is extremely organized and easy to navigate - even for English only speakers

Whenever I return to Japan, Sandy is the first person I will contact for planning support. Her kindness, meticulousness, and attentiveness have always stood out — especially during my solo travels as a woman.

Activity Review

Tokyo Private Driver One-Day Itinerary (updated-2)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim made our trip to Hokkaido and Osaka so easy and enjoyable! We were able to customize the experience to what our interests were and our guide in Hokkaido, Jenny, absolutely was one of the best parts. Jenny was observant to our needs and informative about the local culture. Being a little detail-oriented, it gave me a little anxiety of 'letting go' from planning the whole trip however, Angel was extremely responsive and able to assist with any questions, whenever we needed help.

Hotel Reviews

Cross Hotel Sapporo

Sapporo

This property is centrally located with lots to do in the area and easy to get to the train station. Make sure to take time to enjoy the beautiful onsen! There's a nice quiet space next to the onsen that overlooks the city. The breakfast buffet was well done as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was close to the train station.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nozo Hotel

furano

We had a Deluxe King room which had a little sitting space. The team at this property was so welcoming and helpful. We took advantage of the in-room massages with Naomi and she did an outstanding job with relaxing us after a long day of sightseeing. Their Sugi Spa is beautifully designed. There is a dry sauna and a cold plunge, which was extra enjoyable to unwind with.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff at this hotel went out of their way to accommodate your needs. We had arrived by private car so did not have transportation to get around town. The front desk agent called us a cab to go to the cheese factory one afternoon and they had us call them to order a cab for the return ride. It was convenient and made it easy for us! They were also responsive to our requests for the in-room spa appointments. The restaurant staff was super enjoyable to converse with.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Noboribetsu Onsen Dai-ichi Takimotokan

I wish we could have stayed here longer. Our room was spectacular, with a private onsen on our balcony, overlooking Hell Valley and the beautiful color-changing foliage! The Premium Twin room was spacious, the amenities were first-class and the Kaiseki dinner and set breakfast were out of this world.

Authenticity & Character

You could wear your provided yukata to your meals.

Location

Our room, in the West Building, overlooked Hell Valley and beautiful fall foliage.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

This hotel is convenient to the Hommachi train station and is centrally located for all of your Osaka activities. We had a Superior Double Room and the accommodations are cozy but comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are a bit cozy and there's really no closet so you end up living out of your suitcase but they do an amazing job.

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier

Tokyo

The location is near the center of Ginza so lots of convenient shopping/dining.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sapporo City Discovery with Genghis Khan BBQ and Sapporo Beer Tasting

Sapporo

We loved learning more about Sapporo with Jenny! We were able to see many different sights and Jenny was helpful and made it a fun experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leather goods experience in Otaru

Otaru

We had a personalized experience, making a key chain as well as a tray and the overall experience was fun and we came away with a couple of useful souvenirs. It would have been nice to know the relevance of the leather to Otaru.

Quality of Experience

Any information on what makes the leather so important to Otaru.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

More information

Immerse in A Sea of Flowers: Farm Tomita Tour

Furano

Although the weather was a bit rainy and cold, it was still beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biei Discovery: Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls

Biei

We really enjoyed seeing the Pond and Falls. We happened to catch it on a good day when the sun was out but I understand that the color changes with the weather so you may want to be mindful of that.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

We had a great time experiencing the local foods with Hide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hide was genuine and a wonderful guide!

Transport

Full Day Noboribetsu Hell Valley and Date Jidaimura Tour

Noboribetsu

We went to see a couple of the shows at Date Jidaimura, the Samurai show along with a Geisha show. Both were interesting and the staff did a nice job. Jenny helped capture some nice photos of us and took us to the foot bath near Hell Valley.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ilse set up a great itinerary for our Japan hiking and Kyoto trip. The hotels were a perfect fit for us and it was sooo easy to travel by train because she’d set up all the tickets. We always had the correct fare!
On our Nakasendo trail hike the directions with pictures of each turn and the GPS track made for a relaxed experience. Pre booked taxis were invaluable because it turned out some towns only had a few drivers to transport all the hikers!
Thank you for such a great service.

The service provided by Shona was above expectations. She responded immediately to all our questions and requests and kept in touch with us throughout our trip. Having train transportation arranged and ticketed in advance was very helpful. We particularly enjoyed the smaller towns/cities we visited, including Tsumago, Matsumoto, Kanazawa and Kurashiki.