Tokyo Tours in Winter

Although busy, the itinerary gave us an excellent overview of all that Japan has to offer - history, shrines/temples, gardens and the contrast between traditional and modern Japan. At the same time there were opportunities to follow up our own interests and explore by ourselves. Our guide, Henrik, was brilliant - nothing was too much trouble, he cared for our welfare and was very knowledgeable about history, customs etc. He always offered options for our free time and/or made suggestions and guided us to find our own way when that was our preference. Explore made a point of using public transport wherever possible so we experienced a range of different types - Henrik was always on hand to lead or guide us so that we navigated the system and ticketing with ease.

We really enjoyed our trip to Japan! The itinerary allowed us to see most of the main things that we were looking forward to. We would have liked it if going to Tokyo Tower had been part of the itinerary. There was a good variety of optional experiences to choose from as well

Trafalgar was a good choice for our dream vacation to Japan. Our guide, Her name was , forgive me if I spelt her name incorrectly was wonderful. She was professional, friendly and very patient with her customers. the hotels and bus companies all were quite up to the task. very satisfied with the trip.

This is a winter wonderland kind of trip. The beginning and end days are filled with beautiful scenery and cultural wonders as you tour Japan’s two great cities. The days spent on the northern island of Hokkaido are magical as you travel by plane, train, bus, subway and foot in snow covered landscapes. Sapporo’s snow and ice sculptures are an amazement, complete with nightly light shows. This trip is a do not miss for any traveler, dress warm and have the time of your life.

Zilola our leader was always helpful and quickly gave us alternative and extra options when the weather meant that the itinerary had to be changed. Personally we could not praise her enough for her boundless enthusiasm and skill with the language.There was an issue when one member of the group failed to board a train ,overhearing the phone conversation I think she could have handled it better initially. Keeping the group together at busy stations the old fashioned hand held flag may have helped or in this day and age a digital communication device. We enjoyed the Snow Festival very much and all the wonderful food experiences. Japan is a fantastic country to travel around by train, we were so lucky to get a perfectly clear view of Mt Fuji from the Shinkasen. There was enough time on the trip to do some solo exploring and we really enjoyed Higashi Honganji temple and Shosei-en garden in Kyoto. They were both amazingly tourist free and we would recommend them to others on the trip as a great walking route from the hotel we stayed in. As first time visitors to Japan we loved every moment and cant wait to go back.

Mack provided a memorable experience. The homestay was a highlight. The family showed us many of Hagi's interesting attractions, got to sleep on a matt on the floor and eat traditional food. Excellent.