Japan Tours and Trips for Seniors

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.

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

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.

Many of the temples, shrines and castles were extraordinary, but the one that stands out was Matsumato Castle. I liked the opportunity to do craft activities and the performance by an actual Geisha during the farewell dinner was another highlight.

All of the temples, shrines, and castles were amazing, especially the Golden Temple.. I learned many things about Hiroshima that were new to me. The performance by the Geisha at the farewell dinner was very special.

Good tour in general. However, it is important to know that even if you book an English tour, it will likely be conducted in Spanish and English. We had two guides explaining the same thing in both languages. The English spoken but a couple of the guides was not very good. The hotels are excellent. The food included was also very good. The buses are good but I would like them to have a little bit more leg space. The total days of actual tour is less because the first and the last day there are no activities. In addition, the day before the end there is only one activity and a short bus ride to Osaka. We got to the hotel at 10:30 AM and that was it. Therefore the last two days you are basically on your own.