Japan Traveller Reviews - On The Go Tours

The tour covered a lot of ground in a short time. The hotel room was abysmally small for 2, too much time spent waiting for/traveling on public transport and entrance fees should have been included. The guide was pleasant and helpful, but ran us ragged catching buses and trains. ”  

Thank you for another great onthego tour.

I loved every minute of it.

The hotels were great. The included meals were excellent. Kaori did a great job organising our days and getting us around such easy cities.

The fabulous location and experience at the Mt Fuji hotel was a highlight. Thankyou”  

The Tokyo to Takayama tour was excellent and exceeded our expectations. We are often independent travellers but this tour allowed us the benefits of independent travel with the ease of having accommodation, travel & tours organised for us.

Kaori was an exceptional, excellent tour guide.”  

Hotels and guide were great. My only negative comment is that I would have preferred being trasnported within the city by small van as we were only 18. The numerous trips on crowded subways and trains and city buses was a little unbearable.”  

Tour guide brilliant (Maho Shiina). A lovely person, great at her job, very caring, knows her country and history very well.

Some days were extremely long and time for food/lunch breaks etc got a bit lost in timetables. A 'lot' of public transport. Some days too much in very crowded conditions.”  

Our tour went very and it was an excellent experience. Our tour guide Maho took very good care of us and showed us Japan’s uniqueness. When we arrived and were met in Tokyo at the airport it made our transfer to the hotel very easy. The tour group were a good bunch and friendships were created. ”  

Really enjoyed the tour. Tour size was great. Guide was fabulous. Interesting to note the kms walked per day was probably double quoted in trip information. Not all people were asked to do a pre tour health assessment one person in particular should have !! Public transport was hectic but enjoyable ”  

Would prefer not to have a days tour itinerary finish basically at a market/shopping area. Would like to have spent more time in rural/coastal areas to see a more diverse Japan. Some days were more about transportation than the location. Maho was excellent ”  

The itinerary was balanced and the tour guide was wonderful, kind and helpful. ”  

What a wonderful experience. Our tour guide Mano, I can’t praise her high enough she went above and beyond with her great knowledge of Japan and genuine care for us on the tour. I must admit the number of steps was a little daunting at times but all part of the experience ”  

Very poor tour. It was not known by us or group the 100% of public transport would be used. We wasted up to 2 plus hours a day in stations and waiting for trains, subway, trams and busses all very overcrowded. Spent over 2 hours daily standing and waiting on public transport ave KM walking 9km ”  

I enjoyed the tour, however it felt like being herded from place to place each day without time to really see the places mentioned in the itinerary. It seemed to be focused on meeting transport timetables. It was very hard to hear the guide speak over trains, buses and crowds. ”  

Would not recommend this tour. We did not realise that we would be using public transport 100% of the time - this meant valuable sightseeing time was lost transferring between trains, buses, trams etc. Also only allowing 45minutes in Hiroshima Museum was very disappointing”  

Both our guides,Yumi & Masashi were wonderful,,very well organised,efficient & helpful.

During the whole tour we had no major issues,,only a couple of minor ones sometimes with English/ language issues,,& being able to hear advice/instructions when in a noisy area,,,but no problem,as we just asked other tour members what was said.

As our travel agent had recommended this tour,,We were not quite sure what to expect ,regarding transport & areas visited.However on reflection,we did enjoy all aspects of the tour. All well managed etc. from being met at the airport ,,to arranging our final bus ticket to the airport for our flight home. Putting up with the heat & very crowded Japan,was all part of the touring experience!

Was initially a little confusing that there were several tours all included in the one tour group.

Perhaps maybe a little disappointed that we never really saw any lovely scenery ,except around Mt Fuji area,& from the bullet trains.

Great that the Tokyo & Kyoto hotels were close to the transport hubs.

The Yaesu hotel rooms were very small. The Lake Kawaguchi hotel was very very dated,& whilst the room was cleanish,there were food/drink stains on the chairs & walls. Happy with large size of room & bed etc.

Thanks for everything. ”  

The tour was extraordinary. This was helped along by the guides. Yumi was good and Massa was fantastic.

The only down side was the heat and not catering for older less agile...... I know your tour said you must be physically fit but the demographic of the tour was older people. So a view of looking for escalators or lifts in stations could help.”  

Loved the tour. Both guides were terrific but a special thank you to Masa who helped us to organise our luggage transfer and our transport to Osaka when we left the tour. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and all round delightful people.

The only small negative (and please it is a small thing) was the hotel in Tokyo. It was in a fabulous location but the rooms were tiny (which we accept is part of the vibe) but on the whole it was a bit run down. The hotel restaurant did not have an English menu which was a bit strange.”  

it was a consensus amongst the whole group that considering most people arrive at start location min 1 day prior to tour, there should be less days in Tokyo (tour spend 4 days in Tokyo start location) and more days in other regions.

Tour guide seemed to forget he was leading a tour group of 12 people. often walked ahead with a few faster paced people and left the rest behind. some often got left behind and lost. some unable to enter train stations as he forgot to buy them tickets. did not project his voice to allow a large group of people to hear him, especially in crowded busy areas. Often did not have answers to our questions regarding history.

Accommodation was as advertised. no issues. best accommodations was guest house in Hakone. beautiful kind, generous hosts plus amazing private onsen

Ebike ride was a welcome change as we walked on ave 20K - 25K steps every day”  

The Tour was excellent base on the locations, amount of free time and the Guide - Massa was the best and with him living locally it was great to have him also offer options to do when there was free time. A very patient and caring guide. Just amazing

Would totally recommend having the Ogi-Machi Gassho Village included as an option. That was amazing

One thing I didn't know was that the 13 day tour actually was the 8 day and 10 day tours as well. It seemed others thought that as well from their various agents.

Over all brilliant and would recommend this tour to friends.. plus this is my first time with on the go and would like to try other countries in the hope the guides are of this level of excellence :) thanks you”  

The tour was well paced, with hotels in great locations. I liked that it focused on the cultural aspects of the cities we visited. Masa has amazing knowledge and skill”  

i thought the itinerry w3as very good and i have nothing but praise for Masa, our tour guide

he was outstanding

hetook great care of us and showed empathy

his explanations were always detailed and interesting

his efficiency was top notch”  

Terry was exceptional in his knowledge and experience. He gave valuable feedback and insight on every part of the Tour. The hot humidity at the time posed a challenge for us but that is out of your control and again Terry reminded us how to stay safe while attempting the Tour. This is one of the most enjoyable Tours I have done and I will be recommending you and your Tour guide to any future friends/family who are travelling to Japan. Thanyou Terry and Go Tours it was truly amazing. ”  

Masa was an excellent guide. He went above and beyond to help everyone on the tour. He answered a question I had after hours and he even took me to the Shinkansen station after the tour finished, helped me buy a Shinkansen ticket, and explained how to find the correct train platform.

His history lessons, drawn on a small whiteboard at every historical site were very interesting and he explained the complicated history of Japan in an easy to understand manner.

I do think there are a few areas that could be improved though. There was too much time spent at Senso-Ji temple, we probably could’ve halved the time spent at Senso-ji and fit in another destination that day.

Also, I personally would have swapped the visit to Sanjusangen-do temple for Fushimi Inari. I think Fushimi Inari is probably a better place to take a tourist. Sanjusangen-do is not as well known as Fushimi Inari.

But apart from these two things, I really enjoyed the tour. It was a great experience and I think the overall itinerary was very well prepared. And of course Masa was a very friendly and very helpful tour guide. Give him a pay rise!”  

The Best of Japan tour was absolutely fantastic! Masa, our tour guide for the duration, was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and made the entire group feel welcome. He is worth his weight in gold. Masa knew the best restaurants to eat at and the sights outside our itinerary to get the proper Japanese experience. Having said that, the only downside is a week isn't enough. I'll be going back again next year for a few weeks!! A special thanks to Samantha for all the help given prior to the trip. ”  

Kaori was an amazing guide. She is very knowledgeable on her country & shared a lot with us. Any questions asked were answered with much detail. Any information given was given with notes and/or maps. We left a tip & thank you note as well as a small soft toy for Kaori in Kyoto and we just hope she got it.

The lady who took us from the airport to our hotel was also extremely helpful & we have a few hours to spare before we could book in so she took us around and showed us places of interest. Unfortunately I lost her information but would like to thank her for her help.

Public transport was an issue in Kyoto & this made some of the time unpleasant. Both my husband & myself have come back extremely ill. It may have been good to pass this info on and suggest masks etc.

Luggage was not addressed very well & some on the trip had oversized suitcases & struggled.

It was lovely to see the temples and shrines but that was pretty much all that was offered really (yes we saw this when booking the tour) but some variety would be nicer. The two highlights for us were the Shibuya Crossing and 1001 Kannon in Tokyo, Mount Fuji was awesome, except I cannot sleep on the floor & stayed awake the entire night, a few extra mattresses would have been nice. The meals in Kyoto & Kawaguchiko were really good too.

The stairs at stations were not mentioned anywhere. Kaori was good and found lifts and/or escalators where necessary but even a wheeelchair ramp would work (it was just so hectic there was not always time to find alternative routes).

Having said all this, the trip was amazing & we would recommend it to anyone. The tour group was not too big which was also nice. We are looking at booking other tours with your company if they are similar with regards to guides & value.”  

Great itinerary but guide was not local as advertised and he had no knowledge of culture or history. He was great at taking us from point A to B and offering food/generic activities recommendation but has not ”  

We enjoyed our guide Kaori so much. She was very knowledgeable about all the places we toured, was always on time and was very friendly. At times all the transportation of buses, trains and subways was very hard to handle at times. During certain times of the day there were very crowded. We felt like a lot of time was used with the transportation and other tours might have been included. ”  

The tour took us to many wonderful places. There was too much public transportation especially in Tokyo, getting to Mount Fuji and the day we arrived in Kyoto. I was expecting public transport but not as many as 7 different transports in one day. We were also walking about 7 to 8 miles a day. The reserved trains and buses were great as well as the luggage forwarding. Most of the breakfasts at the hotels had many options and the hotels were all clean and acceptable. The hotels in Kyoto and Takayama were the nicest. The tour guide was very nice but I don't think he had done this tour before as he could not make any recommendations for restaurants except telling us to go to the train station. He had to spend most of his energy on coordinating the transportation and making sure that everyone on the 3 combined tours knew how to return to the airports as well as purchasing and collecting entrance fees. He occasionally would offer some information on the sites but compared to the 2 other touring agencies I have used, his information on the history and the culture of the sites was very minimal. We were never given information on hiking trails at Lake Kawaguchi as we left early. We were never given information on seeing a cultural performance at the Gion Corner Theatre or going to a tea ceremony and the guide initially wanted to exclude Gion and Nijo Castle from the itinerary until a few of us spoke up. We had little free time since we spent so much time with public transportation. The guide did take us to a wonderful Okonomiyaki dinner in HIroshima and he also took people to a few things that were not on the itinerary. We loved Japan and the people and did have a great trip but it was quite exhausting. ”  

Yumi could have made the tour more enjoyable. In fairness we had a large group, but she struggled to communicate (both instructions and information) to the group. We were constantly asking each other what she had said as only the people closest to her heard what she said. Perhaps choosing quieter places to address the group mould have worked. Also she seemed to get quite irritated when people asked for clarification. Having said that she was pleasant and knowledgeable about the sights we went to.

Public transport required a lot of walking and in some cases a private bus would have made more sense.

The hotels were of a good standard but rooms were exceptionally small in some cases”  

I absolutely loved this tour! This is my second tour with On the Go and I really liked this one. I loved the "local's perspective" and affordability of using public transit instead of a coach bus, the variety of things we did, the downtime and special, hidden extras that our guide Toshi took us too (including surprises not included on the tour itinerary, that Toshi took time out of his day to take us to), and the fantastic opportunities to do things I would have never done on my own, like the onsen and traditional inn.

I will say though that this tour needs to be marked as Highly Physical. The amount of walking (10+ miles on every single day of the tour), plus loads of stairs and hours of standing thanks to the subway system, made this tour quite a challenge!”  

Our Land of the Samurai tour in Japan was one of the best holidays we have ever had. In just 10 adventure packed days we got a real sense of this wonderful country. From start to finish the organisation was spot on. We were met at the airport by Louis who accompanied us to our first hotel and provided our travel cards and some excellent initial tips by way of introduction to Japan. The following day we met our main tour guide Masa who must be given full credit for the success of our tour. He was knowledgeable, considerate and well organised. He is a true asset to the company. ”  

Memorable Japan

Japan, what a country and the Japanese are so respectful, helpful and kind. ‘Our world’ could learn from it. The trip went very well, well organised and under the fantastic guidance of Mashira, our tour guide for the Tokyo to Takayama trip. He went out of his way all the time to answer questions, explain the sites, their history and much more. He also guided us seamlessly through the efficient national network of transport. The hotels were all well positioned within the cities and at Lake Kawaguchi, from which we had an excellent view of Mount Fuji. Having Takayama in your program can be recommended, as it gives another impression of (rural) Japan, after you have visited the (busy) cities. Every part of the program worked, leaving some free time. Some of the food was included, but on those days when it wasn’t, there was so much choice and shops near to the hotels and with good value for money in many cases. And, we had a bit of the cherry blossom.

Thank you for the most enjoyable time and memorable trip. ”  

The group were completely disconnected. The local company didn’t start the tour promoting good relationships between the members. They didn’t create a WhatsApp group. That complicated the communication, made less clear the messages and the times to meet, and prevent for sharing photos in the moment they were taken.

Kaori, the guide was very kind and respectful but she lacked giving recommendations about places to go to eat, or buy anything. She was less experienced than I expected. She doesn’t have the leader personality for guiding 18 people through the crowds. Tokyo public transportation was crazy and uncomfortable, too many destinations for few days. The rest of the transportation was increíble good and clean. I loved the bullet train.

Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Marunouchi, Hotel Around Takayama and Nishikinoyu Jimotoya (the traditional Japanese house) were amazing, Ibis Styles Kyoto Station was really awful.

In Hakone: having bad weather the itinerary should have had the flexibility for doing something that did matters instead of fulfilling the schedule with no purpose. Too difficult for Japan? Maybe you should think of changing your local partner. ”  

Incredible trip!! I had a blast.

I only didn't like the hotel in Kyoto - it was way too small and cheap for what I paid.

Also, too many trains - we should have used more buses.”  

Moha, our tour guide was very knowledgeable about both the history and the places we visited. She helped a lot with suggestions about what do in our free time and which restaurants to go to. She was very organised but flexible enough to accommodate people who just HAD to get a coffee before they could do anything.”  

There was nothing wrong with the tour but comparing it to other tours we have done with OTG ie Egypt, Turkey, Morrocco which were out of this world. I didnt feel overall I learnt as much about Japan as I learnt about other countries. I dont eat Asian food but that is my preference and no reflection on the tour. Yumi was not in any way bad, but I'm comparing her to Momo, Lale and Yunis who were brilliant. She did help us with information we asked about extra things to do in our spare time that we had planned. The accommodation overall was okay but the Tokyo accommodation (i think it was Yaesu hotel) was terrible (room was so small) we paid for an upgrade. We stayed before and after the tour in Ryumeikan Hotel in Tokyo - one of the choices you guys offer and this was much better. I think taking ppl to the museum in Tokyo on day 4 was a waste. It should be something they can do on their own in spare time. Just a waste of a day. so many other things that could have been done. I love museums btw this was just flat though. Lake Kawaguchiko was awsum and a very authentic experience. ”  

Great tour and fantastic guide! All round five stars. ”  

Masa our guide was excellent. Overall the tour was very good, would have liked more free time in Tokyo and Hiroshima but overall was all good. The hotel accommodation was good apart from Tokyo, we were OK with the room being small but the mattresses were old and very uncomfortable and the cleaning staff were not considerate of our belongings, my T-shirt was ruined by bleach when I left it to dry.

We had a few people in our group who were slow and this did impact on our free time, particularly the lady who used a wheelchair for part of the journey and we were often waiting for them often. Masa our tour guide was informative, always answered our questions, looked after us really well. Couldn't have asked for a better guide.”  

Hello, my husband and I absolutely loved our tour of Japan. The guide was great and very helpful in letting us know where to go for meals, attractions not included in the tour and shopping. The guide was very knowledgeable about all the sites we visited and was very easy to get along with.

We really enjoyed the tour, accommodation and service provided by On The Go Tours and will be booking other tours with On the Go Tours for our future holidays. ”  

The tour was excellent. We had two guides who were both excellent, very well organised and knowledgeable. ”  

Great way to see the major sights & experience traditional food & culture.

Good balance of historical, traditional and contemporary sights or experiences. OTG managed the logistics of getting around cities and countries which made this effortless for us. Guide was incredibly helpful and always went that extra mile for the group. Size of group was good and ensured you never missed anything”  

Very interesting and enjoyable

Very professional from the time I started my inquiry about the tour, everything was detailed and clear. The agent was very helpful and cooperative to solve any issue I had. The tour was very informative and the tour guide was knowledgeable of the subjects that were explored”  

Thank you Yuki - she made this trip perfect. My highlight was seeing a geisha and Mt Fuji.”  

I have had the most fabulous tour. My guide Yuki made the tour easy with her fantastic organisation skills, great sense of humour and caring nature. I appreciated the balance of guided aspects and free time. Yuki was so helpful and accommodated the needs of all group members. She was so knowledgeable and efficient which meant we could make the most if our time at each place. My first trip with On The Go has been a blast. A big Thanks to the company and THE BEST tour guide!”  

Yuki our Japanese guide was wonderful. She was organised, calm, punctual, flexible and understanding with a lovely sense of humour! Nothing was a problem for her. A very enjoyable trip to Japan - our first visit here!”  

Special mention of "very good" guide Yuki, she stopped lots to check on us all, which was much appreciated as no one got lost or late for trains etc. Yuki was friendly and helpful throughout the tour and made our first experience if Japan an excellent experience.”  

Yuki was amazing, she is well informed, considerate and flexible. Showed empathy and understanding. Public transport is overcrowded, would prefer a private vehicle.”  

The views, meals, service and onsen at the Ryokan were excellent. Both guides were absolutely wonderful. This was my first experience of an overseas tour and I have loved it. The only thing I would change and its purely a personal choice is that I would pay the single supplement. I can't speak highly enough of Yuki and Ako. They were both professional, organised and just fun to hangout with.”  

Very interesting time in Japan - people were great and a very experienced guides made it very easy and enjoyable.”  

Great tour, saw everything stated on allotted itinerary, guide Mewa was very good, helpful and enjoyed her history narratives whilst travelling.”  

I really enjoyed the tour. Most of the arrangements and organisation was very good and our tour guide Yuki was amazing, super polite, patient,really took care of us, went over and above in making our holiday so enjoyable. From the daily well written with cute drawings on her daily schedules, tiny treats she bought us, to the knowledge and expertise in the way she took us through all the public transport so efficient, I give her top marks.

My suggestions are few ....taking the bus in Tokyo was the most inconvenient. There were long waits and buses were overcrowded. Train rides were fine and agree the most efficient but local bus rides in Tokyo could have been on a tour bus instead. If the tour could add a few alternative like visiting The monster cafe, teamlab, robot restaurant, just to give it a mix from temples and museums and considering the varying age groups and interests.

On the hotels, Kyoto and the traditional were good and location of hotel accommodations were very good , Tokyo hotel rooms were very tiny and I a single occupant found it difficult so can only imagine how the couple's managed but I guess it's usual and the location was really good so its a plus.

Overall I did have a great holiday. I enjoy using your company on your escorted tours and will continue to do so. Thank you very much and please share our sincere appreciation with Yuki.

Regards Shanice ”  

Shana was excellent. She gave clear daily itineraries. She was very organized and friendly! The tour was good. I especially liked the sushi and calligraphy classes and the monkey park. The shrines and palaces; as well as the hikes on the old highways gave a historical background for me. I also enjoyed the natural beauty of Japan. The steam vents of the volcano and Mt. Fugi! Shana exposed us to different restaurants allowing us to try different foods. All were fantastic!”  

We really enjoyed the tour, the hotels were all good although the room in the Tokyo hotel was quite small and very tight to move around in. Our tour guide (Yukiko) was excellent, she was always smiling, knowledgeable, caring to our needs, well organised and a joy to be with - highly recommended. ”  

The Tour was excellent, surpassing my expectations. Our guide Yumi was so knowledgeable, attentive and caring that we learnt so much about Japan, it’s people and culture, than we ever would have done as independent travellers.

Touring is tiring, You pack so much in but the tour had ample free time for further exploration or resting for those who needed it.

I would certainly recommend On The Go and would use again. ”  

Yuki is a fantastic guide and such a lovely person! She gave us very clear information on what to expect each day, what we needed and where to meet. She was also very patient at explaining all aspects of Japanese culture and happy to answer any questions. She had excellent recommendations and knows the locations inside out. She works extremely hard to give guests the best experience. I can't imagine a better tour guide! ”  

Yuki was a wonderful guide who seemed to think of everything. She was particularly good at telling us where we had to meet next which we found a bit confusing at first but we soon realised it was so that if anyone became separated from the group they knew where they had to be next. Yuki was brilliant at spotting anyone straying and sprinted after them at an impressive speed! We all appreciated her efforts at performing magic tricks to entertain us whilst staying at the ryokan and teaching us origami whilst on the Bullet train.

I was pleasantly surprised by how easy everything was from being met at the airport on day 1 by a local guide to having Yuki buy my ticket and direct me how to get back to the airport for my flight to Shanghai.

The room was tiny for 2 people at Yaesu Terminal hotel but the location and cleanliness compensated. Elsewhere I was impressed with the hotels.

The only thing I really disliked and felt was very poor value was the shabu shabu meal. It was not to my taste (it appeared to have no taste at all!), very expensive compared to meals we had locally and a complete let down. I have no interest in eating as much as I can and much preferred the Keiseki at the ryokan which was a lovely surprise! The ryokan experience and the onsen were a highlight of the trip.

I felt that the cultural experience in Gion should have been a prebookable option as it was almost offered as an afterthought so we were too late to get seats and ended up sitting on the floor. I think clients would welcome the chance to prebook seats and learn about the Chinese culture.

For the more affluent clients a chance to spend some time with a Geisha would be good. I understand some hotels now offer this and I would have been intrigued as would some of my fellow travellers.

It was amusing that most of the blossom had blown away and the moss had yet to arrive which just reinforced how you cannot be sure of anything where Mother Nature is the boss and how important it is to stress this to my clients. As I will say to my clients it really didn't matter because we were having such a good time regardless.

James our main Guide in China was fairly quiet but always smiling. I got the impression he's been doing his job a while and was more laid back than Yuki. Alison our guide in Xian seemed young and inexperienced. She didn't explain everything there was to see at the Wild Goose Pagoda and I felt slightly disappointed.

I can imagine that sharing a compartment and facilities on the overnight train might not be for everyone but I was lucky in having 3 companions I got on well with, thanks to whoever put us together, and it was good fun. I was very grateful that we had time to shower at our hotels the next morning.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the tour, the organisation was excellent, the standard of the hotels exceeded my expectations and I loved waking up to somethign new and exciting every day. I will be recommending On the Go Tours to my Travel Counsellor colleagues and my clients and I hope very much to do another tour in the future. ”  

Our guide was fantastic and very helpful. A pleasure to have. Well informed. Good English ”  

'Happy' (her name in Japanese means happy) our tour guide was incredible. She made this trip interactive, personal and enjoyable. Excellent execution of knowledge and skills. Thank you.”  

We did this tour for our honeymoon and it was fantastic! I'd recommend this trip to everyone. Our tour guide made Japan extra special. She went above and beyond to find information and recommendations for anything not included on the tour. She was polite, accomodating, very informative and was one of the main reasons our experience was so very special. We look forward to visiting Japan again and would love to have 'Happy' as our host again. ”  

Our guide 'Happy' was a very organised, helpful, caring and joyful guide for our group. She helped structure our days and gave us advance planning of the following day. She worked out routes to avoid the crowds and also best places to eat etc. She made our tour a success. ”  

After the mix-up with my arrival transportation to my hotel, everything was wonderful. 'Happy' was there for my welcome meeting and had everything under control from then on. I would do any tour in a heartbeat if I knew she was my tour guide!”  

Tour guides were friendly and attentive and helpful which made the experience enjoyable. The flexibility to explore at our own pace was also very good and a nice balance between planned activities and free time. In Kyoto, may have been useful to have a coach bus as we spent a lot of time waiting for public transport which meant less time at sites.”  

I enjoyed the tour very much, the pace of the tour was just right with a mix of free time and guided sights. We were a bit early to see the Autumn colours which was unfortunate as it was one of the things we most wanted to see. Yuki, our guide was lovely, helpful, informative and looked after us all, giving helpful tips and suggestions for the time we spent on our own. She was well prepared every day with a sheet detailing the days activities. The weather on the second week was poor, so we didn't seen some of the sights at their best which was a great shame but it did not detract from the overall pleasure of the trip.”  

Hi there, thank you for the welcome home.

The whole experience was absolutely amazing! I didn't want to come home. A big thank you to Emirates and for providing me with the gluten free meals. They were superb!

The hotels that I stayed in were absolutely beautiful! The Tokyo hotel was a bit basic and small but very understandable being situated in the middle of Tokyo, but it was very handy for the train station. All my fellow travellers' in the tour group were very nice and very friendly making it a pleasure to share my experiences with.

The most amazing part of the holiday was our guide Yuki, she was absolutely amazing. Very knowledgeable, so friendly, so helpful and went out of her way to make the whole holiday extra special, showing us so many places, giving us ideas and places to go on free time and also places to go and eat. She deserves a gold medal, absolutely perfect host and guide. I felt so lucky to have her as our guide. I miss her already!

Tokyo was really busy and mainly aimed towards people who enjoy shopping, but the historical sites we saw were amazing and we also went into a workshop to watch a performance and to learn how to play the Shamisen - a traditional musical instrument, because on our first day the typhoon was about to hit and it was raining so much. Again thanks to Yuki our guide for arranging that! I did enjoy Tokyo but really not the highlight of the tour!

Kamakura was amazing, such a beautiful traditional little town with a beautiful shrine and shopping street amazing day. When we left Tokyo and travelled to Lake Kawaguchi the tour for me really started. The traditional hotel was perfect, and hot tub spa was amazing even though it wasn’t a natural hot spring. The food was sensational and the whole experience was mind blowing a second night at the traditional Japanese Ryokan hotel would have been preferable most of us said so. It’s what I went to Japan for and to experience. Seeing Mount Fuji so clear made it perfect.

Kyoto again was amazing going around the traditional streets and the contrast with the new shopping street was unreal. I absolutely loved Kyoto, the shrines, the shops, Gion District was like travelling through time, and hotels we stayed in were amazing, the people I met were so friendly and helpful. It was really easy to get around, unlike Tokyo. Again thanks to Yuki for all the advice and maps she drew up for us.

Himeji was a quick trip, stop off on the way to Hiroshima so it felt a little rushed although Yuki never ever rushed us. We saw the castle, shopping areas and bonus markets and festival that was on and I actually had lunch with her on free time before meeting back up with the group carrying on to Hiroshima. We felt it was a bit of an awkward time to arrive in Hiroshima with all our luggage. It was very busy on the tram on the way to the hotel, but again with the help and advice from Yuki we made it safely to the hotel.

Hiroshima was one of the highlights and most humbling of experiences I have ever had. For a huge town/city it was so calm and peaceful to walk around either by day or night. We saw ground zero of the A-bomb and the Peace Park and A-bomb dome at night thanks to Yuki, as well as during the day. Fantastic food in Hiroshima.

Going to Miyajima Island and going up Mount Misen was, to say the least, incredible. A note to other travellers, you must be really fit to get to the top it was a hard climb, but you can just stay at the observation base when you get off the cable car. I made the climb to the Eternal flame shrine, but not to the top. I knew my limit lol.

Heading back to Kyoto was a bonus because I loved it there. Got some shopping in and went off on my own to Nara on our free day after leaving Yuki. We were sad to say goodbye to our amazing guide. With thanks to her guidance I managed to find my way to Nara and have another cracking day.

The last day, the day of my flight was not so good, I checked out of the hotel at 10.30am. The only other gripe was that at the hotel in Tokyo we had to pay for breakfast and it wasn’t the best breakfast buffet at that. At the last two hotels I didn’t have breakfast so I don’t know if I had to pay for it but at the first hotel in Kyoto I didn’t have to pay and it was an amazing breakfast buffet Also foreign travellers entering Japan now have to fill in 2 small forms one for security and the other for customs, I found that out on the plane.

Overall my whole experience was absolutely amazing and I would recommended the trip to anyone wanting to visit Japan. It was full on everyday but I got to see so much, it was perfect. Yuki our lovely guide was absolutely amazing and she made my time in japan even more unforgettable. Yuki our guide was absolutely perfect!! It would be rude of me to rate her. Thank you all for arranging my amazing trip, so unforgettable!

Looking forward to my next trip with you, maybe china. ”  

Excellent trip all round.”  

Found the tour to be more strenuous than expected. A little too much 'free time' for my liking (I'm not a shopper!). Guides were both very good.”  

Our guide Mari was excellent, nothing was too much trouble.”  

Overall, the holiday was fantastic with a packed itinerary and plenty of options. Hotels were excellent and the places we visited superb. The group were great too.”  

Thank you so much! It was a very memorable and positive experience for us (and my 60th birthday!). Our guide Mark was fantastic and we had some great conversations with him about Japan and he was able to tell us so much. We enjoyed his company for the whole tour. Mark was very accommodating and helped us with any queries we had. He explained timing, being ready in the mornings, meeting times, dinner arrangements etc very clearly. The 14 days was well paced and we did 4 to 5 hours of walking nearly every day (either with Mark or on our own).

Just some feedback for you. Timing for the Cherry Blossoms everywhere we went was spot on! Absolutely phenomenal! By the time we returned to Tokyo on Day 13, there weren't many left flowering so glad we were there when we did.

Shinjuku Hotel - 3 nights. great location, lovely modern room, nice breakfast options. Lovely first night dinner with the rest of the group to get to meet them.

Sending our big luggage on is a great idea (we've experienced this before), however a couple of people on our tour didn't quite understand the concept of having overnight bags (while being away from the main suitcase) and they were not well prepared.

Matsumoto was fantastic. Hotel room was only just okay. Clean but dated

Takayama Ryokan was awesome! Dinner was fabulous. Also the breakfast

Just a suggestion here though. 1 x traditional dinner in the ryokan is enough. 2nd included dinner was a repeat, we would have liked to have experienced a local restaurant.

Kanazawa hotel - location was excellent however, the hotel rooms were not up to the standard.

Kyoto and Gion district - lovely. The Miyako Odori was amazing. Included dinner at Mimiu was awesome. Hakone & the Fujiya Hotel!! What a fantastic time we had there with all the history! And the private onsen was a highlight.

We didn't get to see Mt Fuji while in Hakone because it was so misty but from our View Hotel in Tokyo we were very fortunate to see her on a clear day!

Also another suggestion - include a tour to the Skytree Tower. We did that on our last morning and had lunch there with so many choices. The food hall area was amazing.

Many highlights I haven't mentioned but the whole tour was fantastic! Mark was absolutely a delight and nothing was any trouble for him. Hoping to do another trip to Japan. We hear that November is an ideal time to go.

Jo & Warren Naseby”  

Mark Fujishige was fantastic and we had some great conversations with him about Japan and he was able to tell us so much. We enjoyed his company for the whole tour. Tour was well paced & loved the hotels. ”  

The tour was, in a word - Fantastic. Great hotels and in great locations. Also the nights stayed in each hotel was well thought out.

Tour content was excellent. Pace was fast but that is how we like it. Cant complain about anything. ”  

"This tour was fantastic. The organisation and the guides were exceptional. From when we stepped off the plane in Tokyo we were met and guided through to our accommodation. The guides were always prepared and We really liked Yukiko's daily guide notes! The accommodation in Tokyo was central and convenient. In Hakone we enjoyed the more traditional ryokan. The day we had travelling through Fuji Hakone National Park was one of the best days touring we have ever experienced. Closely followed by our visit to Miyajima Island.The Daiwa Roynet in Kyoto and Hiroshima were great.

These tours are named On the Go for a good reason. A good level of health and fitness is required to experience all the benefits. "”  

Would be good to add Fushimi Inari in Kyoto in Kyoto to itinerary. Akihabara visit at night would be good - Toyko. Pick up guide (Sue) from airport was great, very helpful. Yukikpo was very organised & helpful & friendly. Akira was very friendly & knowledgeable, I enjoyed his information on history & he was always open to questions. Overall this has been a wonderful trip, thanks!”  

I would like to say that my vacation was amazing. We both had so many fun and amazing experiences. I stated a comment on my local form but would like to say it again; the tour guides were both amazing. I do wish we would have had more time in certain areas but understand the logistics did not permit. I regard On the Go very highly and would consider booking again if a preferable repeat customer rate could be discussed. Thank you kindly for the experiences ”  

This tour was fantastic. The organisation and the guides were exceptional. From when we stepped off the plane in Tokyo we were met and guided through to our accommodation. The guides were always prepared and We really liked Yukiko's daily guide notes! The accommodation in Tokyo was central and convenient. In Hakone we enjoyed the more traditional ryokan. The day we had travelling through Fuji Hakone National Park was one of the best days touring we have ever experienced. Closely followed by our visit to Miyajima Island.The Daiwa Roynet in Kyoto and Hiroshima were great.

These tours are named On the Go for a good reason. A good level of health and fitness is required to experience all the benefits. ”  

The tour was, in a word - Fantastic. Great hotels and in great locations. Also the nights stayed in each hotel was well thought out.

Tour content was excellent. Pace was fast but that is how we like it. Cant complain about anything.

Many Thanks

Judy Davey”  

Richard was very engaging, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and flexible. We were lucky enough to be only 3 people on the tour, so he was able to give us lots of attention, answer all our questions and also take us to one or two places where he couldn't normally go with larger tours, so we felt extra privileged. He also laughed at our jokes, which was a bonus....It was great to be with someone who loved Japan so much and was fluent in the language.

(We also hope his head is better, after he banged it on a doorway!)”  

Aki was a great guide and gave us a view of more than just the tourist sights of Japan. He took us to local restaurants and shared his deep knowledge of the history of the places we visited - he is clearly very passionate about Japan!”  

1. Well organized & timed for Sakura watch.

2. Good choice of cities/towns & sites to visit.

3. Good choice of hotels.

4. Fortunate to be in a friendly group.

5. Very good friendly & helpful guide.

6. Good duration for discovery of Japan. ”  

We have loved every minute of the tour. It was a surprising mixture of discovering Japan. The information provided by the tour operator was perfect. We know exactly what to do when and every ticket was already there. nice hotels and very knowledgable and flexible guides. We highly recommend this tour.”  

We have loved every minute of the tour ..

It was a surprising mixture of discovering Japan.

The information provided by the tour operator was perfect. We know exactly what to do when and every ticket was already there. nice hotels and very knowledgable and flexible guides.

We higly recommend this tour.”  

Hi Kelly, Our trip was AMAZING. The highlight of the holiday was most certainly the experience of staying at the Buddhist Temple in Hakone. Each of the local guides we met were excellent and they gave us a better understanding of the places we were visiting. They were also fab in getting us up to speed in learning the easiest way to navigate the city. We do wish that we spent more time in Osaka as it is such a beautiful city with so much to see and do that we possibly could have spent an entire week there. None the less we are glad that we extended our stay for a few extra days in Tokyo. Thanks again for the amazing service provided by you and your team in Japan. We've had such an amazing experience and are thinking of South Korea as our next stop. Regards, Penny & Michael”