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InsideJapan Tours   Reviews

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Reviews 4.8.

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Great tour organisers, saved huge amounts of hassle

It was our first trip to Japan: we didn't know where to start with organisation and Inside Japan made it all much easier. They arranged hotels, train tickets, travel passes and a wifi gadget to enable us all to use our phones, as well as cars to and from the airport. Not cheap but really worthwhile. Friendly and helpful staff in the UK were very responsive to our requests.

Date of experience : April 17, 2024

Nice but Not first class

Our companions were great. We saw everything we were supposed to. But it was not really first l]class as we expected. Food choices were quantity and price based (not quality) and became boring. Our guide was competent but was focused of his schedule and needs more that reading the group and adjusting to ours. Pace was exhausting no time to get that Jappanese mellow moment.

Date of experience : April 13, 2024

Reply from InsideJapan Tours

Hello Clifford, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with your consultant Allison about the trip in further detail and sharing additional feedback with her. This is invaluable and we really do appreciate the insights you brought about this particular tour, the guide, food, and pace. We're sorry that it wasn't up to the level you expected, but are dedicated to improve based on the information you have shared with us.

Our holiday was a great experience from…

Our holiday was a great experience from start to finish. It was far better than expected. The group size was just right. I don’t think we could have seen any more in the time we had. The experience was made all the better by our tour guide Fergal, he couldn’t have done anything more, a credit to your company.

Date of experience : April 18, 2024

Very much enjoyed the places chosen to…

Very much enjoyed the places chosen to visit especially the Japanese Guest house in Yudanaka Being able to contact staff members in Japan was very helpful

Date of experience : April 07, 2024

WOW first trip to Japan!!

We have just completed Inside Japans Hidden Japan Tour with an add on to Hakone and Tokyo. This is our first trip to Japan. From the start the staff here in Australia were extremely helpful, guiding and quick to respond. The detailed itinerary for both legs of our trip were fantastic and as one traveller we met who had also used inside Japan said the only time they got lost was when they didn’t follow the instructions! We got what was advertised a small group tour, ten of us all similar age. No big buses , public transport when we could and immersed in the culture outside the big cities. Great accom, outstanding food, our guide was wonderful, she was relatively new to the company and guiding but had a wealth of Japanese cultural knowledge and always went out of her way to make sure everyone was catered for. We’d highly recommend Inside Japan and look forward to using them in the future. The only criticism is that some of the people were not physically capable to be able to keep up with the immense amount of walking etc maybe on a tour like this before people book they should be notified of the level of physical fitness required because of the amount of walking, stair climbing etc

Date of experience : April 21, 2024

Majestic Japan was just that!

the itinerary was interesting and paced well. I liked the variety of food options. Our guide looked after us very well. He was knowledgeable about Japanese history and culture.

Very expensive

Very expensive, wish there was more of a breakdown of the costs. Very well organised, portable wifi was a godsend, and they thought of everything in terms of planning. Would have liked more information and more discussion about the types of hotels and the food provided at them. One hotel was lovely and most other people would have loved it, but it really wasn't right for us for various reasons (relating to food preferences and ages of people in our party).

Date of experience : April 01, 2024

We had a very enjoyable holiday

We had a very enjoyable holiday. Comfortable hotels well placed for sightseeing, knowledgeable and flexible guides who adapted to our requests. Useful information provided in advance and tickets waiting for us at our first hotel.

Excellent Tour

The All-In Japan tour was our best travel experience. The tour was very well planned, excellently paced, and our guide Akemi was great. We're planning the next Japan trip, next year, this time with the extended family. Thank you!

Inside Japan self guided tour

All the arrangements were exactly as planned. The hotels were all excellent and so were the pre booked guides and experiences. Lots of useful information was provided in advance.

Date of experience : April 11, 2024

A good trip, but a bit disappointing

I have provided direct input to InsideJapan. I have provided the 3 star rating because I don't think the trip lived up to its potential (nor to prior reviews I read). The itinerary was very good, tho I would have passed on going to Matsumoto and would have added an extra day in Kyoto, and possibly in Tokyo. All of the hotels were fine/enjoyable, except the one in Hakone was poorly located. But the reason I haven't given a 4 or 5 star review is that our tour leader, tho a very nice person, did not significantly enhance our trip experience. She got us around from place to place, and within the cities we visited, and was available to be helpful, but she did not enrich our experience by providing perspectives or insights about where we were going or the sites we visited, and she shared very little information about Japanese culture, history or art.

Date of experience : March 28, 2024

Thank you so much for your review and taking the time to discuss with your consultant Jenny further so we can improve. We apologize that the tour leader did not enhance the experience on the ground and again thank you for your specific and constructive feedback on the matter. Happy to hear that you had a great time otherwise!

Japan Blossom 2024

Inside Japan enabled us to have a great experience in Japan, a country long on our bucket list of places to visit. Sian was knowledgeable and helpful, clearly explaining stuff which is obvious once you know it and are on the ground in Japan but much less so when you are at home! Having a bespoke tour which fitted our interests and needs was invaluable. Would absolutely recommend Inside Japan if you are thinking of visiting Japan.

Kyoto, Takayama, and Tokyo

We were able to tailor a trip to japan according to days, places, and experiences we wanted. In general, the guides were very good, punctual, and flexible to change itineraries on the go. The cultural experiences— zazen mediation, maiko tea, cooking class, kabuki theater— were interesting, high quality, and did not disappoint. The onsen and kaiseki meals at the harouggi in Takayama were outstanding .The added mobile wifi and IC cards were helpful, as was the suggestion to convert the JR train passes a day Before planning to use them. Local IJT people responded to general questions within 24 hrs while we were in Japan. The negatives: 1. Wish there was more transparency on choices and pricing. 2. Wish there were more choices in hotels, or a list of pluses and minuses. For example, while the Kanra in Kyoto was lovely, its location was convenient to the train station but a bit out of the way from where you want to be near Gion. After staying at Kanra and Hanouggi, the Gate Hotel in Tokyo was adequate but at a lesser level. 3. While the train times and connections in our travel packet were very helpful, one suggestion was not: switching from the Shinkansen to the local JR train in Shinagawa to the subway to the hotel carrying luggage for first time visitors to Tokyo (we would still be lost in the labyrinthine system if we tried doing that); better you suggest taking the Shinkansen to Tokyo station and get a taxi. Overall, IJT was a great way to see Japan.

Memorable Experience

Interesting itinerary. All arrangements worked out as expected. Guides were well informed and very pleasant company. Accommodation choose was excellent and well located in each city/town. All in all a memorable experience

Date of experience : April 14, 2024

Excellent tour guide Van who was very…

Tour was 11 day majestic Japan. Excellent tour guide, Van, who was very flexible in changing what we did to suit the environment (eg rain). We not only saw great gardens and temples/ shrines. We were introduced to the different food types. We were a bit rushed at times so I would recommend more free time be available especially in the spa places

Date of experience : March 13, 2024

From making an inquiry to booking, Insidejapan were helpful and professional. They listened to our wishes and accommodated our needs. The tour was very well organised, great hotels in great locations. All trains, buses and subway tickets were booked and organised for us. Great service and would highly recommend them

Date of experience : April 16, 2024

First time in Japan. IJT made it stressless.

Initially daunted by prospect of travel to Japan. IJT made it simple. Living in Brisbane, where IJT has an office, meant we were able to plan our itinerary and discuss options face to face with a knowledgeable consultant. The in country tour leader for our small group (12 people), 13 day tour could not be faulted. We then freewheeled for a further fortnight, with IJT making accommodation bookings. We also booked a half day guide for Osaka. When we were 10 minutes late for our rendezvous, we got a call from IJT, to check we still required the guide. Service!

Date of experience : April 09, 2024

Well organised and very full itinerary to maximise time in Japan.

Great organisation from pick up at airport through to arranged coach back to airport at end of trip. I appreciated tokyo travel pass delivered to my hotel pre tour to allow me to hit the city straight away. All hotels were good quality although my room at Takayama overlooked the train line so noisy. Very busy trip but best way to see as much as possible in short time. Only criticism would be the time in Kyoto should have perhaps been planned at start of trip due to busy time of year. I wanted to see tea ceremony but by time leader looked, his venues booked up. Seasonal spring Geisha dance was also booked up so we went to alternative. Kyoto worked out OK in the end and Mitch the leader did a good job with everything else.

Thoughtful planning

I don't think we appreciated until we arrived in Japan for our self-guided trip how thoughtful all of your planning was. The hotels and other accommodations were great (great locations and amazing food!) and the pre-paid transportation tickets made things so easy. We noticed that we always had reserved tickets when it mattered (trains or buses that were likely to be crowded) and unreserved when we needed flexibility or things were less crowded. It worked seamlessly. And I would have never thought of needing the portable Wifi device but it made navigation so much easier (and kept the teens happy). We loved all of our tours and special classes. It was worth every dime we paid. We didn't want to come home.

Self Guided Tour

We were happy with most of the hotels recommended but required a lot of research as well on my part. I would also advise doing your own research on what areas you’d like to visit so you will not end up in all extremely crowded areas like Tokyo and Kyoto. We loved both cities but would have limited time in Tokyo to 2 days. We did the self guided tour for 2 weeks in Japan. Very happy with the assistance they gave us navigating 4 destinations during our 2 weeks in Japan. The guides provided for Kyoto and Tokyo were not great. One hardly spoke English. There was a miscommunication with Inside Japan and the tour guides were not as they presented which was very disappointing. We were supposed to be in a tour group private car and they tried to have us use trains which took a lot of time from our tour plus very tiring.

Date of experience : April 10, 2024

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InsideJapan Tours   Reviews

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Reviews 4.8.

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They listened to our requirements and…

They listened to our requirements and our trip fully met our expectations. It was well organised, we were given detailed information which made it easy to catch our trains, find the hotels etc. The hotels were well placed and of a good quality. The guides provided were pleasant and knowledgeable. We travelled on our own but felt well supported.

Date of experience : 25 April 2024

Amazing Experience

Amy provided us with an amazing 2 week itinerary featuring cities and rural areas. All arrangements for hotels, activities, and trains were top notch. She took into account all of our interests and booked activities to match. We received a detailed itinerary and guides for the cities we were visiting. She communicated in a timely manner. It was a stress free vacation!

Date of experience : 05 April 2024

Great company always very helpful

Great company always very helpful. Great tour and guide, which was as described. Loved the fact it was a small group. We experienced some wonderful food views culture and company and would be happy to recommend Inside Japan Tours

Date of experience : 26 April 2024

Wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

We did the HyperJapan J-Pop & Go and had the most fabulous time. Our tour guide, Yorie, was wonderful and was able to get us to each area and activity as planned. We loved everything about the trip. The hotels were in very good locations, the food was amazing and the activities a great mix to give a taste of the culture of Japan and the craziness of J-pop.

Date of experience : 28 March 2024

Japan is unlike anywhere else

Japan is unlike anywhere else. An alternative reality for the 21st century. InsideJapan brilliantly guide you through this extraordinary country with seamless travel arrangements and well-chosen hotels. You will have a truly memorable trip! The practical side of things like bookings, train reservations or helping to make sense of the public transport system is very well done (although we did make extensive use of taxis as well, in Tokyo and elsewhere). And their local team is very helpful with 24h hour support while you are actually there on your vacation. We had guides for 1 day each in Tokyo and in Kyoto and we provided them with an advance outline of what we expected to cover. This worked very well indeed. The selected hotels are all very well situated and are good at what they do but we might have preferred rather higher end. And some of the advance timetabling for visit dates could have been better. As with anything, the more input you can make at the planning stage, the better the result. Oh, and did I mention the food? Great choices and recommendations from InsideJapan.

Date of experience : 18 April 2024

Great hotels, extremely well organised. Made possible because of Chantelle, our tour director. Culturally relevant sites visited, and also some fun stuff. The food was amazing. Experiencing the bullet train was eye opening

Date of experience : 17 April 2024

One of the best holidays we’ve ever…

One of the best holidays we’ve ever had! Fantastic travel arrangements made for our two weeks in Japan. Great itinerary moving from city to more rural settings. Fabulous choice of hotels. Trains, metro, ferry, cable car, bicycles all worked to perfection. Don’t book your trip with anybody else - inside Japan couldn’t be faulted

Date of experience : 21 April 2024

Brilliant service from initial inquiry

Brilliant service from initial inquiry, booking, and tour. Very well organised. Lots of info about places we were staying in as well as general info about Japan. Emailed customer services in Japan about a couple of minor things which were responded to really quickly. Would definitely recommend to book with Insidejapan. We met some Australians and Americans in Japan who had also booked with them and they were very happy too!

Date of experience : 23 March 2024

The whole experience with Inside Japan…

The whole experience with Inside Japan was great. Booking was easy, every arrangement slotted into place. Our All in Japan trip was just the experience we wanted. Our guide, Van Milton, was great. As a group of people we all got on well and that also made for a great trip. Thank you Inside Japan!

Date of experience : 07 April 2024

Inside Japan Tours knows how to do a great tour

We could not have asked for a better guide. She knew how to navigate the busy Japanese season and how to shift when necessary. Always nice and professional (even when a few quests were high maintenance) The variety of food and dining experiences was excellent from sushi and tempura to a multi-course Japanese meal to bentos on the train. Hotels were all good - did a great job of orcestrating a great hotel to land at 1st to a ryokan experience.

Date of experience : 30 March 2024

The very best

The very best! Great communication, support at home and in Japan. Extremely knowledgeable about all things in Japan, very friendly and always ready to help! The itinerary was faultless and we thoroughly enjoyed our trip. All hotels, trains, guides and events were all booked in advance and all went off without a hitch. Can not recommend enough! We shall be back!

Date of experience : 15 April 2024

Great tour leader

Great tour leader, great places visited on our Spring Elegance tour. With the exception of one hotel, all hotels/ryokans were very good. Would love to return to Japan another time

Date of experience : 04 April 2024

Two weeks in Japan

Guides on two days, tickets for the train and in Hakune, advise on where to go. Less good were the tiny rooms, being left in an hour Q for a taxi in Kyoto, arriving at our house before it was ready with four big suitcases. More guiding would have been good and I would not recommend Osaka unless you really like bustling cities with grimy tourist areas and nothing of real interest for tourists.

Date of experience : 16 April 2024

The best way to go it alone ... but with support

Inside Japan Tours are excellent at tailoring itineraries to meet your needs, recommending suitable accommodation and experiences. Everything can be arranged 'under one roof' and if there are any hiccups on the ground you know there will be someone who can help you.

I was very happy with the organisation of my trip which was tailored to my interests. My questions were answered promptly by Natasha. The info pack was great and tickets etc provided flawlessly, travel connections were easy to understand. I had two half day tours during my trip which were guided by super, knowledgeable and friendly local guides. I loved every minute of my 10-day holiday which lived up to my expectations.

A good experience

This was our first self-guided tour as we have always travelled independently before. It worked really well for us, everything organised happened as it should and we had lots of time and space to organise our own stuff. Inside Japan listened to our pre-trip comments and acted on them and the arrangements and help when needed both in Japan and at home was professional and extremely helpful. A really good all-round experience

Date of experience : 13 April 2024

Great introduction to Japan

Great introduction to Japan Everything was very organised, tickets for trains and guided tours worked perfectly. Instructions for using trains and underground were very clear and easy to navigate. Hotels and Ryokens were well selected.

Date of experience : 09 April 2024

Fantastic memorable family holiday

From the start to end, InsideJapan was excellent. The trip arranged for us by Aaron was superb and everything ran smoothly. It was very helpful to have the support available from staff even once we got to Japan. Thanks again for a wonderful, memorable family holiday in Japan.

Date of experience : 01 April 2024

A fabulous holiday - Our Guide Mike Reddy is a treasure

A fabulous holiday. 5/5 for your Guide - Mike Reddy was simply superb - an absolute treasure & his style & attitude contributed greatly to the quality of the holiday. Where you could improve - 1. Luggage transfers should be available to all main cities; being without our main luggage for almost half the holiday was inappropriate for a holiday at this price (& was not clear to us when booking) 2. Your company’s responsiveness to our enquiries deteriorated once you had ‘made the sale’. 3. The hotel in Kyoto was not up to standard.

Reply from InsideJapan Tours

Hello Gerry, Thank you kindly for taking the time to complete this feedback. It's hugely appreciated and helps us to continue improve our tours and service. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time with Mike, I agree he is an absolute treasure. I'm sorry to hear you weren't keen on the Kyoto hotel, the accommodation is one of the newer properties in the city however, we regularly get positive comments from clients who have stayed here. So I will share your feedback with our product and groups teams Finally, your comments regarding the responsiveness clarity of communication I agree are important and have been discussed with your travel consultant and we will work together to improve this experience for future travellers. Thank you again for travelling with InsideJapan tours. If we can ever be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us. Benjamin Guest Sales Team Leader

The trip of a lifetime made easy

Sian was great right from the outset, I gave her a list of likes and she added a few touches of her own that I wouldn't have thought of. Everything was well explained, and the information we received when we arrived in Japan was excellent. The daily information booklet was so helpful, and having the WiFi and IC cards made everything so easy. Apart from a few small tweaks I wouldn't change anything that we did. I would recommend Inside Japan to anyone wanting to visit.

Date of experience : 10 April 2024

InsideJapan Tours   Reviews

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Reviews 4.8.

Most relevant

They listened to our requirements and…

They listened to our requirements and our trip fully met our expectations. It was well organised, we were given detailed information which made it easy to catch our trains, find the hotels etc. The hotels were well placed and of a good quality. The guides provided were pleasant and knowledgeable. We travelled on our own but felt well supported.

Date of experience : 25 April 2024

Amazing Experience

Amy provided us with an amazing 2 week itinerary featuring cities and rural areas. All arrangements for hotels, activities, and trains were top notch. She took into account all of our interests and booked activities to match. We received a detailed itinerary and guides for the cities we were visiting. She communicated in a timely manner. It was a stress free vacation!

Date of experience : 05 April 2024

Great company always very helpful

Great company always very helpful. Great tour and guide, which was as described. Loved the fact it was a small group. We experienced some wonderful food views culture and company and would be happy to recommend Inside Japan Tours

Date of experience : 26 April 2024

Wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

We did the HyperJapan J-Pop & Go and had the most fabulous time. Our tour guide, Yorie, was wonderful and was able to get us to each area and activity as planned. We loved everything about the trip. The hotels were in very good locations, the food was amazing and the activities a great mix to give a taste of the culture of Japan and the craziness of J-pop.

Date of experience : 28 March 2024

Japan is unlike anywhere else

Japan is unlike anywhere else. An alternative reality for the 21st century. InsideJapan brilliantly guide you through this extraordinary country with seamless travel arrangements and well-chosen hotels. You will have a truly memorable trip! The practical side of things like bookings, train reservations or helping to make sense of the public transport system is very well done (although we did make extensive use of taxis as well, in Tokyo and elsewhere). And their local team is very helpful with 24h hour support while you are actually there on your vacation. We had guides for 1 day each in Tokyo and in Kyoto and we provided them with an advance outline of what we expected to cover. This worked very well indeed. The selected hotels are all very well situated and are good at what they do but we might have preferred rather higher end. And some of the advance timetabling for visit dates could have been better. As with anything, the more input you can make at the planning stage, the better the result. Oh, and did I mention the food? Great choices and recommendations from InsideJapan.

Date of experience : 18 April 2024

Great hotels, extremely well organised. Made possible because of Chantelle, our tour director. Culturally relevant sites visited, and also some fun stuff. The food was amazing. Experiencing the bullet train was eye opening

Date of experience : 17 April 2024

One of the best holidays we’ve ever…

One of the best holidays we’ve ever had! Fantastic travel arrangements made for our two weeks in Japan. Great itinerary moving from city to more rural settings. Fabulous choice of hotels. Trains, metro, ferry, cable car, bicycles all worked to perfection. Don’t book your trip with anybody else - inside Japan couldn’t be faulted

Date of experience : 21 April 2024

Brilliant service from initial inquiry

Brilliant service from initial inquiry, booking, and tour. Very well organised. Lots of info about places we were staying in as well as general info about Japan. Emailed customer services in Japan about a couple of minor things which were responded to really quickly. Would definitely recommend to book with Insidejapan. We met some Australians and Americans in Japan who had also booked with them and they were very happy too!

Date of experience : 23 March 2024

The whole experience with Inside Japan…

The whole experience with Inside Japan was great. Booking was easy, every arrangement slotted into place. Our All in Japan trip was just the experience we wanted. Our guide, Van Milton, was great. As a group of people we all got on well and that also made for a great trip. Thank you Inside Japan!

Date of experience : 07 April 2024

Inside Japan Tours knows how to do a great tour

We could not have asked for a better guide. She knew how to navigate the busy Japanese season and how to shift when necessary. Always nice and professional (even when a few quests were high maintenance) The variety of food and dining experiences was excellent from sushi and tempura to a multi-course Japanese meal to bentos on the train. Hotels were all good - did a great job of orcestrating a great hotel to land at 1st to a ryokan experience.

Date of experience : 30 March 2024

The very best

The very best! Great communication, support at home and in Japan. Extremely knowledgeable about all things in Japan, very friendly and always ready to help! The itinerary was faultless and we thoroughly enjoyed our trip. All hotels, trains, guides and events were all booked in advance and all went off without a hitch. Can not recommend enough! We shall be back!

Date of experience : 15 April 2024

Great tour leader

Great tour leader, great places visited on our Spring Elegance tour. With the exception of one hotel, all hotels/ryokans were very good. Would love to return to Japan another time

Date of experience : 04 April 2024

Two weeks in Japan

Guides on two days, tickets for the train and in Hakune, advise on where to go. Less good were the tiny rooms, being left in an hour Q for a taxi in Kyoto, arriving at our house before it was ready with four big suitcases. More guiding would have been good and I would not recommend Osaka unless you really like bustling cities with grimy tourist areas and nothing of real interest for tourists.

Date of experience : 16 April 2024

The best way to go it alone ... but with support

Inside Japan Tours are excellent at tailoring itineraries to meet your needs, recommending suitable accommodation and experiences. Everything can be arranged 'under one roof' and if there are any hiccups on the ground you know there will be someone who can help you.

I was very happy with the organisation of my trip which was tailored to my interests. My questions were answered promptly by Natasha. The info pack was great and tickets etc provided flawlessly, travel connections were easy to understand. I had two half day tours during my trip which were guided by super, knowledgeable and friendly local guides. I loved every minute of my 10-day holiday which lived up to my expectations.

A good experience

This was our first self-guided tour as we have always travelled independently before. It worked really well for us, everything organised happened as it should and we had lots of time and space to organise our own stuff. Inside Japan listened to our pre-trip comments and acted on them and the arrangements and help when needed both in Japan and at home was professional and extremely helpful. A really good all-round experience

Date of experience : 13 April 2024

Great introduction to Japan

Great introduction to Japan Everything was very organised, tickets for trains and guided tours worked perfectly. Instructions for using trains and underground were very clear and easy to navigate. Hotels and Ryokens were well selected.

Date of experience : 09 April 2024

Fantastic memorable family holiday

From the start to end, InsideJapan was excellent. The trip arranged for us by Aaron was superb and everything ran smoothly. It was very helpful to have the support available from staff even once we got to Japan. Thanks again for a wonderful, memorable family holiday in Japan.

Date of experience : 01 April 2024

A fabulous holiday - Our Guide Mike Reddy is a treasure

A fabulous holiday. 5/5 for your Guide - Mike Reddy was simply superb - an absolute treasure & his style & attitude contributed greatly to the quality of the holiday. Where you could improve - 1. Luggage transfers should be available to all main cities; being without our main luggage for almost half the holiday was inappropriate for a holiday at this price (& was not clear to us when booking) 2. Your company’s responsiveness to our enquiries deteriorated once you had ‘made the sale’. 3. The hotel in Kyoto was not up to standard.

Reply from InsideJapan Tours

Hello Gerry, Thank you kindly for taking the time to complete this feedback. It's hugely appreciated and helps us to continue improve our tours and service. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time with Mike, I agree he is an absolute treasure. I'm sorry to hear you weren't keen on the Kyoto hotel, the accommodation is one of the newer properties in the city however, we regularly get positive comments from clients who have stayed here. So I will share your feedback with our product and groups teams Finally, your comments regarding the responsiveness clarity of communication I agree are important and have been discussed with your travel consultant and we will work together to improve this experience for future travellers. Thank you again for travelling with InsideJapan tours. If we can ever be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us. Benjamin Guest Sales Team Leader

The trip of a lifetime made easy

Sian was great right from the outset, I gave her a list of likes and she added a few touches of her own that I wouldn't have thought of. Everything was well explained, and the information we received when we arrived in Japan was excellent. The daily information booklet was so helpful, and having the WiFi and IC cards made everything so easy. Apart from a few small tweaks I wouldn't change anything that we did. I would recommend Inside Japan to anyone wanting to visit.

Date of experience : 10 April 2024

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Reviews 4.8.

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A most memorable trip to Japan

A most memorable trip to Japan was planned for us by Hans Thompson. We had a full and rich experience that our group of 4 loved: wonderful sight-seeing, cooking classes, food tours, bike trips, tea ceremony and kimono dressing, on-site onsen. The lodgings and food were well-selected and excellent. Inside Japan worked with us from the beginning of planning to the end of our trip, assuring us of their support (we did not need to call their offices at all during the trip, mainly because their planning was so on-point). Having all of our bus and train tickets on the self-guided tour, as well as IC card and wifi capability ensured that our travels went smoothly. The local guides were stellar and loved sharing their country with us. Inside Japan's resources on each of the places we visited were super helpful. We would definitely travel with Inside Japan again.

Date of experience : November 17, 2023

Inside Japan is highly recommended

Inside Japan worked with our plan right from the beginning all the way through the actual trip. Despite being delayed by the pandemic the service was great the entire time working with them. The info pack and all the extras provided made the trip and getting around the country so very easy. Everything was exactly as we were told it would be. There were no surprises or snags.

A seamless journey around Japan

This was an our first visit to Japan and it exceeded all expectations. The Inside Japan team helped us create the perfect journey, moving slowly and attentively, taking in all the beautiful places we wanted to go to, it really was a tailor made trip. Their approach was so thoughtful, they put all the plans in place to make it seamless, to ensure that we could get from place to place while travelling on our own. When we first saw our holiday booklet- all 93 pages of it- we were a bit daunted by it. By the end of the trip it had become our invaluable bible. Trains, subways, buses, cars, ferries were all easy to navigate with pre booked tickets and step by step instructions through each day to get us to each place on time. We would never have seen so much of this extraordinary country in only 2 weeks if we were travelling our own. Thank you Inside Japan for making my first visit so memorable, we will be back for sure.

Date of experience : January 08, 2024

Relaxing Tokyo Trip

My second trip with InsideJapan Tours. All the activities I wanted to do were handled and I was just able to enjoy the experiences once I was in country.

Date of experience : February 10, 2024

Their accuracy and attention to detail with our complicated itinerary was stupendous.

We used InsideJapan Tours to help us plan an itinerary that covered a lot of ground in limited time. They helped us arrange transport and lodging and one day with a local guide in Kyoto. We were so pleased with the itinerary they came up with, the extensive information on transport, our envelope full of pre purchased train and bus tickets, and all correspondence with our assigned tour manager. All of the information was meticulously put together just for us...with alternative travel times listed, fun restaurants to try in the cities, and also off the beaten path things to go explore if we had extra time. We don't usually use help when planning international travel, but I'm so glad we took the chance and had InsideJapan Tours help us. I would recommend them to one and all!

Date of experience : January 10, 2024

Every detail taken care of and more

Every detail taken care of and more. A holiday that really feels like a holiday, because every detail is organised so you can actually holiday. Handy hints, good advice, great suggestions, great hotels, wonderful experiences.

Date of experience : March 08, 2024

a holiday planned to perfection

Chatting to our consultant was like talking to a friend and you feel like the advice given is real and correct.You are given so much detail ,advice,hints and help you feel so confident in the travel.Also having someone in Japan to talk to was so reassuring.Everything ran sooooooooo smoothly.

Date of experience : November 20, 2023

Great trip to Japan!

We did a two-week on a trip to Japan that Inside Japan customized and organized for us. We are very happy with their organisation, attention to detail, and their availability to help with requests during our trip. We have already recommended them to friends and family.

Date of experience : January 19, 2024

J-Pop & Go Tour

Our tour was unique in that we only had six members, instead of the projected thirty. I cannot imagine this tour with a group of thirty. It would look like the other tour groups that we saw that were more like school outings, where the emphasis is more on herding buffalo than enhancing the experience. We had time to talk with our guide and learn things that interested each individual and the guide had the time and ability to make each event a more personalized experience. As it was, we were pressed for time at some stages of the tour and listed things fell by the wayside, while at other times, we were given more free time to explore than anticipated. We were exposed to things that we would not have thought of on our own and, within the flexibility of our schedule, our guide was able to accommodate specific interests of each individual. Overall, I would rate this as a very pleasant experience. There were minor issues that I believe to be an unavoidable consequence of mixed languages and cultures. We were able to resolve most of these with continued conversation, but some were unresolvable in our time constraint. Our guide was a native resident and their English was quite good. Much better than my Japanese, but my Japanese and customer service experience allowed me to adjust conversations to the point that we were all talking about the same thing, in the same manner. I wanted to try a guided tour to see how comfortable I would feel trying to do it on my own and I would probably still want the help of a tour group, at least for reserving tickets that are needed a month in advance and for adjusting schedules that are subject to the whims of Fate, like weather delays.

Date of experience : March 21, 2024

Amazing Custom built HoneyMoon!

Amazing Custom built HoneyMoon! Wonderful 18 day Honey Moon planned. From start to finish a very easy and unique experience I could never have crafted by myself. If I had ....I am sure it would have been cheaper but never as unique and action packed :-)

Date of experience : November 30, 2023

Thank you Inside Japan

Huge fan of inside Japan. Their in depth knowledge and suggestions to make our travel easier is so helpful. The insider tour arranged with our group and Chantel was brilliant as was the Gion by evening experience. Hotel recommendations were ones I would not consider but were brilliant recommendations in great locations. A huge thank you for helping to create a memorable family holiday

Date of experience : January 11, 2024

Great attention to detail

They provided us with a great itinerary, covering all the places we wanted to see. The travel arrangements were seamless and the instructions very detailed, even telling us which bus stop to use and the station exits which were nearest our hotels. The accommodation was varied and always good and the guides provided were excellent.

Date of experience : November 07, 2023

Honeymooning with Inside Japan Tours: A Dream Come True

Booking our honeymoon trip to Japan with Inside Japan Tours was an exceptional experience from start to finish. Our travel consultant, Julie S., provided personalized service that made planning our self-guided adventure seamless and stress-free. She expertly handled our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation arrangements within Japan, ensuring that every detail was tailored to our preferences. It’s important to note that international flights need to be booked separately, but once you inform the company of your arrival, they take care of all pickup and drop-off arrangements at the airport, which was incredibly convenient. We chose a self-guided tour, which allowed us the flexibility to explore at our own pace while relying on a well-organized, detailed day-by-day breakdown provided in a handy travel book. The itinerary was perfectly aligned with our interests, and we were able to customize it during the planning phase with Julie’s help. Her responsiveness and professionalism were evident throughout the process, and her coordination was flawless, right down to the timely shuttle service on our departure from Tokyo. The highlight of our tour was a guided walking tour in Kyoto, where our guide’s extensive knowledge and personal attention greatly enriched our experience. She shared unique insights about geishas and took us through exclusive alleys, adding a layer of adventure and authenticity to our visit. Accommodations throughout our trip were excellent, with a special mention to the ‘superior’ accommodation option that became a favorite. Each stay included breakfast, and several offered dinner, allowing us to indulge in authentic dishes that were a delightful departure from what we’re accustomed to in the US. The only minor hiccup was our travel day from Miyajima to Kobe, which felt somewhat underwhelming. However, this did not detract significantly from our overall experience, which was highlighted by our stay in Miyajima—an enchanting location we would have overlooked had we planned the trip on our own. I would wholeheartedly recommend Inside Japan Tours to anyone planning a trip to Japan. Their service is ideally suited for travelers of all ages and budgets, as they carefully consider your financial constraints and desired pace. Whether you’re a young adult eager to explore or someone looking for a more relaxed itinerary, Inside Japan Tours can tailor a trip just for you. Thank you, Inside Japan Tours, for making our honeymoon unforgettable. We look forward to traveling with you again!

Date of experience : April 06, 2024

Fabulous Holiday

We had a fabulous holiday. From our first contact with Natasha at Inside Japan the service was first class. The itinerary was ideal and allowed us to see so much of Japan. All our transport, hotels and wifi were great. I would recommend Inside Japan and hope to use the company in the future.

Date of experience : December 01, 2023

Inside Japan was very thorough and…

Inside Japan was very thorough and thoughtful when putting together our itinerary. They made certain we had information to prepare prior to our trip but also while we were in Japan. We didn't have to worry about anything which made the trip even more enjoyable.

Date of experience : December 30, 2023

Great holiday - efficient and gave us peace of mind

We have just returned from a fabulous family holiday spending Christmas in Japan, and are so pleased that we booked our trip with Inside Japan. Aaron really listened to what we wanted out of our trip, and proposed a great itinerary. We requested a number of tweaks and he made these with no fuss. The info pack that we received before we left was fantastic and was our “bible” for the trip, helping us with all the travel logistics. The fact that we got the JR passes, airport transfers, IC cards and wi-fi device all prebooked was so easy. It was also much easier checking in and out of accommodation knowing it had all been paid up already, without worrying if the credit cards would accept large transactions abroad. We had great peace of mind knowing that we had access to Inside Japan staff 24/7, even though we had no emergencies or need to contact them. It was a great holiday and we would definitely recommend Inside Japan.

Date of experience : December 16, 2023

Inside Japan organised a fantastic bespoke tour to Honshu for my son and I. They stuck to our budget, included all the things we wanted to do, and added so much more to make our trip stress free and 100% enjoyable. Highly recommend.

Date of experience : January 06, 2024

Amazing Kyushu-Japan

Well, I adore Japan. Our travel counselor was excellent and responsive and gave us a quite good itinerary though I would have liked one or two small or quaint accommodations rather than huge hotels and a second off the beaten path area or village. However, March-April are school holidays for Far Easterners so many families travel at that time making certain stays difficult to get. Apparently our counselor arranged rooms with spectacular views from each hotel--castles, mountains, ocean.... We only had two guides, one in Kagoshima and one in Osaka. While both were very nice with okay written English, their spoken English was a big struggle. And I have to say that other guides I have had either in Japan or elsewhere in the world provided more information beyond the standard. In sum these guides did not live up to expectations. Also, I had no idea there would be no driver. Any time ever when I had a guide, there always was a driver, who was sometimes the guide. This was disappointing and I wished I had known. Using taxis and public transportation is not the most time efficient or comfortable. It was great to have everything detailed and described. Having transportation tickets provided rather than figuring out purchasing and schedules was really helpful. There was one big problem. Instructions at large and complicated train stations are badly needed and not given. As an intrepid traveler, I figured it out but it took extra time to constantly find Information to help. In general, the instructions for many spots are inadequate and not specific in the TravelPak. For example, there were directions to, say, a stunning national park. Getting there was fine but then we had no idea where to go and it took 30 minutes to find the entrance place with someone who could help and explain where to drive for another 30 minutes to get into the actual park. So instructions that said like two hours to the park only gets you to the entrance and it takes another thirty minutes before being actually inside and another 30 to get outside the park. Inside Japan can have shorter descriptions about areas and give better and detailed instructions about whereabouts. It was quite frustrating, particularly when no one speaks English. We managed with google translator and the Japanese are unbelievably helpful but translating is tiring and time consuming. Anyone traveling to most places in Kyushu needs to be an experienced traveler to be able to negotiate that part of Japan because of the severe language barrier. For me, it was a fun experience and my husband and I were special for people we would meet, which was a charm and a pleasure. Kyushu is a beautiful island, a key point being Nagasaki, with exciting geological phenomena, rich history, castles, beautiful landscape.

Date of experience : April 03, 2024

Overall the trip was fantastic

Overall the trip was fantastic. We were happy with the hotels and transportation choices. The guides were excellent. The food tour and gold repair workshop were underwhelming. Other than that, no complaints.

Date of experience : January 03, 2024

Totally reliable

Totally reliable, all the people who were meant to meet us turned up on time and were extremely helpful. Everything you arranged was as agreed, all seamless. Guides were reliable and helpful. All in all we could not have expected more and the pre trip discussions and advice all perfect.

Date of experience : December 02, 2023

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Inside Japan makes dreams come true

INSIDE JAPAN made a dream vacation a reality for my husband and me. We traveled in Japan for 30 days. Starting on March 7, 2024 - the first two weeks we traveled with one of their small group tours - Hidden Japan. The remainder we set up as a self-guided tour but Inside Japan was with us there the whole way. I cannot find words to adequately describe how great these people are. They make it easy to craft the exact type of vacation experience you wish to have, they advise you, they stand by you and they really do connect you with terrific professionals in Japan who make this all possible. Time and time again, INSIDE JAPAN delivered and exceeded all expectations. Japan and its people supplied the beauty and the magic.

Date of experience : 07 March 2024

Christine Trist from Australia…

Hi my name is Christine and l was part of the Japan unmasked tour in February. The tour leader Brett and his sidekicks Carlos and chuck also another fellow were brilliant. Brett always was making sure everyone was having a good time. The fact that this tour has no extra single supplement made it extremely good value. Best tour l have ever been on. Didn’t really feel like l was on a tour. The knowledge base of all the tour leaders was amazing. Cheers chris

Date of experience : 19 February 2024

A perfect introduction to Japan

The whole trip was very well organised from start to finish. Every step of the way was itemised, all travel tickets and seat bookings worked like clockwork. Additionally, the supplementary information provided in the info pack was extremely useful. It was like having a guide in our pocket.

Date of experience : 20 March 2024

Totally professional in organising personalised trip to Japan

Will was very responsive to our requirements and worked with us to-put together an exciting itinerary. The subsequent booking of travel, accommodation and guides was excellent. Prior to travelling Inside Japan provided valuable and detailed information about each of the locations we were going to. On arrival we were provided with train tickets, IC cards to use for travelling around and a WiFi router to help with planning travel. I have no hesitation in recommending anyone wanting to go to Japan to use Inside Japan

Date of experience : 15 April 2024

Tour was exactly as advertised

Tour was exactly as advertised. Guide (Kinga) was excellent. Patient, knowledgeable and more. Plenty of funds provided for 'on your own' lunches. A variety of experiences throughout the tour . Karin - Inside Japan contact - was excellent as well.

Date of experience : 25 March 2024

A meticulously organised, richly varied and perfectly balanced trip

An amazing trip from the design of the itinerary to the logistics and support while we were in Japan. You anticipated all the many and varied ways in which we might go wrong, and ensured that we didn't! The Inside Japan staff (both in the UK and in Japan) were friendly, super-responsive and always full of good ideas. The accompanying resources were interesting, intriguing and helpful, including things to do, places to visit, food and restaurant tips and we loved reading about your 'perfect days'. Thanks to Inside Japan we were able to experience things that we would have struggled to figure out on our own.

Date of experience : 03 April 2024

Fantastic’Japan Unmasked’ tour with Inside Japan

We have just finished a Japan Unmasked small group tour which was a terrific experience. It was a ‘fast paced’ tour with quite a lot of travelling by train, tram, buses, boat and foot (sometimes 20K plus steps a day), but a fantastic way to see many of the wonders Japan has to offer. Pre tour service and information (although a little wordy) was very helpful, accommodation (3-4 star rated) was both comfortable and well located, but Japanese hotel rooms as a rule appear not to provide much space for luggage! A special mention must however go to our tour leader Finn Sands-Davis. Finn, having undertaken Japanese Studies in the UK and since lived in Japan, has a passion for all things Japanese and in addition to guiding us smoothly and efficiently, was fantastic in informing us about the Japanese history, culture, customs, food and drink, all of which resulted in a truly memorable holiday.

Date of experience : 14 April 2024

A great experience shared with lovely people.

The group was a fantastic group of people from different countries, the group leader, Paul, was a terrific leader, uniting the group and getting us all through the convoluted public transport system of Japan, without any mishaps. His knowledge of Japanese culture, history and language was first class.

Date of experience : 22 March 2024

Back to Japan ...

This was our second trip to Japan compiled by Sian who had helped us first time round. She really understood that we wanted to get slightly off the beaten track. The itinerary was action packed and covered lots of ground, but every step of the way was laid out in the brilliant pack and our tickets were ready for us when we arrived in Tokyo. We especially loved the hotels in Kanazawa and Kyoto with their free afternoon tea offers and crafts.

Date of experience : 24 March 2024

A great experience thanks to Inside Japan

I found Casey was very knowledgeable, helpful and efficient. She was happy to change the itinerary to suit our needs and keen to make it suit our requirements. The hotels, tours & guides she chose for us were all great. The information guide we took with us provided all details we needed to travel around Japan. Having all our train tickets prebooked was a great help. I highly recommend Inside Japan as your one stop shop for a fantastic trip to Japan.

Date of experience : 13 March 2024

Japan Unmasked for me!

We visited all locations as documented by Inside Japan tours. Our tour guide was excellent so helpful and interested in the needs of all guests. our hotels were all very good and buffet breakfasts were great in variety and value for money. I really couldn't fault this tour.

Date of experience : 21 March 2024

Great agent for any travel in Japan

Inside Japan came up with a great bespoke tour for us and the whole holiday went without a hitch. They were available at all times if and when we needed some in country assistance. If you are visiting Japan and want an agent to support you, you won't go wrong if you use Inside Japan

Really Enjoyable

Everything was really well organised . Great variety of experiences , food , sights and methods of travel. Tour was well paced. Accommodation was very comfortable . Mike our guide was very knowledgeable , patient and had a great sense of humour . Thoroughly enjoyed.

Date of experience : 19 March 2024

I'm quite tall

I'm quite tall, but InsideJapan Tours arranged for me to stay in rooms where I easily fit in the bed. For each place where I stayed, I only had to verify my identity to check in or out--no extra fees necessary.

Date of experience : 28 March 2024

Amazing honeymoon

Inside Japan's Natasha was fantastic! She helped us curate the perfect honeymoon with the right balance of luxury and adventure.

Date of experience : 17 April 2024

An amazing trip

An amazing trip. IJT gave us very comprehensive information to manage our unguided trip round Japan. Both general information and lots of insider tips. As well as excellent in country support for any queries. We would definitely recommend them for any trip to Japan.

Date of experience : 15 March 2024

Excellent trip advise and guidance from Inside Japan

I had never been to Japan before and so we used Inside Japan, for our 26-day trip to Japan. We valued their knowledge and ability to suggest travel plans, hotels and experiences that we may not otherwise have known about. And they were brilliant - they booked all our travel (plane, train, cars) and all hotels and some tours, tailored to our needs and all fantastic. We could not have put together such a great, varied and interesting trip without Inside Japan.

Date of experience : 23 March 2024

Well organised tour

Our Japanese tour was really well planned out and Inside Japan took away all the stress.

Date of experience : 27 March 2024

A once in a lifetime trip organised perfectly!

Had a wonderful two week holiday in Japan with a bespoke itinerary put together by Rachel at Inside Japan Tours. Everything worked smoothly from the luxury limousine waiting for us at Arrivals to all the reserved train seats, perfectly located hotels and friendly and knowledgeable private tour guides. Japan was so interesting, so much to see and do - it was great to have the destination guides to make sure we didn’t waste a minute. If only they offered tours to other countries!

Date of experience : 05 March 2024

Friendly company, delivering a great holiday without the hassle

The 11 day tour was jam-packed with activities, I felt I got an amazingly varied 'best of' tour of Japan, which was perfect for my first visit. The acommodation was good and in great locations, and I loved not having to worry about the hassle of booking my own transport tickets or event tickets. The booking process was simple, I felt reassured having a named consultant to speak to, and representatives in Japan I could phone in an emergency (though thankfully there was no need). Paul was an awesome tour guide, a safe pair of hands steering our small group across the country, who gave us great insights as a Japanese-fluent resident, and lots of good personalised recommendations. I'll definitely be using InsideJapan again on my next trip.