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REVIEWS

Wondering what it’s like to travel with us? Hear from our travelers as they share the special moments and unforgettable experiences that made their time in Japan so memorable. 

OUR TRAVELERS’ WORDS FROM THEIR JOURNEYS

The Highsmith Family, South Carolina

Our trip to Japan with JapanQuest Journeys was truly unforgettable. From start to finish, everything was seamless and expertly organized. Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, navigating both Tokyo and Kyoto with ease and precision. Thanks to their expertise, we saw all the iconic sights and hidden gems we never would have found on our own.

Unforgettable Journey with JapanQuest Journeys!

A dedicated driver was always ready and waiting to take us to our next destination, making the entire experience stress-free and efficient. We immersed ourselves in Japanese culture—visiting temples, markets, neighborhoods, and of course, indulging in all the amazing food Japan has to offer.

We couldn’t have experienced everything we did—or learned so much about the culture—without JapanQuest Journeys. They made the trip effortless, enriching, and full of memories we’ll treasure forever.

Highly recommend!

Family of Four, California

Jason Gilman orchestrated one of—if not our—best family trips ever. We loved exploring Tokyo’s diverse neighborhoods, touring Matsumoto Castle, staying in a serene ryokan nestled in nature, strolling Kanazawa’s beautiful gardens, and, of course, meeting the bowing deer of Nara. Our guide was exceptional—knowledgeable, warm, and so engaging that our young children formed a genuine bond and were sad to see her go. Five stars all around from both our kids and us (no easy feat!). Thank you, Jason—we can’t wait for you to plan our next Japanese adventure!  

“Five stars all around from both our kids and us (no easy feat!). Thank you, Jason—we can’t wait for you to plan our next Japanese adventure!”

Lissa and Farzanah Gangjee, Texas

Thank you for the most amazing trip. We’ve traveled a ton, and this was something special. Highlights include Zenagi, our guide Reiko, a yakitori dinner in Kyoto, Reverend Takafumi, ikebana, tea tasting with Oscar, and sumo. We could go on and on. Thank you for helping our family make so many memories. We are grateful! 

“Thank you for helping our family make so many memories. We are grateful!”

We truly had a great time and are happy to let others know they should definitely use your company!

Carol Hamilton, California 

We recently returned from a JapanQuest Journeys-organized journey through Tokyo and Kyoto with our group of six, and from the very start, we felt completely looked after. Every aspect of our trip was handled with meticulous care and professionalism, so we never had to worry about a thing. At each leg of our travels—whether by plane, train, or private car—an English-speaking guide or escort was there to greet us, ensuring each transfer was seamless and stress-free. Each evening, we dined at carefully chosen local restaurants – historic and newer hidden gems that we would never have discovered on our own.

“JapanQuest Journeys is a national treasure whose deep knowledge and warm hospitality brought every moment of our trip to life and made us feel like honored guests.”

Our itinerary was filled with unforgettable cultural experiences arranged by Jason Gilman of JapanQuest Journeys. We practiced the art of ikebana with a master, enjoyed a traditional cooking class, engaged in meditation with a Buddhist monk in a serene temple, participated in an authentic tea ceremony, and explored Tokyo’s architectural gems with a local architect. JapanQuest Journeys are national treasures whose deep knowledge and warm hospitality brought every moment of our trip to life and made us feel like honored guests. Thanks to JapanQuest Journeys’ (and Jason’s) warm, personalized service and impeccable attention to detail, our entire trip felt effortless and deeply enriching.

Troy and Staci Brown, Pennsylvania

Nearly one year in advance, we finally found the time to curate and book our Japan bucket list vacation. We have traveled extensively but never before to Asia, so booking a two-week vacation there in the first half of April, with the goal of immersing ourselves in the Cherry Blossom season in Kyoto while seeing a broad expanse of Japan, was a bit daunting. A colleague and his wife (now frequent Japan vacationers) recommended Jason at JapanQuest Journeys, and I’m glad they did. 

We had a fantastic trip, with bespoke experiences based on our preferences (not just ordinary tourist attractions).  Jason and I communicated frequently, ensuring that all big and small details were addressed, including my wife’s sometimes tricky dietary restrictions.  As the vacation approached, we interacted by phone, text, and email to lock in dining experiences that could accommodate us.  Ultimately, we had almost no hiccups the entire trip, which is a bit of a miracle considering the ambitious itinerary!  A lot of that was due to the care and planning that Jason and his team devoted to the trip.  And a lot of it was equally attributable to the amazing guide (and new friend) that we had for the entirety of the two weeks. 

“Overall, our trip matched our bucket list hopes. We’re already looking forward to planning our next trip with Jason and his team.”

Our guide, Hiro, was incredible.  She ensured that every lunch restaurant accommodated our needs, advance-planned nightly to ensure the following day would be stress-free and as crowd-tolerable as possible despite being high season, obsessed on every aspect of every day (from trains to cars, to shrines and temples, to the busiest of tourist attractions) to make it go as smoothly as possible, and was just the nicest, friendliest and most genuine person/guide we’ve ever encountered. 

Overall, our trip matched our bucket list hopes, and the Tokyo-Matsumoto-Kanazawa-Kyoto-Naoshima-Tokyo itinerary – which did seem a bit tiring and overwhelming when we planned it out – was the perfect combination of active, relaxing, and otherworldly.  We’re already looking forward to planning our next trip with Jason and his team.

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.

“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!”

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!!

BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY

So we can tailor your journey to your exacting needs, kindly take a few moments to complete our questionnaire. In doing so, please keep all of the members of your party in mind. We thank you in advance and look forward to designing your extraordinary bespoke journey. You can also contact us at info@japanquestjourneys.com or 202.455.0095.

Note: An investment in a bespoke journey with us starts at $3,000 per person per day, based on double occupancy.