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What our customers have to say...
The most important thing we can do to improve our service is listen to what our customers have to say, which is why you can now read their comments unedited on our website.
Upon returning from Japan all our clients are sent a review form and this is where you can see what they are saying about their experience of Japan and of our service.
Search the reviews, check the image gallery and see for yourself how our clients rate the InsideJapan experience.
How are we doing? (3 year average rating)
4.85/5 calculated from 3025 reviews submitted in the last 3 years
Gretchen (United States) - Hidden Japan, May 2026
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1. How would you describe your overall level of satisfaction with us as your tour operator?
We had a fabulous time on Hidden Japan! It exceeded our expectations. We would highly recommend this tour for anyone who enjoys sights and experiences that are “off the beaten path”.
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2. Tour Leader name and satisfaction rating
Hanan was an extraordinary tour leader. Her enthusiasm, clear love for Japan, and deep knowledge of the country’s history, culture, and customs greatly enriched our experience, and she shared all of this generously. She consistently went above and beyond, offering optional outings to some of her favorite places that were not included in the original itinerary, such as Dogo Onsen, Fushimi Inari Taisha, and karaoke. For meals that were not included, she organized group dining options for those who were hesitant to venture out alone and provided excellent recommendations for those of us who preferred to explore independently. When a typhoon impacted our trip, Hanan swiftly and skillfully reworked the schedule with ferry operators, a bus company, museums, and a local guide so that we could still visit Naoshima Island and enjoy a spectacular meal at Benesse House Museum, all on an earlier and tighter schedule. When our riverboat ride was cancelled, she arranged an alternative outing that was equally meaningful and memorable. She kept the group on schedule while always allowing time for bathroom and snack breaks, so there was never any stress about catching our trams, ferries, or trains. On longer bus rides, she kept us engaged and entertained with trivia, history, background information, and Q&A. We were impressed with her every single day of the tour.
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3. Consultant name and satisfaction rating:
Xinmei was responsive, communicative and helpful. The add-on she arranged for us in Tokyo was wonderful, from the hotel to the local guide to the food tour.
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4. How would you rate your package in terms of value for money?
Good
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5. How would you rate the accommodation against your expectations?
Favorite hotels were the Asakusa View Annex in Tokyo (add-on) and the JR Clement hotel in Takamatsu. Comfortable rooms and great breakfasts. The location of the hotel in Kyoto was excellent but the elevators (only 2) were incredibly slow and there was no option to use stairs. We waited over 5 minutes sometimes for the elevator (and were late to our intro meeting as a result). This meant you had to budget a bunch of extra time at that hotel to ensure timlieness. We found the futons in the monastery and ryokan pretty uncomfortable. For the ryokan (which was later in the trip) we each added an extra futon mattress from the cupboard and that improved the experience significantly. (Perhaps this is something that could be arranged/requested in advance.) The Candeo hotel in Matsuyama was problematic for the breakfast buffet as there is not enough space and the buffet is poorly designed for flow of people. Hanan wisely advised us to get there very early to ensure we could eat - the buffet opened at 6:30 and by 6:50 there was a wait to get in! The Intergate hotel in Hiroshima had motion sensor lights in both the entryway and bathroom and there was no way to turn this feature off. This was jarring for middle-of-the night bathroom trips.
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6. Please give us your comments on the transport included in your package.
I think we used every type of transportation on our trip and most everything went smoothly. The minibus was a bit small for 15 people, with super tight seats that did not accommodate people with long legs. Especially problematic were the rows with wheel wells where there was pretty much no leg room, every for small people. I'm very appreciative that we had a larger bus for the trip to Mount Koya. It would have been very uncomfortable in a minibus.
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7. Please tell us your thoughts on the meals included during your tour.
We loved getting to try all different types of Japanese cuisine as part of the trip but also appreciated having breakfast buffet with Western options, including salad to get in fresh vegetables. Breakfast at the monastery was terrible (especially the cold poached egg with runny yolk). The meal at Benessee House in Naoshima and the kaiseki at the ryokan in Kotohira stand out as favorites. There was a good balance of included meals and meals on our own.
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8. How do you rate the usefulness and standard of information in the Info-Pack?
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9. Would you consider travelling to Japan again?
Yes
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10. Would you travel again with InsideJapan Tours?
Yes
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