Review

The places we visited were rich in scenery, culture and history. I enjoyed them all.

Lodging was always good, ranging from simple, clean and convenient to serene, beautiful, and extraordinary.

The food also varied, from good to great -- always more than enough, and very characteristic of not only Japan but each region.

We had three different guides. They were always pleasant and helpful but their communication skills and guiding styles varied. I like to get information in advance -- here's what you will be seeing and here's the relevant background or history or details -- rather than getting the information on site; it makes it easier to move around and explore and take pictures on your own. At times, we got too little information; at times, we got information on site, location by location; and at other times, the approach was "just right" -- timely and interesting.

Some of the pieces in the pre-tour information seemed like they were cut and pasted from previous tours and did not always apply. Also, it would have been nice to have the guides refer back to the pre-tour information to say what would be happening the next day and how it would a bit different than the earlier plans.