Customer reviews

I found InsideJapan Tours booking service quick and efficient and they took my personal circumstances into account. The tour was excellent and just what I had asked for when I contacted InsideJapan Tours to discuss suitable trips for me. The small size of the group (8) meant we could move around easily,and I did not feel part of a package holiday which might have been more impersonal. The tour was varied, visiting interesting and wonderful places, and the hotels were superb.

Yasuhiko Ota was kind and humorous. He never chivied us. He was well-organised and very thoughtful - when he knew I wanted a swim in one hotel he found out the pool opening times for me. Having Ota San as our leader greatly added to the quality of my holiday.

I would have liked a phone call a few days after my return just to check that I'd enjoyed the trip.

All the hotels were very comfortable and I thought many were superb. The only one I was not happy with was the Nagano one (day 6)- the breakfast included margarine (no butter), orange juice (tasted as if made from powdered concentrate) and scrambled eggs which were unpleasant (?powdered egg). I felt we were being shortchanged by this, and the breakfast was spoiled for me. The rest of the Nagano hotel was fine. I loved the other hotels, they were a real treat for me, and added considerably to my enjoyment of the holiday. If I booked with InsideJapan again I would ask for the same quality of restful, luxurious accommodation.

Very good, always well organised by Ota San and because we were a small group we could travel in taxis or a small coach. I also enjoyed the public transport esp. the mountain train and the bullet trains.

I thought the quality of the meals (apart from Nagano, see above) very good and meals provided by the ryokan in Karuizawa and Fujiya hotel superb. However I did find some foods hard to get used to esp the raw fish and the green tea but this wouldn't deter me from going back to Japan. I would have appreciated a tip to take teabags and instant coffee with me.

Found it hard to like the food - even the tea - unusual tastes and textures. The food was beautifully presented. I filled up at breakfast and lunchtime with eggs, yoghourt, fruit and rolls and cakes. I liked the meat dishes but found the raw fish and roots difficult to eat, but if I returned to Japan, I would keep trying with these.

Because I thought the tour was distinctive and went to places that other companies probably did not include. Because of the group size and the kindness and professionalism of the tour leader. Because of the quality of the accommodation. I had a simply wonderful time!