REVIEWS

Alex Levin, Pennsylvania

Thank you for putting together a fantastic trip for us! You worked with us to customize what we wanted to do in our limited time (10 days). I wish we could have stayed longer and done more, but we will be back!  We loved our days in Tokyo; the Mandarin Oriental was a perfect home base. We especially enjoyed the sumo wrestling practice as something a bit off the beaten path, and our guide found us great lunch spots that we would not have found on our own. We loved poking in and out of the shops on Kappabashi Street.

Kyoto was spectacular, and the Ritz was a wonderful home base there. Thanks for ensuring we saw the highlights, and we loved the restaurants you recommended. My absolute favorite part of the trip may be seeing Kenroku-en in Kanazawa. It’s such a spectacular garden, and we saw it in a drizzle, with everything glowing green, and beautiful umbrellas everywhere. It was very memorable. We loved our ryokan stay nearby. It’s hard to pick favorites from so many great experiences, but suffice to say, we had an unbelievable trip, and your guidance and expertise were indispensable! Thank you again!!

Sharon Herman, New York

We had an amazing trip—THANK YOU. It was probably our best vacation (and we travel a lot worldwide). Your company planned everything beautifully. It was important to us that logistics were seamless (driver waiting, transportation, hotel check-in/rooms, etc.)—and they were. The restaurant picks were wonderful (more on that), and the sites and experiences were fantastic.

I must say, though, that what made the trip was Hiromi.  Her cheery disposition was infectious, and she was flexible with the schedule.  When we were tired, she took the kids on tour several times.  They LOVE her.  Hiromi is also very knowledgeable about each site’s history and minute details, and her English is extremely good. She took painstaking care to address our dietary restrictions with all meals (her conversations were not just a few seconds with the restaurants – but an in-depth review of every ingredient).  In short – we loved her and were sad to leave.  We want to return soon and have Hiromi as our guide!

“What a wonderful country – made even more so by the curated itinerary, our guide and the unique experiences. We will be back! “

Some highlights of our journey were:

Kyoko, our cooking instructor – so warm and welcoming, and her food was delicious! 

Beniya Mukayu – the Ryokan was beautiful, and the dinners were well done.

Shirakawa-go village – our favorite!

Kintsugi – ceramics experience.

Cucina Kuramochi—the food was great, and the chef was so kind to open his restaurant just for us on his day off!

Godan Miyazawa (kaiseki meal) in Kyoto – the chefs were very warm, and the food was perfect.

In short, we recommend JapanQuest Journeys to all our friends and are happy to provide a referral for you anytime if anyone wants a live conversation.

THANK YOU – we had an absolutely special, wonderful trip.

John Chiminski, Wisconsin

I can’t say enough good things about our experience with Jason at JapanQuest Journeys. This was a very special trip for my wife’s 60th birthday, and Jason went above and beyond to curate a personalized and unforgettable journey for us. He took the time to listen to what we wanted to do—shopping for pottery, purchasing a historic katana, watching sumo wrestling, enjoying amazing sushi and dinner experiences, meditating with a Buddhist monk, and visiting the Hiroshima Peace Museum—and delivered on every front.

What set this trip apart was JapanQuest Journeys’ carefully curated relationships in Japan. At the Ryokan in Kanazawa, the owner personally invited us for an evening tea ceremony before dinner, which was an absolutely magical experience. We also had an outstanding local Japanese guide with us throughout our travels. The guide helped with translations and enhanced our experience by providing unique insights and local knowledge that we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.

“This was a very special trip for my wife’s 60th birthday, and Jason went above and beyond to curate a personalized and unforgettable journey for us.”

Jason didn’t stop there—he included even more incredible experiences, like visiting a master swordsmith and witnessing the first turns on a newly forged katana. We also had the incredible opportunity to learn how to make sushi with a renowned sushi chef. One of the most memorable highlights was dinner at a Geisha tea house, where we were treated to a performance—an experience typically unavailable to tourists. Still, thanks to Jason, we could enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

One of the most exciting experiences was watching sumo wrestlers train and “spar” for nearly two hours in their gym. This was a unique opportunity that I will never forget!

This trip truly was the experience of a lifetime, and I can’t thank Jason and JapanQuest Journeys enough for making it all come to life. If you’re looking for an authentic, once-in-a-lifetime journey to Japan, look no further than JapanQuest Journeys!

Gavin Berger, New York

As an avid international traveler with discerning standards, I was astounded by JapanQuest Journeys’ ability to surpass my expectations and deliver one of the most exceptional travel experiences of my life. Their meticulous planning and execution immersed us fully into the rich tapestry of Japanese culture.

During the planning process, guided by the invaluable insights of my JapanQuest Journeys consultant, Jason Gilman, I was encouraged to embrace activities that initially raised doubts. These experiences proved to be some of the most memorable highlights of my journey. The seamless coordination of every aspect of the trip was a testament to their exceptional planning and execution.

“Our guide was an exceptional resource, providing insightful background information on our experiences and ensuring our utmost comfort and satisfaction throughout our travels.”

Our guide was an exceptional resource, providing insightful background information on our experiences and ensuring our utmost comfort and satisfaction throughout our travels. In contrast to my previous experience with another travel company, JapanQuest’s unparalleled quality far surpassed my expectations.

For those seeking an authentic and immersive experience of Japan’s beauty and culture, JapanQuest Journeys presents an invaluable investment. Upon my return, I promptly contacted them to secure another unforgettable journey.

Susan Morita, Maryland

We had an absolutely wonderful time in Kyushu!  Everything worked perfectly and we felt very well taken care of every step of the way by our excellent guides Tomo and Nobu, and by the places you recommended for our accommodations.

The itinerary was excellent — very well-balanced with a terrific mix of nature, history, culture, and crafts.  Yakushima was beautiful — we loved seeing the loggerhead turtle come to shore to lay her eggs, our hikes to see the ancient cedars and the moss-covered forest were amazing, we had many sightings of the Yakushima monkeys and deer, and Nobu introduced us to a craftsperson who makes gorgeous things from the cedar wood.  

Hanzuiryo in Unzen was gorgeous and the onsen was fabulous — so restful and relaxing.  And the kaiseki meals were amazing — a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds.  We really enjoyed Nagasaki’s history and sights, and Tomo will tell you we probably spent too long going through the museum at the Peace Park and the Glover House site.  

Thank you for arranging for us to meet and see the galleries of three active potters — we loved meeting them and being able to see and purchase some of their work.  We are glad we made the stop in Arita — we learned a lot on the tour you arranged, and Onta was fascinating — so interesting to learn about the techniques used by the potters through generations and in such a beautiful setting.

Thank you for arranging for a truly wonderful vacation for our family!  We had a fantastic experience and have many happy memories.

Dalia Rawson and Gareth Hughes, California

We had such an amazing time.

It’s difficult to summarize our impressions, but these are memories we will cherish forever, and I don’t think that “life-changing” is too strong a phrase. Going through the photos, I can’t believe how many wonderful experiences we shared, and Narumi-san’s wonderful daily recaps are helping me to keep clear what was what. 

The restaurants were spectacular, and the experiences were even more so. Every restaurant was a contender for our favorite restaurant ever, maybe the chicken place in Kyoto as a really high note, although the tofu place, La Paix, take-out sushi at the fish market, every meal at the Ryokan, and dinners at the villa were all almost equally spectacular. 

The pacing of the trip was perfect, with busy city days interspersed with less busy days. 

We absolutely couldn’t have done this trip without JapanQuest Journeys. It was the perfect way to really explore a country and culture that was largely new to us without any of the worry of typical travel. We could just relax and try to take it all in. The whole thing was magic.