Japan holidays, tailor made

Reviewed 18 Nov 2008 by Katherine Windibank

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The autumn colours were just amazing in Japan. Its a fascinating culture with so many memorable experiences, just a few spring to mind, walking the Nakesendo highway, staying at the Mitsui Garden hotel in Tokyo, the views are mind blowing from here, Geisha spotting in Kyoto, visiting a multitude of temples, the Japanese people, experiencing the highly technical toilets (!), having a cooking lesson in a Japanese person home, staying in traditional ryokans with steam baths, staying at a Buddhist temple and joining them for early morning prayers.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Thoroughly research exactly what you want to do before you go. We squeezed in some additional visits to places that we didn't think were possible e.g. by getting up early and making use of our Japan rail pass. If you want to upgrade your flight class then try to do this at the time of booking as additional fuel surcharges may make this very expensive. If you are going on your honeymoon, it may be worth finding out if there are additional people travelling at the same time as you and staying at the same places. This may make you change your itinerary so it remains a private holiday for just the 2 of you. Don't bother with the Park Hyatt in Tokyo, its over-rated and very expensive for fairly average food. If you stay at the Mitsui Garden hotel in Tokyo then you still get amazing views from here (and they’ve got a good cocktail bar)

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

Yes in several ways, particularly doing having the cooking lesson at someone’s home through WAK, this was an amazing cultural experience. Also staying at traditional ryokans supports the local economy.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

First class, although expensive I think it was worth the money.

Reviewed 22 Apr 2006 by Janet Turnbull

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

It's hard to say just which part was the most memorable because it all was - but it was extra special because it had a personal aspect to it - we were not 'just tourists'. We wanted to go to Japan because through my family history research I had discovered I had relatives there whom I had never met. The big thrill was meeting them - and finding the family graves of my ancestors. This aspect was built into the itinerary with free time.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

We made a few business cards with our names in Kanji and Katakana on the reverse. These proved extremely useful, especially with introductions to people with very limited English. If you can't find anyone to help with the Kanji, at least have cards with your name in English. If you do take business cards, be sure to keep them in pristine condition. Take the time to try and learn a few basic words - such as thank you and excuse me! The Japanese appreciate the effort even though the conversation will continue in English. I also bought a book on Japanese etiquette, fearful of making a terrible social blunder. At least you will know what to expect! Finally - don't be afraid to try Japanese food!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

I don't think we were able to offer the locals anything they did not already have, and we could learn a lot from them about environmental issues. The streets were totally litter-free because nobody dropped anything, and if they did, they picked it up themselves instead of leaving it. Recycling is big there, too.

4. Any other comments?

Five out of five!