Chris Scott, Montana
We had a wonderful trip, and frankly, we thought the best thing about being in Japan was how nice the people were, as they consistently went out of their way to make us feel honored, respected, and happy. We absolutely loved our guide; her energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge enhanced our experience, and we felt like we “won the prize” for the best guide. The drivers were also exceptional, doing a good job and showing great kindness and helpfulness throughout the journey. A couple of them were so kind, and because they honor older folks and people with disabilities, they couldn’t have been more helpful to me. It was appreciated.
“Thank you for being so helpful in putting together a wonderful trip for us. I know it was last minute and we appreciate the help in guiding us by listening to what we wanted. With your knowledge of the country, hotels, restaurants and local experiences you did a ‘bang up job’.”
We loved the suggested experiences, from the “terrific” cooking class and the excellent sushi in Tokyo to the visit to the Nuno textile store. Kyoto was a standout favorite; we loved the “Japanese” wooded architecture and the special afternoon at the pottery expert’s gallery, which was a highlight. The visit to the Nishiki-Koji Market was a treat. We loved seeing all the offerings from each stall, and the variety of fish was more than we had ever seen. We did flower arranging, and it was a fun thing for us both. We also had fun doing the pottery repair, which we had not seen before. The end of our trip took us out to the Miho Museum, which was an excellent example of contemporary architecture.
The Mandarin Oriental provided a lovely stay with exceptional views of Mt. Fuji, and the restaurant choices were first-rate, and often had more food than we could eat. We had some favorites, with the highlight being the restaurant in the Park Hyatt in Kyoto. Our lunch in the sushi restaurant that Steve Jobs loved was high on our list.
Thank you for being so helpful in putting together a wonderful trip for us. I know it was last-minute, and we appreciate the help in guiding us by listening to what we wanted. With your knowledge of the country, hotels, restaurants and local experiences, you did a ‘bang up job’.