Japan tours

[rebecca]

Want any review of Japan tours, either Life in Japan or Inland Sea of Japan. Comments on touring with local transportation as outlined in itinerary and how you handled the dinners not included in the tour. How would you rate either of these tours?

[Guest]

I took the Inland Sea of Japan Tour in October 2002. I enjoyed it a lot. Local transportation on the tour was by Bullet Train or the usual tour busses. As stated in the itinerary, you will have to pack an overnight bag on two occasions. As for the food, went to a tempura restaurant in Tokyo one night, asked for recommendations from the tour guide or had a few places to check out for some of the other nights. We added 3 extra nights in Kyoto to the end of the tour. You can get reasonably priced dinners in Kyoto on the top floor of the Isetan department store located in the Kyoto train station, which can be reached by a free shuttle provided by the hotel or by maybe a 10 minute walk. The idea may sound real tacky or touristy, but it can save alot of time in trying to find a place, and the restaurants are of full of locals - it's not a downscale thing to do. If you are not looking for an epicurean feast every night, there are many nice, fairly resonably priced restaurants at each destination. We had two different tour directors for this tour - thats the way they do it -- one from Tokyo through Hakone and another for the remainder of the trip. The hotels are all well situated - the hotel in Kurashiki is not that big or new, but it just around the corner from the most picturesque area of the city -- shops and a museum or two along the river, which is traversed by these beautiful little bridges. If you are having a hard time choosing between the two tours, you can add a few days in Kyoto at the end of the Inland Sea tour to compensate. I think the Inland Sea tour is much better for a first trip anyway. Kyoto is easy to get around by subway or bus. Anyway, enjoy Japan. I have been on other General Tours and I wasn't disappointed with this one. If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask.

[Rebecca1234]

Thank you so much for the good information. We are seriously looking at this tour for next April, but like you want to add 2 or 3 days in Osaka. Did you arrange your air with General? Did they arrange for your transport back to the airport (oh, you were in Kyoto, not Osaka, sorry). . When you say you had to pack 2 overnite bags, what happens to your luggage? How was the pace of the tour? Are you active? We have always enjoyed tours that include meals, but your helpful info made it seem painless. Thank you once again. I am assuming you booked thru Affordable Tours.

[Guest]

I booked through my travel agent. - Your luggage is sent ahead to the next hotel. - You get free transfers to and from the airport, which they arrange, no matter when you arrive or depart. The transfers are good from the airport to the hotels they use - you don't even have to stay there, but they will only pick you up or drop you off from that hotel. We stayed at the same hotel in Kyoto. We are active and enjoy walking and exploring during the free time - the tour itself is not particularly difficult if you are not - it shouldn't be a problem.

[Guest]

And.. .. ..air was arranged through GT NY to Tokyo, via Japan Airlines. They are very nice to fly with. If you subtract the "land only" price from the "Land & Air" price, you get the price you can try to beat. You may possibly match it but I don't think you could beat it by much, if at all.. .. .. . they do the pricing that way! Anyway it's easier for them to handle everything.