Review

Dale and Kay Rhoney

Best of Japan in 22 Days

October 6, 2019 - October 27, 2019

We have highly recommended you to friends and I think Teri and Paul Graham from Lake Oswego, OR (good friends of +35 years!) are taking our 22 day tour with you in ?April/May? We didn’t remember about the 5% discount for them but know they will enjoy the great overview of Japan with you.... like we did!!

Itinerary

Having lived in Japan in the early 70’s and last visited in 2005, we LOVED seeing places we knew but also seeing some for the first time! It is a good overview but, of course, one full day in Kyoto and many places is just enough to encourage a longer return trip. We returned to Koya-San and Hokkaido for the first time in almost 50 years and had never visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki areas which we really enjoyed!

Lodging

ALL were very special and nice!!! Liked staying mostly in ryokans with the Japanese style and customs:). We finally really enjoyed and used the Japanese baths which after all our visits we had not done!!

Food

My husband got more tired of the strictly Japanese breakfasts than I did...but mostly the buffets were great and the best food for all meals was the ryokan on the island of Miyajima/Itsukushima. We enjoyed the variety of meals and the time saving of having it done and ready for us as we traveled through. WORSE MEAL was the Sayonara Meal our last nite as it was a western style tough steak;(. We preferred Japanese and would have enjoyed a sukiyaki dinner which we never had on the trip... not sure if still done?? We wanted the Japanese experience to the very last nite.

Guides

Sorry for misspelling names as lost my lists:(. All the guides were great but we especially enjoyed Kay and Echo.... Rei/Ray was young and fun to be with BUT his microphone was a tiny, handheld and did not work and he needed reminders to find bathroom stops for us old ladies:) Maybe have more information about the Japanese toilets etc early in tour as we got to ask Echo (last guide in Hokkaido) and she gave us great, funny info:)

Pre-Tour Handbook

All was well done and you put up with us needing more support or making mistakes with our Senior Moments. THANKS!! ALL the people we either emailed or talked to directly: Michelle, Sara etc. were so helpful and supportive!!

Tour Organization

Glad we were on the tour as it was something we couldn’t do on our own!!! Very well organized!

Tour Transportation

Glad we were NOT on big tour buses but riding local trains, subways, planes and boats! Wonderful experience and by the end we could easily travel on our own... with your support of getting tickets:)

Would you go on another tour operating by Samurai Tours: Yes!

Would you recommend Samurai Tours to friends or family: Yes!