REVIEWS

Amy Melton, Houston, Texas

Our itinerary resulted in the most engaging, informative, and FUN trip for our family of 4. All of us, including our children (in their early 20s), enjoyed the wide variety of experiences: there was something for everyone. And sometimes we were shocked by who ended up loving one event more than another!

After a couple of planning conversations, Scott Gilman crafted a trip that exposed us to and enabled us to participate in meaningful ways in Japanese culture and history. Yes, we visited iconic temples, shrines, and other sites we loved, but also had curated special interactions like those with a Japanese family of craftsman artists in Nagano prefecture, geishas in Kyoto, a beautiful tea ceremony with a Buddhist priest, crazy-loud taiko drumming lessons, sushi making with a master chef, and more.

“Can’t wait to return to Japan sometime in the future with a new itinerary from JapanQuest Journeys!”

The best moments came in those events and in the smallest of ways from our daily interactions with our incredible guide and new friend, Chieko. She took care of us and our every wish and daily travel details, patiently changing plans when we absolutely needed to make a sudden stop to taste a local treat or buy a postcard. She wanted us to enjoy every second, and she taught us so much Japanese language, culture, and tradition. We tried to do her proud with what we absorbed and brought home! She is a credit to her country!

We felt lucky at the end of our trip to have had the chance to meet so many incredible individuals in Japan- and we felt like we learned so much while having an absolute blast.

Can’t wait to return to Japan sometime in the future with a new itinerary from JapanQuest Journeys!

Eileen Sudler, Tequesta, Florida

It was an absolutely wonderful trip. Our guide, Mimi, should be designated a National Treasure in Japan; she is the difference between good and extraordinary.  We had so many special experiences, great weather, and a seamless experience. Thanks again for all your hard work on our itinerary. 

Steve Vetzner, Washington, DC

This was a great trip, and you provided great guidance and support.

From our arrival in Tokyo onward, all our transfers and pickups were seamless and easy. Hiromi was a great guide and very responsive to our requests, and our drivers were especially great.

Like everyone, we were impressed with how clean and orderly Tokyo and all of Japan are. The tour of old town neighborhoods and our walk with Michel were very helpful. And we totally enjoyed our cooking “class” with Kyoko. During our visit to Tokyo, we added a Kabuki performance, which was very enjoyable.

The Gran-class in our bullet train was more comfortable than the business class in our flight from Washington. I found Kanazawa to be the highlight of our time in Japan. I liked the scale of the town, the historic districts, the craft shops, and the Kenroku-en Garden. Shirkawa-go was also interesting. I was surprised by our Ryokan. I didn’t expect a place so modern to have a Relais & Châteaux designation. Because Kathy is very outgoing, she connected with the owner’s son. In addition to providing a book, they invited us to a tea ceremony.

“This was a great trip, and you provided great guidance and support.“

Kyoto and Nara were, of course, very interesting and impressive. I especially liked the “street” where we had our tea ceremony, which was very enjoyable. Our Zen session was also very impressive.  The top experience of our whole time was probably the rickshaw ride through the Bamboo Forest in the rain.

I loved the natural beauty and was impressed with the architecture and the outdoor sculpture. We did enjoy the Benesse House Museum. I was also struck by how we could see Okayama in the distance, and maybe it was intentional that the art on the island responds to the city’s industry.

We arrived in Osaka in time for an excellent dinner at the hotel’s Cantonese restaurant. 

I had decided to depart for our trip home from Osaka and worried our transfer in Tokyo would be difficult. But it was a piece of cake. On our connecting flight, we did get a great picture of Mount Fuji. A long layover in Tokyo also gave us time for shopping, picking out a rare bottle of sake.

And now for our best of the trip:

Best Hotels: The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto (so comfortable and personal) and Mandarin Oriental Tokyo (so well appointed)

Best Dinners: Tempura Fukamachi and MOTOI (It was exquisite, and we met the chef and had our picture taken with him).

Best Experience: Rickshaw ride in the Bamboo Forest.

Best Destination: Kanazawa.

Thanks so much. 

Pamela K, New York

I went on my first once-in-a-lifetime trip organized by JapanQuest Journeys in 2018. On that trip, we were lucky to see the cherry blossoms and ride the hotel elevator in Kyoto with Leonardo De Caprio. However, there was a lot about the trip that was not just luck. Scott and his team planned everything for frictionless travel. The guides, the drivers, and the itinerary choices were all just perfect.

Then, in 2026, it was time for a second once-in-a-lifetime trip. This time, it included skiing and more family members, so the logistics were more complex. We had a fabulous guide, Mimi, and again everything went smoothly. This allowed us to open our senses, experience things, and take in the beautiful culture.

“Japan has become a very popular destination, and I think now more than ever, Scott’s experience is invaluable.”

I highly recommend working with Scott. He’s so pleasant, listens well, and is non-judgmental about requests. He was always available to talk and brainstorm ideas. He knows so many people and has so many connections that open doors to special experiences. Yes, he did get us into Narisawa (number 22 in the world) with about 6 tables and one seating. Yes, it was delicious!

Japan has become a very popular destination, and I think now more than ever, Scott’s experience is invaluable.

Heather Rosenstein, New York

There are not enough adjectives to describe how incredible our two-week family trip to Japan was! With 6 adult children (one married couple), we left it to Scott and his team to plan the event after an in-depth conversation about our family and how to accommodate everyone’s different tastes and personalities. This was not an easy task, and to say that JapanQuest Journeys nailed it would be an understatement. From the moment we landed, every detail was smooth and carefully thought out. It all started with our guide Kiko, who, after two weeks, was an official member of our family. We learned a great deal from her about the country’s history, culture, and sights. Her intelligence, kindness, and humor made us all look forward to our morning meet-ups at our two vans with drivers who were just as friendly, often singing along as we connected to their Bluetooth.

“Sit back and enjoy the trip JapanQuest Journeys plans for you! Their knowledge, expertise, and professionalism will guarantee you the best trip you will ever take!”

With so many memorable moments, it is hard to describe them all. Each spot, Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Naoshima, had unique experiences. Among the highlights, in Tokyo, we took a sushi-making and architectural tour. Kanazawa: seeing the gardens, the old village, the Ryokan selected for us, and papermaking. Kyoto had so many highlights, including a meditation class in a beautiful setting, an authentic tea ceremony, drum lessons, a calligraphy class, and dinner with geisha, which included a musical game our entire family enjoyed! We ended our trip in Naoshima, which was a priority and surpassed all expectations. The art and installations we saw were so memorable, as was the island’s natural beauty and the Benessee House. Kiko’s input helped to make this part even better!

Leading up to this trip, I was overwhelmed by the social media in my feed: “12-day Itineraries,” best food and shopping, etc. My advice: ignore the noise and your urge to do some of it yourself. Sit back and enjoy the trip JapanQuest Journeys plans for you! Their knowledge, expertise, and professionalism will guarantee you the best trip you will ever take!

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 fun for both of us. 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’.