REVIEWS

Ellen Salwen, California

I worked with Scott to make my itinerary. He was fantastic and I highly recommend him. He is extremely knowledgeable. He responded to my emails and phone calls immediately and fulfilled any request I had. All of the scheduling for rides, flights, trains and private meetings with individual artisans was seamless. The guides he uses accommodate all requests made that veered from the original itinerary. Highlights of the trip were private meetings with a chef, gold leaf artisan, kimono artist, and a painter/printmaker currently exhibiting in New York.

Jeff Grinspoon and Jon Foley, Colorado

We traveled to Japan with Scott’s office in late October/November 2023. From the planning to execution, we were extremely impressed with Scott and his team. We love to be actively involved in the planning of a trip, and Scott was very responsive to our requests and suggestions. He always replied to us promptly (often within minutes). We wanted to be a bit “off the beaten path” so Scott designed an itinerary that included not only Tokyo, Kanazawa, Takayama, and Kyoto, but Kamikochi National Park where we had an amazing day of hiking, Matsumoto in a beautiful ryokan, and a stay at the beautiful Aman resort in Ise Shima. His hotel/inn and restaurant recommendations were spot-on, and we ate some amazing food. We often had our room category upgraded; no doubt due to Scott’s relationship with the hotel. 

We have learned that the quality of a guide can make or break a trip. Our guide Tomo was wonderful—knowledgeable, kind, and fun. She went out of her way to understand our interests and show us the non-touristy side of the places that we visited.

The train network in Japan is great but some of the transfers can be intimidating (Tokyo Station at rush hour is an experience!). As part of their service, Scott’s office arranged for us to be met by their representative as we got off trains to guide us to our next transfer or accommodation, which made the travel completely stress-free. Scott and Tomo provided perfect suggestions for spending our time alone in Kyoto and Tokyo, which helped us plan our days without a guide. We highly recommend Scott and his team. Thank you!

Ed Finger, Texas

I’m still on a high reflecting on my incredible journey to Japan. From the moment of arrival, everything worked out seamlessly thanks to the excellent work of Scott Gilman at JapanQuest Journeys. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Japan several times prior to this trip but knew this would be a different experience. Working with a company specifically geared toward Japan, I had no doubt this would elevate my experience.

The purpose of the trip was to photograph the Fall foliage. Not only was Mother Nature kind with magnificent color, but all arrangements (flights, hotels, car transfers, and local food) went as planned. I specifically wanted to immerse myself in Japanese culture experiencing rural life and nature in accordance with local Shinto ways. I’m also a huge “foodie” and wanted to experience local foods wherever I went. Each guide/driver I had was aware of this and went to special length to make this possible.

What were the highlights? Too many, but a few to mention…

Heading down to the town of Fujiyoshida and experiencing My. Fuji up close and personal was something I’ll never forget. Powerful, majestic and spiritual to say the leastl! Also, my guide, “Mimi-san,” was especially wonderful. I met her in the lobby of the Park Hyatt Hotel in Shinjuku where we headed to Tokyo Station together. She’d be with me on my journey to Kanazawa and the next couple of days following. I bonded with her from the get-go! Her sweet disposition, superb knowledge, and professionalism was over the top. I will forever be grateful for this incredible human! 

Also, the pristine location and exquisite villa at Sasayuri-Ann was magical to say the least. Was perfect for 2-3 days and some peaceful “Zen” time. Finally, Susumu, my driver I was so fortunately to have while in Kyoto
was over the top. Professional, accommodating, and courteous are understatements to describe this man.

I could easily go on and am already conjuring in my headed when I might return to Japan. SO many great memories made, and stories told about how wonderful my experience was.

Thank you again to Scott and his team at JapanQuest Journeys for making the trip over the top and more!!

Elisabeth and Bradley Sherman, Cleveland, Ohio

We had the most fabulous trip to Japan in October 2023 that was planned by JapanQuest Journeys. Prior to the trip, Jason met with us a number of times, listened to our interests and created a wonderful itinerary that was filled with magical experiences. 

Highlights included a private architecture tour with James and a private cooking class at the home of Kyoko. We had a very special waterfall hike in the mountains and saw many temples and shrines, each one more interesting than the next. Other memorable private experiences included a tea ceremony, a taiko drum session and a Zen session with Daisuke, a Buddhist priest.

We ended the trip in Naoshima, saw amazing art and stayed at the Benesse House which feels like something out of a James Bond movie.

We were lucky enough to have Narumi as our guide during our entire trip. Narumi took care of every detail and was constantly adding stops to make the trip even more special. Having Narumi as our guide made the trip effortless and stress-free. She is the best!

Thank you to JapanQuest Journeys for a trip of a lifetime.

Mary Hoak, Colorado

My husband and I had an amazing trip to Japan put together by Scott. The hotels, especially the villa we had, met all our expectations. We traveled with three young male relatives in their early to mid-20’s and they loved the trip as well. The private experiences Scott set up were extraordinary: We watched Sumo wrestlers practice, we had a private cooking class, we learned how sake is made (and tasted it!), we meditated with a Buddhist priest, and we had a drumming session that was, perhaps, the best experience of all.

I can’t say enough about the restaurants Scott offered: The food was beyond. A special shout-out to the two guides who took us through Japan—so knowledgeable and so kind. They were part of our family by the end of the trip.

Laurie Lindenbaum and Robert Horne, Michigan

The trip was amazing! Both of our guides were wonderful – very knowledgeable, organized, attentive, and a pleasure to be with for days on end. These guides made a huge difference in our experience. All transfers were flawless. And there were a lot of them! 

The hotels in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo were fantastic! The décor, service, views, food were all exceptional. The Kanazawa Hotel was totally comfortable (and the gym was good!). As you had indicated, one ryokan was enough in Japan, and we had fun experiencing what a more traditional Japanese lifestyle is or was like. 

Thank you very, very much JapanQuest Journeys for all of your help making this such a memorable, enjoyable and worthwhile trip! We loved seeing the sites and the cities, and Naoshima and Teshima were spectacular. All-in-all it was one of our best trips ever.