Review

We loved the itinerary that you crafted. Two of the days in Tokyo felt a bit pressed I think in part because we would have liked more time at the National Museum - and going to both Shinjuku and Shibuya made for some scrambling rather than strolling. The Skyline, Ginza and Boat trip day also felt rushed - mainly because we had a set time for the boat ride back. AND those are the only 2 days that felt rushed - every other day was relaxing. What you chose to include on each day was amazing and we enjoyed the mix of temples, shrine, castles, local restaurants, subway, train, bus, taxi transits. Thank you for helping us feel immersed in Japan by riding alongside folks during their everyday journeys.

We really enjoyed both hotels. Our first room was small - and we are used to being on a 38\' sailboat - so we managed fine. Our only concern was the last night in Asakusa was on the weekend and the street noise from folks heading in and out of bar district was loud - but was not a problem any other night. Despite that, we loved the location of the Onyado Nono Asakusa so close to the temple, shopping areas, hidden bits of neighborhood. Staying there several nights gave us a sense of security that we knew the neighborhood - and the hot spring there was incredible.

Thank you for arranging both the hotel breakfasts and lunches. We really appreciated that the guide not only picked the restaurant - many small family owned gems - but also ordered our meal. This took stress out of the day and made the meals seem even more like a family meal.

Can I just mark a 30 for 3 10\'s? Actually even the person who helped us transfer from Kyoto station to the hotel was great. Charlie, Fumi and Keiko made this trip extra special. Every day with Charlie had this moment when he would pull some unexpected item out of his backpack to further inform or entertain us. It might be a historical photograph, a recorder and Mt Fugi song at Lake Ashi - or my favorite Godzilla vs Seiko Tower - it was a thoughtful way to make each day even more special. We only had 1 day with Fumi - but traveling with her was a great experience - and she also brought in unexpected fun by challenging us to be ninjas trying to enter Himeji Castle - this helped to reinforce how well the architecture supported defense. Keiko was magnificent! She had such a calm and kind presence and she offered us some choices within the itinerary that tailored it to our wants. As I shared going into this tour, my husband has some balance issues - with his walking stick he kept up every day and I found each guide gave his needs just enough attention without making him feel singled out or helpless.

Everything was prepared and we felt fully informed prior to the trip.

This was the first time we have joined a pre-arranged trip - we have always handled everything from hotel, to sightseeing to transportation on our own. We felt completely spoiled and indebted to each guide for helping this trip be so meaningful.

Thank you again for keeping us on public transportation most of the time. I found our first experience at Ueno Eki to be a bit daunting - but by the next day - I felt comfortable riding the subway without our guide. The same in Kyoto - having a guide moving us through day 1 helped us be more independent on the following days. Finally, our meeting and exiting folks were both incredible. Landing in Tokyo and customs were more stressful than expected (those cards? and the other card?) but once we walked out of customs - our driver was there with a sign and a smile and brought us to our hotel in comfort. Our return to Kyoto station was so unexpected and greatly appreciated. I thought we would be dragging our luggage to the station - but then located the confirmation for pickup. Then I figured we would be dropped at the station. We had no idea that the driver would park and assist with our bags all the way to the track and wait with us. BTW - something to note - Fumi, Keiko and the driver all thought we were traveling to KIX from track 30. It is track 9 on the weekends. We figured that out before we got too far - and again - the driver transported our luggage and led us to the right track - and stayed with us until we boarded. That extra above and beyond was so unexpectedly kind and deeply appreciated. Thank you for arranging this service with MK Taxi.