Japan Small Group Trips

Itinerary The trip was really great--I loved the diversity of going to smaller, traditional places as well as the modern cities. There were times when I thought we would have more free time than we did--Kyoto (tour activities ended at approx. 3:30), Kobe (arrived 1 hr before the gardens closed so didn't go), and Hiroshima (tour activities ended at approx 4 pm). I loved all of the places that we went too--in retrospect I would have added additional days in Kyoto (I arrived a day in advance) and benefitted greatly from my flight home being delayed giving me a full extra day in Toyko that I hadn't planned for. The tour is very fast pace and you do walk alot--so just bring a really good pair of running shoes with you! Hotels All were good--my favourite was Hotel Toyko in Takayama. I rented a private onsen for an hour which was very nice and enjoyed the unique art they had on each floor. I really appreciated the washer/dryer in the hotel room--while I had enough clothes it was nice to wash them and be able to go out for dinner at the same time and not feel in a rush to get back to the room (it was free and they did provide soap if you don't have any). The hotels in Kyoto and Tokyo were nice as well--the first modern and the last traditional. All of the hotels were really clean, provided great breakfasts, and had toiletries if you forget any (and if you wanted pjs to wear). Transportation The bullet trains were very cool as were all of the trains. They are very prompt! The subway system is easy to manoever--I used Google Maps to tell me what stop to get off and where to walk and never got lost (even in Toyko). The trains are very quiet and clean--getting onto and off public transit is done in lines so there never is a rush and in most cases the train/subway cars were empty. The bus system in Kyoto makes getting between places slow so factor that in. Also, the connection from Osaka to Kyoto was pretty easy to do but made harder with getting off a transatlantic flight. Doing this again, I would fly direct into Tokyo and then get to Kyoto the next day. Felt very safe and comfortable walking around by myself--even in the evening. The locals are very helpful if you want to confirm directions. Food I am normally a very fussy eater and I didn't have a problem finding things to eat. In fact, I wish I had more time in Kyoto in the traditional area to have some of the different food options the shops offered. I also didn't have time to get a hot drink from a dispensing machine! I found breakfast made me full and then we would go somewhere at dinner that would fill me up (I often had noodle dishes). I would have been ok finding my own dinner in Takayama instead of group meals--the different styles of eating were good to experience. While I liked going out to eat with the group, it was tough having to have the bill together--it would have been easier to be able to pay for my own food.

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.

This was an amazing tour, providing an excellent introduction to Japan. The itinerary included key destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka, as well as less well-known ones. The almost exclusive use of public transport - including the Shinkansen (bullet train) - helped to give a genuine travel experience and the hotels were all extremely comfortable, well-located and with great choices available for breakfast. The ryokan experience in Nagoya provided another experience. The only negative aspect was the ryokan at Takayama, which was unwelcoming, uncomfortable and cold. The tour leader was a great communicator, very well organised and enthusiastic. He had good knowledge of Japan, it’s history and culture; made great suggestions for the periods of free time; and managed well the often diverse demands of members of the group.

I don't know where to begin writing this review, as I don't know how to fully express how much we loved this trip. From the get go, communication and assistance from Explore was prompt and super helpful. We had a change to our party size shortly before departure and this was quickly and easily sorted. The trip is great value for money, and we liked how Explore use local hotels instead of large chain hotel companies. All hotels were of great location and quality. The itinerary was fantastic and all the different places we managed to fit into 2 weeks without feeling at all rushed was brilliant. We saw all the major cities and a few lesser known spots too. I was initially worried about the "free time" days, however this actually works really well. You're able to sprinkle in things you've found yourself with your own research during this free time, or make plans with the group. The group size was ideal, we had 13 in ours. We also loved using public transport during the trip, especially the bullet train which is an experience in itself. Using public transport does mean we relied on luggage forwarding services a lot and therefore needed to live out of smaller backpacks for a couple of nights occasionally but personally I didn't mind this at all and I understand its completely necessary as trying to navigate public transport with a huge case would have been impossible at times. Highlights for me were the stay in a traditional ryokan and monastery, and also our time in Hiroshima. What an incredible city! Autumn was also an amazing time of year to go. The weather was perfect and the fall foliage was just stunning. The best part of our trip was definitely our guide Sam. He made an already incredible trip unforgettable. His expertise on Japanese history and culture, his love and passion for the country and his laid back nature is second to none. He made sure we saw all the iconic spots, but also took us to less crowded, less "touristy" spots to avoid the crowds. We ate at the most incredible local restaurants where he had relationships with the owners which made for a really good night. His enthusiasm for Sumo also made us all new fans and followers of the sport! on our free time days, he also offered to take us on walks around the area and show us more sights, which he did in his own down time. This was so appreciated. These became known as " Sam's tours". Overall the group dynamic was brilliant. We had such a great time and I was honestly gutted for the trip to end. I cant wait to come back to Japan, and if we could have Sam as our guide again even better! I would and currently am recommending this trip and Explore to everyone that will listen! 10/10 trip!

Our wonderful guide Raya Gancheva is the reason I would not only recommend Explore to someone else, but look at booking our next tour with them. We all became close as a group and are still corresponding. The only reason I didn't give the accomodation 5 stars was there was a mix of places including a monestary although it was perfectly fine. The places were alll clean, close to transport systems so can navigate easily back on our own and had laundry faci.ities in the places when needed. The breakfasts were varied but all good. Before we left we had arranged an extra week on our own at the end, so I rebooked the same hotel in Tokyo as I had faith it would be good, and I was not disappointed. The forwarding on of luggage also worked very well.

My wife and I had an incredible time on our Backroads of Japan tour. This was our first ever international trip, and even with booking a tour, we weren't sure what to expect. Fortunately, our tour guide was simply phenomenal. He was perfectly fluent in Japanese and English, knowledgeable in every facet of the country (down to the geology!), attentive to the needs of our very diverse group, and knew every nook and rest stop along every trail we hiked. Overall, I made friends and many more memories through this unforgettable itinerary, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to experience Japan for the first time.