Cultural Treasures of Japan

Mike did a wonderful job. Hiroshima children’s memorial was the most moving.

I really enjoyed the tea ceremony we attended. It’s hard to pick a favorite memory because this entire tour was just wonderful.

Favorite part was Hiroshima Museum.

The overall tour was very enjoyable and memorable. The tour guide we had (Tomoe Namihisa) was wonderful. Very informative, knowledgeable, courteous, and very well organized. She made the tour so enjoyable. Also the bus driver Hide was also very courteous and drove us safely to each destination. His driving skills was impeccable. Overall, we all enjoyed this tour and would definitely refer our friends and family to take this tour. We liked it so much we are planning on a return trip to Japan.

A very memorable trip! What made the trip so great was all of the hands on experiences: sushi making, origami, tea ceremony, stencil making, gold leaf making. The Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel's restroom was filthy. The toilet, sink, and tub were nasty. The other hotels' restrooms were very clean. The Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba, Odakyu Hotel de Yama had stains in the carpets.

Weather caused many problems. No real memorable experience

Great first time experience in Japan. Itinerary was exceptional, excellent variety of activities, Tour Guide very welcoming and most helpful organizing free time experiences we were interested in.

The tour hits all the important spots in Japan and is well organized. The tour involves a lot of walking, as much as 5 to 7 miles some days so this for hardy folks, not anyone who needs any mobility assistance. I thought there was a bit too much free time on some days. But I guess that is personal preference. Excellent cultural experiences like tea ceremony, lacquer boxes, sushi making, Japanese cooking, and painting. Japan is beautiful ɓut plan your trip around the heat and rainy season!

The overall experience was fantastic!

Do not have a favorite because the entire tour was wonderful. It was very fun to make sushi and learn how to stencil. The hands on experiences were very unique and enjoysble

From the first day arriving in Tokyo to the last day leaving Kyoto, everything was well executed and went smoothly. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun to be with. There were many memorable experiences from gold leafing, making sushi, stenciling and the amazing dinner experiences. Japan is truly an awe inspiring experience.

We really enjoyed our tour of Japan. Each day was jam packed with activities. We saw everything we wanted. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us quite a bit of history prior to going to temples , shrines, gardens etc. he also had a wonderful personality and a great sense of humor. The coach bus was comfortable and easy to get around. We had a lot of memorable moments and experiences. Loved the Japanese tea ceremony, sushi making class, art classes. Great meals too!

The tour manager Ana ensured a pleasant atmosphere during the tour and connected with everyone. Scheduled activity was clearly communicated and the tour included several hands on sessions making Japanese art which you keep as souvenirs.

It was fabulous! Clean cities. Interesting places and sights of a culture I knew very little about. Had no idea Japan was so mountainous. Their road system thru the mountains and valleys is amazing. The customs were interesting to learn. Food served was delicious - I stretched my comfort zone there and it tasted wonderful. (Still shied away from adventure in the open market foods.). I think Kanazawa would be my favorite city. Loved all the gold leaf - we made lacquer boxes using gold leaf for a stencil design. It was so fragile to work with. Gave me some insight to the talent one must have to gild chandeliers and such in castles all over the world. In all the cities I always felt safe and as a solo traveler on the always felt safe. Tour companions were also pleasant and inclusive as well so sometimes went places w folks but it was. Ok to be on my own. We hoped to see cherry blossoms and the countryside presented them in beautiful glory. The bullet train to Hiroshima as fast, clean and quiet. The peace memorial there was very crowded. It was hard to go through because of the nature of it but also it’s dark inside (minimal lights) so that along w the crowdedness made me claustrophobic so I quit looking at displays and had to get out. Wandered the park displays. Amazingly the Japanese don’t seem to hold a grudge against the USA for the dropping of the bomb. It was war and it brought an end to that

I am so glad I took this tour and would visit Japan again. However, if you can visit before turning 60 or in great health, I recommend it. Lots of walking. Approximately 13,000 steps just about every day. It was fun. Climbing to reach the top of Monkey Mountain, walking through Cherry Blossom gardens, gardens in general. We got to see Mt. Fuji; performed a tea ceremony, made sushi, ate and grilled wagyu steak, and had the best Sake. Our guide provided us with many areas of local shopping, taking many of us around in the late evening or after an earlier tour had ended, or dinner. One place that was not on the schedule but was fun to visit was Don Quijote. A store where you can find everything at great prices. We found Cherry Blossom, Matcha, and caramel Kit Kats. Chocolate-covered grapes. Truly a wonderful trip.

Unfortunately I hurt my back picking up my luggage the day we left and was in pain everyday. The really long days in the bus were the worst. But I am glad I went and remained with the tour. It was the perfect time for the cherry blossoms. Tour guide Steve was so knowledgeable and went above and beyond to make accommodations for me and other vegans.

Visiting the gardens and riding the bullet train. Also, the food was excellent, the craft activities were inspiring, and the evening watching the Geisha perform.

It was an amazing tour and Michael our tour guide was exceptional- his patience, knowledge and recommendations was great.

My purpose for taking this tour and not a later one, was to see the cherry blossoms. That was the highlight of the tour for me; in addition, to see Mount Fuji in person and ride the Bullet Train. The tour manager was a wonderful person to have as our guide. He was informative and knowledgeable of the Japanese culture. He was always willing to go beyond what was expected of him. Example: Many times he escorted interested ones out on evening tours and/or places to eat, which were not a part of the package. The only dissatisfaction I have is mainly with Collette Tours for advertising this tour a 14-day tour. The tour actually began on April 4, 2025, and the very last day of the tour was April 15, 2025, which is a total of 12 days. My roommate and I booked our own air travel--to and from Japan. We did arrive late the evening of April 3, and missed the transfer to the hotel because it had been scheduled for April 2. However, we were able to ride with the transfer that was at the airport picking up another Collette/AAA group going to the same hotel. We had no difficulty with our scheduled transfer to the airport when returning home. Our tour manager was on top of it in making certain everyone was aware of his/hers departure schedule.

We started in Tokyo, but there were no special interactions with Japanese art or culture until the last days of the tour. We got to Tokyo a few days early and took in the discovery lab and at the end of the tour we traveled to Nara for parks, deer and temples and then Osaka for the 2025 world expo. Since the expo has been scheduled for years I’m not sure why it was not included in the tour. It was amazing and very much worth the effort to see. Steve is a wonderful guide with insight that only someone who has lived in Japan would have. Thanks for scheduling Steve for our tour.

Shirakawa, Hakone…resort locations .

We absolutely loved our tour of Japan. Misa was our guide and she was the best. We saw so much in two weeks yet never felt rushed. I don’t have any favorites as we loved it all.

Cultural treasures of Japan was full of sites and experiences that made a wonderful trip into the past and present of Japan. Excellent tour director shared her knowledge and humour. A great trip by Collette!

Hiroshima was very moving! I enjoyed seeing Mt Fuji even in the snow! Collette could not control the weather but the snow covered mountain was impressive.

Too many temples Wanted visit to Okinawa Wanted a show by Sumo or Karate