Our small-group trip experience was very positive.
Japan | Apr 7 - Apr 27, 2026

Betsy
Betsy L.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Apr 28, 2026

Overall, our trip experience was very well organized and executed. We felt that we got a good exposure to Japanese culture as a whole with our brief visit. Lenny was very responsive and helpful, especially when we were in-country. We appreciated her responsiveness and advice regarding my soy sauce allergy, understanding that it was a hard subject to address.

Activity Reviews
Bullet train from Shinagawa to Kyoto
Bullet train from Shinagawa to Kyoto
Japan
Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour
Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour
Kyoto
Tea Ceremony in Kyoto (Private)
Tea Ceremony in Kyoto (Private)
Japan

Very well done and thorough.

Kanazawa Full Day Tour with English Speaking Guide (Private)
Kanazawa Full Day Tour with English Speaking Guide (Private)
Kanazawa

Our American guide was very thorough and helpful for giving us a good experience in Kanazawa.

Dinner with Maiko in a Traditional Kyoto Style Restaurant Tour (Small Group)
Dinner with Maiko in a Traditional Kyoto Style Restaurant Tour (Small Group)
Kyoto

We enjoyed our interaction with geiko as well as the dinner.

Takayama Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Guide
Takayama Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Guide
Takayama

We enjoyed our day tour and lunch suggestion. It was very informative.

Transfer from Takayama to Kanazawa, including a visit to Shirakawa-go
Transfer from Takayama to Kanazawa, including a visit to Shirakawa-go
Japan

Shirakawa was a wonderful place and our driver/guide did a great job.

Half-Day Eastern Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide and Private Vehicle
Half-Day Eastern Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide and Private Vehicle
Tokyo

We had limited time to tour Tokyo and our guide did the best he could. His English skill was limited, however, and we wished we had been warned not to eat very much for lunch in preparation our Shibuya Food Tour that evening.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We had a hard time understanding our guide’s English.
Best Of Shibuya Food Private Tour - Evening
Best Of Shibuya Food Private Tour - Evening
Tokyo

We really enjoyed our food tour in Shibuya and learning about the food culture of Tokyo.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our Shibuya Food Tour guide was very good and thorough.
Greater Sendai Friendship Force – Cultural Exchange and Journey
Greater Sendai Friendship Force – Cultural Exchange and Journey
Sendai

Our cultural exchange was very successful and enjoyable. It was the perfect follow-up to our overall cultural introduction tour to Kyoto, Tokayama, Kanazawa and Tokyo.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
It was wonderful to be hosted by local Friendship Force club members.
Local specialist: Leny Vergara
Leny
Leny Vergara
Local specialist in Japan | Replied on Apr 29, 2026
Hi Betsy, welcome back home! Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience. I’m really glad to hear that the overall trip was wonderful, and it means a lot to my team and me. We understand the concerns regarding food allergies, and we’re always very careful with precautions in place, so I’m glad to hear you were still able to enjoy the food experience in Tokyo. Also noted regarding the guide’s English—especially for first-time visitors. Many of our guides do speak very... Read more

Hi Betsy, welcome back home!

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience. I’m really glad to hear that the overall trip was wonderful, and it means a lot to my team and me.

We understand the concerns regarding food allergies, and we’re always very careful with precautions in place, so I’m glad to hear you were still able to enjoy the food experience in Tokyo.

Also noted regarding the guide’s English—especially for first-time visitors. Many of our guides do speak very good English, though the Japanese accent can sometimes feel unfamiliar, and we will take this into consideration moving forward. We’ll also share your thoughts with our local partners.

Thank you again, and we hope to help you plan your future trips to Japan as well.

Warm regards,
Leny