Japan Travel Agents

So we went to China. Here are some notes.
Take in an acrobatics show. Good call on Nina's part.
Do a tea ceremony.
Be aware that the main meal of the day in China is lunch so it might be later in the day. Eat a decent breakfast.
I get the feeling that they're taking the tourism seriously. Clean and safe.
Cycled round the wall in Xi an. Mark was quite right to go early early, too hot otherwise. Terracotta warriors was an absolute bun fight.
Personally I didn't see the point in going around the harbour in Hong Kong to see a boat the had sunk ages ago. However my daughter loved it.
Chengdu for the panda's. Again take the guides advice and walk up because you miss part of the zoo otherwise.
Guilin for the rice fields. Lime mountains cruise very cool. Underground cave! Only saw one black snake walking down from the rice fields. The water show in Yangshou is not worth the money. Also Chinese people talk during a show, eat, join in etc. Part of learning the culture!
Trains were cool! These people are efficient, things are pretty much on time, so don't dither. Queues move so they're not a problem.
Daughter knew a bit of Mandarin which was super helpful. I don't think you could do a trip like this without guides to be honest. Local people were onto it though, they had Google translate loaded, as did I.
Just occurred to me now that we didn't go and see anything about porcelain.
Ladies take tissues with you. I got used to the hole in the floor type toilet. Glad my legs are still strong.
Kris in Shanghai did some great problem solving when we threw some extra activities at him, namely shopping! Barter hard people (not in stores with price tags).

Kuriko(Hakone day trip guide)was SUPERB. Professional,Well informed,patient,friendly and it was a pleasure to spend the day with her.
Melanie(Gion walking tour guide) was pleasant but did not give good information or history about the area. No depth of local knowledge.
Josh ,our Nara day trip guide was very good. Well informed, pleasant. Came very prepared for the day with lot of pictures in folders.
Amongst experiences:
Owl cafe
Sumo experience were both exceptional
Esp thanks to Angel for quick responsiveness and well planned itinerary with attention to detail.

Hotel Reviews

Gora Kansuiro

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Old world Charm, attention to detail.

Location

Scenic, lush green.

Staff

Polite,helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Great location, helpful staff. Good sized room(deluxe twin). Excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

This was an amazing experience!! The wrestlers and guides were so kind and helpful and fun to spend time with! They shared their history and profession with us, and we had a very fun afternoon with them. This is a MUST SEE experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Kim Kim company is great!! The guides are very professional and informative. Our main contact person Angela was very helpful every step of the way. She was able to make any requested last minute adjustments to make our trip more comfortable and convenient.

Our family vacation to Japan was fantastic and Myaen was so thoughtful and did a great job of conceiving and preparing a trip that had the right balance of guides and self-exploration as well the right mix of contemporary / modern Japan and traditional sights.

Throughout the trip our guides (Junko, Haruki, Momoko and others) were quite amazing and did a great job of catering a tour to our needs that day.

Activity Reviews

Izakaya Food Tour

Tokyo

Our guide Haruki did a great job of creating a fun welcoming atmosphere and took us to some fantastic places in Kabukicho.

Quality of Experience

Our guide (Haruki?) was amazing and the food was fantastic! Exceeded my expectations.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Haruki was amazing.

Sumo Practice Viewing in Tokyo

Tokyo

I thought we would be touring an actual sumo stable. Instead we got a fairly sanitized sumo exhibition with slapstick comedy. The show itself was fun but much less authentic than we were expecting. .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tsukiji Fish Market Visit with Sushi Making Experience

Tokyo

An excellent tour of the “old” Tsukkiji fish market area. Sampling the fresh fish was quite amazing. But overall was a bit disappointed by the size of the market and how touristy the experience was.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Traditional Kyoto Tour

Japan

Our guide Junko was quite phenomenal. It was unbearably hot in Kyoto the days we were there and Junko did a Teriffic job of adjusting the itinerary to accommodate for the heat. She offered up a new sequence of temple visits to be outdoors during the early AM and then offered some new indoor outings for us in the PM.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Junko was a fabulous tour guode who accommodated my family when my son was not feeling well.

The Golden Pavilion and Magnificent Views in Arashiyama

Kyoto

Our guide Junko was quite phenomenal. It was unbearably hot in Kyoto the days we were there and Junko did a Teriffic job of adjusting the itinerary to accommodate for the heat. She offered up a new sequence of temple visits to be outdoors during the early AM and then offered some new indoor outings for us in the PM.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Junko was a fabulous guide.