Great Snapshot of Japan
I was traveling with my spouse, tween, and 70+ year-old parents. We visited during the busy cherry blossom season. We were lucky as we arrived during the peak of this season and cherry blossoms were abundant. It was also quite crowded, so I appreciated my family having our own guide (versus being part of a bigger tour group). Also, it was nice to be picked up at the airport so that we didn't have to find our way around a foreign country upon arrival. I think the value was good considering it included the hotel, entrance fees to places visited, and public transportation fares. It was nice not to have to worry about the logistics of getting from one place to another in a foreign country. Our online tour consultant was very responsive and helpful. Also, the guides were knowledgeable, kind, and accommodating. The biggest challenge is that the days involved quite a bit of walking, which was difficult for my elderly parents. If I convince them to go on another trip, I would add in more leisurely days. Maybe that's my fault for not asking for some lighter days. I'm a bit torn because as a traveler, you do want to make the most of each day you are there to visit all the beautiful sites; but, it can also be exhausting. This also meant having to lug luggage around various trains to the various destinations. We stayed in four different hotels as we traveled across Japan. It was a packed itinerary; we were able to see a lot in a short amount of time. Over the course of five days, we visited Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Nara, Kyoto, Hiroshima, & Miyajima Island. Overall, an excellent trip that provided a snapshot of Japan. I would rate it four and a half stars if I could (but only whole stars were allowed). I recommend it for most families (including those with little ones and elderly); I would just add more rest days/free time (or fewer site visits per day), especially if you have members in your party that are young or elderly. Also, if you have members that have mobility issues (such as those in a wheelchair), I would work with the tour consultant as there were places that would be difficult to access. My consultant was great; I just don't think I took advantage of having chosen a “private, tailor-made" tour as much as I should have. I relied and trusted the recommendations. To be clear, their recommendations were all top notch, I just should have taken my family's (which included elderly parents) abilities more into account and been more vocal with what would be best to accommodate my specific family's needs.