Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Japan Deluxe Tours, Inc. in Torrance

4.9 (78) 1820 W Carson St #224, Torrance, CA 90501, United States

Categories

Travel agency
Airline ticket agency

Location on the map

Torrance, Los Angeles County, California, US

Phone:
Site: https://japandeluxetours.com/

Opening hours

Monday:9 AM–5 PM
Tuesday:9 AM–5 PM
Wednesday:9 AM–5 PM
Thursday:9 AM–5 PM
Friday:9 AM–5 PM
Saturday:Closed
Sunday:Closed

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.9

78 Reviews for Japan Deluxe Tours, Inc. 2024:

Review №1

2024-06-03 02:05:15

My husband and I had an excellent time with Japan Deluxe Tours. We only wish that we took a longer tour to spend even more time in Japan. We did the cultural/anime tour. Our tour guide Miho was excellent. She was like the mother of our tour group. She is very knowledgeable and goes out of her way to help us with questions.The only improvement I ask for is to inform customers of an overnight stay. We were informed very last minute to pack an overnight bag for a short overnight trip. This was very unexpected and was an inconvenience as I had to re- organize the luggages to pack a smaller bag. We also lost some items that had to be repurchased.

Review №2

2024-05-08 22:13:32

Highly recommended for first-time visitors! A dream trip of mine for years was fulfilled thanks to Japan Deluxe Tours! Specials thanks to Yuki from the flight/airline department, our tour guide Shige, and driver Kowakami!!!

Review №3

2024-04-09 02:00:46

We had the best time! Our tour guide Kana was amazing! She super sweet and patient with each individual. She is always willing to help you. Will definitely book again!

Review №4

2023-12-26 07:30:41

My wife and I had an amazing experience with Japan Deluxe Tours. Yuki was our guide, and we can highly recommend him. He is outstanding. The rickshaw experience in Kyoto was truly a highlight.

Review №5

2023-04-10 05:07:51

My husband and I used Japan Deluxe Tours for our honeymoon and we had a wonderful experience. We had a private tour and it was so worth the money. We made friends with our guides and got to ask more questions and go to more places that we really wanted to see. The hotels were fantastic and transportation was easy with our guide. My husband and I can’t wait to come back to Japan and would definitely book with them again with our friends!

Review №6

2023-12-25 23:01:07

Incredible journey!! We attended a 10 day tour including anime, manga, and culture. We had guided tours with a guide, Yuki. He was very knowledgeable and answered questions we had about each location. He gave free time to roam around the destinations, on our own, after each segment of the tour. We traveled with 10 others who were originally unknown to use but became fast friends. The temples shrines and bullet train were phenomenal. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. One which you should not miss!!!!

Review №7

2024-04-24 00:21:47

The Japan Delux Tour was a great experience to explore all of Japan for your first time. The staff is very friendly and I absolutely love the tour guide for my group. You explore many different cities and the most popular locations. The only downside would be you dont get to spend too much time at certain places because youre busy traveling around, but its great to note which places you wish to visit again for future trips!

Review №8

2022-09-07 01:34:04

After two years, Japan finally opened in July and the tour company called me right away. With the new change for what was required to enter Japan it was a difficult process with paperwork, applying Visa cards, and getting vaccines. The tour company people were very helpful and patient with me as I was asking a lot of questions and concerns.After all was set and done, I began my Japan Anime theme tour with my friend and it was an amazing experience!!! 9 days in three different cities (Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka). We enjoyed the shrines, the shopping and special tour attractions like the Studio Ghibli museum and Universal Studio Japan. I personally like to thank our tour guides on the trip that were very knowledgeable of Japan as well as helpful when asking our questions.After a difficult time during Covid, Japan Deluxe Tours helped me achieve my wish for a very long time. I’m very satisfied with this tour company and when things have settled down with Covid and fewer restrictions, I like to do another tour again in the future.

Review №9

2024-03-25 09:20:42

Kana is the best!!! She did a great job taking care of our group. She is sweet and cares about every single person individually.

Review №10

2024-03-25 09:17:15

I’m so happy I booked with Japan Deluxe Tour. The communication from the beginning to end was exceptional. Once we arrived to Tokyo, our guide Kana, was extremely helpful. She is the sweetest person and was very patient with our questions. We felt very comfortable with her as a guide. Will definitely be booking again!

Review №11

2024-04-19 20:33:07

I have been traveling mostly on my own for a while now but decided to spend 8 of my 14 days in Japan on a guided group tour. This turned out to be an outstanding decision. With the highly knowledgeable, experienced, warm and approachable tour director, Miho, and 24 other friendly and enthusiastic travelers in a comfortable bus, every day and every destination was a winner. I so enjoyed the Takayama festival and spending the following morning exploring the charming and quaint old town, shopping for some Japanese products to take home with me. The two villages on the Nakasendo trail were picturesque, and stopping for some soba for lunch was a treat. Yes, there were times when it felt rushed and hectic but, overall, the itinerary worked for me. Thank you, Miho, for all your good work. The mini-lessons on the history, culture and way of life in Japan were enlightening and your appropriate personal anecdotes were insightful. I learned a lot from traveling with you.

Review №12

2019-06-17 22:41:34

If youre going to Japan, this is the tour to use! Our guide, Hiro, was so amazing. I cant say enough good things about her. She treated us like family. We always felt safe and secure...our bus driver was fantastic. It is amazing how many fun, historic, educational, beautiful, and scenic places we were able to visit in just 10 days. Hiro is a master at handling all of the logistics. And when one of the spots was unexpectedly closed for the day in Hakone, she was able to secure a visit to the Open Air museum instead...which turned out to be one of my favorite stops. This is an especially good tour for first-timers to Japan. I now feel like I could return on my own and have a basic handle on how to get around.

Review №13

2024-04-08 19:12:39

My wife and I attended the Essence of Spring|Anime tour in March through April. It was a wonderful experience and we highly recommend it!Tour Guide: KanaWe had the good fortune to have Kana as our tour guide. She is genuinely such a sweet, humorous, and good-natured person. She shares interesting stories to keep the bus rides entertaining and gets us prepared for our next destination. When our group members would share our experiences, Kana would join in on our excitement and made us feel so welcome and comfortable.Our group consisted of wide-ranging members as young as 9 years old to more senior travelers, coming from places like Australia, Singapore, USA, Mexico, etc. Though our members had different preferences, needs, and interests, Kana was adaptable and was able to make arrangements such that everyone had a good time. JDT is lucky to have a tour guide as amazing as Kana!Program: Essence of Spring | AnimeWe started the tour in Kyoto, then Hakone, then Tokyo. The itinerary is fast-paced out of necessity since we did so much each day. We never felt rushed, but at the same time, we did not feel we could indulge too much in any place either. I guess a good analogy would be food: we were satisfied with each visit but never had enough time to get stuffed.The locations were well-selected. Every place we went was interesting and had plenty to do. Its difficult for us to choose highlights because the entire trip is basically a highlight reel, but we would say a few places that exceeded our expectations were the Jin-riki-sha ride, Harajuku, and the Ghibli museum.Meals were for the most part really tasty. The included breakfast buffets at the hotels were the best we ever had. Pre-set meals for lunch and dinner were good, but if you are used to larger portions, you might find yourself wanting more. This will not be a problem if you snack throughout the day when visiting places.Hotels were all high quality but small compared to US standards. If you bring full-size luggage with carry-ons, you might feel a little cramped. Not a big deal since you wont spend too much time in your hotel room.Charter bus was clean and comfortable. Our bus driver Mr. Miyagi did a great job.Tips:We came during cherry blossom season. Everywhere is pretty packed so just expect crowds and traffic congestion in the more popular touristy sites.You will walk quite a bit. We had more advanced aged travelers who managed but I think they did struggle at times.We stayed an extra 3 days in Tokyo after the tour ended. We used that time to visit animal cafes, Skytree, Tokyo Tower, Teamlab Borderless, special restaurants, shopping, and more. If you want to see special events like Sumo wrestling, get tickets early as they seem to sell out. Its a good idea to stay a few days more if you are able.Conclusion:Thanks JDT and Kana for giving us the best vacation ever!

Review №14

2018-10-12 00:28:21

Such a great tour and a great experience! Our tour guide Hiroko was knowledgeable and helped make sure everyone had a good experience. Anime, pop culture, food and historical places all over Japan. This was a trip of a lifetime!

Review №15

2024-04-10 13:57:59

Miho saves the day! This review is about the tour company itself and is NOT a reflection of our wonderful tour guide and bus driver, Ms. Miho and Mr. Yamamoto. They were angels and Miho would go out of her way to ensure that our accommodations were met. She even picked up a t-shirt for me on her own time and would guide us to small places we wanted to visit. We absolutely loved meeting her.The tour company itself has been one of the worst customer service experiences for the price we paid for our tour. We booked the 9-day anime spring tour. I was informed during the initial booking by Marie that Super Nintendo World was included in the price of our package. Only to be informed later that we needed to purchase express passes through the company which they charged us $250 EACH for. When speaking to Yuki about how upset we were about being deceived on the price as we thought it was included, she literally laughed about it over the phone which was not appreciated. They ended up buying express passes through Klook which costed them $118.00 for two of us. The tour company did not ask us which times we wanted for our express passes. They also were going to only transport us to Universal starting at 9:00 AM; mind you that Osaka was an hour drive from Kyoto. We also had to check into the Universal hotel and then had our Super Nintendo world timed entry at 10:20 AM. I had to call the company again to ask to be driven earlier as we would probably miss our Super Nintendo world timed entry.We asked for a private onsen as we have tattoos and was told ‘oh if the hotel has it and never received a response back prior to our tour. We asked for no seafood or fish to be included as a dietary restriction and was told by the tour company it would not be accommodated and to ‘pick things off of your plate’. Miho (our savior) made sure that we were taken care of at every restaurant. If you had questions and called into the office, they seemed to never have answers and would not call you back despite being told they would call you. However, an email response would be received. We were informed that an ‘online orientation’ would be done prior to our trip and it was literally an email saying please let us know if something is not in your travel application on your phone. Our itinerary changed completely after booking with different attraction sites and the tour company never notified us.Upon arrival in Japan, the tour company booked our party in separate rooms. We tried calling the tour company manager on duty who responded by saying ‘Did you just call me?’ instead of calling us back to see what we needed. On the tour itself, our itinerary changed from day to day. We spent more time at sites than others (example: 2.5 hours shopping in a mall and then 5 minutes feeding the deer in Nara). You get approximately an hour at each bigger attraction place which we found was not enough time. The restaurants were okay but would have loved more higher end meals for the price we paid. I do not recommend this tour company and highly recommend a private tour going to ‘off beaten path’ attractions.

Review №16

2024-06-28 04:28:08

This was a trip of a lifetime and we are so glad we trusted Japan Deluxe Tours to make it happen!

Review №17

2018-10-16 20:57:22

We are half way through our Southern Japan Tour with Japan Deluxe Tours and are having a wonderful time. Our tour guide Hiro is amazing, always helpful, always smiling, always there and very knowledgable. We have seen some wonderful sights and the hotels are always comfortable and well equipped. I am happy to recommend Japan Deluxe Tours to anyone wishing to tour Japan

Review №18

2019-04-25 20:51:29

Essence of Japan Tour was excellently successful guided by Mr. HIDE a very professional and funny at times. It was a brief tour of Japan, but covers it all. Its cultural experiences and history of Japan. A lot of scenery along the route like going to Hakone, riding the local and bullet train to kyoto. Riding the Glandola at Owakudani Ropeway and also the Rickshaw (Jin-riki-sha) at Arisimaya Kyoto. Eating Japanese traditional dishes, good for your diet, low in carbs, maybe it will lower your cholesterol level if you eat some of the sushi (high in omega-3 because of fish). Their delicacies or pastries are really good, not too sweet. We did drink matcha green tea that was made like latte. Japan is very clean, you seldom see trash can, no litters allowed. This kind of trait is very good to bring back home for cleanliness.

Review №19

2023-11-30 19:41:53

Booking this tour was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. We did the 11-day Anime-Hiroshima Tour. This tour was amazing and made transportation a breeze. Yuki was our guide and he is the best guide ever. He was fun to chat with and knowledgeable about the sites he was showing us. He taught us the correct way to bow and clap at Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples. He is willing to assist you in any way and really cares about his job.Having a bus drive you from location to location was wonderful. It worked great except for the day we drove from Tokyo to Owakudani Valley in Hakone. We ended up on the bus for about 5 hours trying to drive to Owakudani Valley (since the ropeway was down due to strong winds). And it was all for nothing since we ended up not visiting it due to too much time in traffic and a lack of parking at Owakudani Valley. All we saw in Hakone was an Open-Air Museum which was skippable.All the destinations in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima were great. I wouldn’t change a thing with those. The amount of free time at each location was the perfect amount. It gave you enough time to explore the site, Temple, or Shine and still shop for souvenirs and eat street food. My favorite activity was the rickshaw ride through the bamboo forest. You even get a private section of the bamboo forest to your rickshaw group that walking tourists cannot go into! It was so fun. I also loved the Fukagawa Edo Museum.I highly recommend visiting Takeshita Dori on your free day rather than just with the group. Takeshita Dori it too busy when the group visits and you don’t have much time. I suggest going early in the morning around 10:30am to try things you won’t get to when the place is super crowded.Even though feeding the deer in Nara was disappointing because most of them were full and didn’t want to eat anymore rice cakes, it was still fun to pet them and watch the young ones play. It was so relaxing to watch the deer in the Nara Deer Park. Todaiji was MASSIVE. A trip to Kyoto wouldn’t be complete without a half day excursion out to Nara.The two of us were the only ones to visit Himeji Castle, Koko-en historical gardens, and Hiroshima and let me tell you that it is so worth it to extend your trip by two days and visit those sites. Himeji Castle is too beautiful for words. It is a must see! The historical gardens was something that I wasn’t looking forward to, but WOW, they were awesome to see in the fall. The leaves and ponds were gorgeous. I loved watching the koi fish and walking the stones over the ponds. It was relaxing. The museum near the A-Dome in Hiroshima was somber. It was heartbreaking to see what people went through, but also a must for anyone interested in WWII history and paying their respects to all those who lost their lives there.There was some incredible food experiences on this trip. My favorite was the Kaiten Sushi restaurant or conveyor belt sushi. It was so fun ordering things and having them arrive to you on a conveyor belt. I had so much fun ordering things there and it was super cheap. You can order many different types of sushi. Try the ones with mayonnaise, they were all so delicious! I also loved the Teppen-yaki meal with a view in Tokyo. The meat melted in your mouth. The savory style pancakes on Miyajima were also a favorite of mine. The Maiko dinner is massive, there were too many courses to count. It was a fun experience although I’m not a picky eater and even I didn’t like some of the traditional food items. The traditional style foods were great to try though. Having the tour group compel you to try traditional food, whether I liked the taste or not, was an awesome experience.The Maiko performance was entertaining, especially when she played the traditional game with members in our group. The tea ceremony was okay, but not as exciting as I thought it was going to be and there just isn’t room for a group of 14 to all sit on the floor in that tatami room. It was uncomfortable. Overall, the trip was wonderful and I am so glad that I booked it!

Review №20

2019-04-18 00:09:04

The tour from Tokyo to Hiroshima was great. Unfortunately I missed the first day in Tokyo due to connecting flights. The staff at Japan Deluxe Tours was very helpful. The group was about 15 people on the upgraded tour. The hotels and the included food was great. Hiroko was very helpful in pointing out the local delicacies and unique items to purchase in each of the regions. She was also very helpful in extending the stay and helping us buy Shinkansen tickets after the tour.

Review №21

2019-03-22 09:07:18

I joined the Golden Route/Anime Japan tour, and it was an exciting and informative experience, as we learned and experienced the cultures, since Hiroko, our tour guide was very detailed about the sights and locations to visit, souvenir shops, the culture of the place and treasure trove of hidden specialty that most tourist wont get a chance to visit, that it made the experience that much more worth it. Though it is only of the Golden Route section, it has already been a wonderful time, that I would recommend the tour to others in the future.

Review №22

2023-10-31 00:29:06

The tour guide was fantastic. Pack in a lot while leaving the hotel at a reasonable hour. A good mix of provided meals, which sometimes include traditional food that may not be for everyone, with meals on your own.The tour also included 2 free days. Being able to explore on your own a couple days is really nice.1 criticism is the cup of noodles museum. This should be reserved for tours with children. More time could be spent at the immigration museum.Hotels were great. Busses comfortable. Taking the trains was a great experience too.

Review №23

2023-10-14 11:18:35

I did the Takayama Festival tour. This is a great way to experience Japan! We saw a wide variety of sights. The travel was also broken up well with frequent stops to sightsee. I would give the tour 4.5 stars if Google allowed half stars. There were several times at gardens, castles, and shrines that we didnt have enough time to see everything or our time felt very rushed due to being locked in by meal reservations or the need to travel to the next town.

Review №24

2024-04-06 05:10:07

Did the 11 days anime japan tour with them, great experience especially for a person that doesnt know the language.Highly recommend for a first trip to japan

Review №25

2023-10-16 15:10:51

Japan Deluxe Tours provided an incredible adventure through Japan, and our guide, Mr. Shige, played a pivotal role in making it a memorable journey. Shiges helpful nature and sense of humor added a unique charm to the tour. From the moment we arrived, everything was well-organized for us, except for the flights, which we had to arrange ourselves.Our accommodations throughout the trip were excellent. The first hotel in Ikebukuro, the Prince Hotel, left a lasting impression. Being connected to the massive shopping mall, Sunshine City, was a fantastic convenience. Exploring the mall and discovering treasures like the Pokémon Centre, Sanrio shop, and One Piece store added a layer of enjoyment to our stay.While Tokyo demanded a lot of walking, with approximately 20,000 steps daily, it was invigorating to explore this bustling metropolis. In Kyoto, we had the luxury of buses, which meant less walking. Osaka, especially Universal Studios, offered us the opportunity to enjoy the attractions at our own pace. The smaller group size during the days in Tokyo and Kyoto enhanced the experience, allowing for a more personalized and intimate exploration.The itinerary was packed with exciting activities, leaving us feeling like wed only scratched the surface of Japans treasures. The exhaustion at the end of each day was a testament to how much we saw and experienced. Tokyo alone could easily occupy a month of exploration!Although the Ghibli Museum visit had to be canceled, our visit to TeamLab provided a mesmerizing and unforgettable alternative. The day off allowed us to catch our breath, do some laundry, and leisurely explore Ikebukuro, which was a pleasant break from the packed schedule.The hotels in Kyoto and Osaka also exceeded our expectations, and enjoying breakfast at the hotels was a great way to start the day. We had a couple of meals provided, and while the wagyu beef lunch wasnt to my taste, my husband thoroughly enjoyed it. The traditional Japanese dinner at the Japanese-style hotel in Kyoto may not have been our favorite, but it was a cultural experience in itself.One downside was the timing of our visit to Universal Studio, as it was extremely busy and overwhelming. A visit earlier in the week might have been a better choice.Overall, our trip with Japan Deluxe Tours had a few minor downsides but numerous upsides. The memories we created during this adventure far outweighed any inconveniences. We returned home with a deep appreciation for the beauty and diversity of Japan, and we are planning our next trip already!

Review №26

2023-10-24 08:29:29

This tour is perfect for those that are nervous about going to a foreign country. All of the transportation is fully solved by them, so no need to learn the train system or bus system or taxis of Japan. Kana was an awesome tour guide, and incredibly helpful! Be comfortable with lots of walking, though. Several fun destinations

Review №27

2023-10-24 08:32:38

We had a great time! Thank you Kana for the wonderful adventure! Not only were the people and locations wonderful, but our guide was warm and funny. The Levant hotel was perhaps a little in need of an update, and the were very few Japanese food options for breakfast, but the other hotels in Osaka and Kyoto were great!

Review №28

2023-08-02 23:03:14

We booked our summer vacation with JDT soon after Japan announced it will open up to foreign tourism post-Covid, and this was despite having no recent reviews on the tour company we could rely on.The JDT tour itinerary we selected was excellent and exceeded our expectations for our family, which included a college age student and a 12 year old. There was a wide array of sightseeing and activities covering every interest of our family, including anime sites and shopping, popular cultural sites, and entertainment activities (Universal Studios Japan, ninja demonstration, rickshaw tour, and geisha show). Some days included lunch or dinner, and this covered a good breadth of what Japanese cuisine has to offer. The driver was good and we can’t say enough about our guide (Hiro) who was very friendly, informative and helped ensure that even our time to explore Japan outside the tour hours went smoothly.This was a group tour and we found all the other group members to be very friendly, many of whom shared our interests for anime and all of us were new visitors to Japan. This was our first trip to Japan and we can thank JDT for making the experience very memorable for our family..

Review №29

2023-04-02 18:54:13

I can’t say enough good things about my experience with Japan Deluxe Tours! My husband and I originally booked a tour for April 2020, which of course we ended up not being able to take due to COVID. Japan Deluxe Tours not only gave us a full voucher to rebook our trip once Japan reopened to tourists, they worked some kind of magic on their end to get our airline to refund us 2/3 the cost of our airline tickets, when the airline was originally telling us that they would not refund us at all. Japan Deluxe Tours continued to be extremely helpful and communicative as we waited for Japan’s borders to reopen, and finally, we were able to rebook our trip for this past month (March 2023). Leading up to the trip, we again had lots of helpful communication and all our questions answered. (Especially by Marie, who we got to meet in person during our trip!) Once we actually went on the trip, my husband and I just kept saying to each other over and over how glad we were that we decided to book with Japan Deluxe Tours rather than trying to do a trip to Japan on our own. They made sure everything was taken care of, and that everything went so efficiently and smoothly. Every day was jam packed full of things to see and do, to ensure we made the very most of our time in Japan. We visited Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, and Nara, and can happily say that we crossed off all our “must-do” things in all of those places, plus so many additional things on top of that! Our guides, Hiro and Yumi, were absolutely wonderful. They went above and beyond to ensure we made the most out of each day, understood the history and cultural significance of what we were seeing, and overall just had an amazing time! And they are also both personable, funny, great people. We also spent a day with Yoshi as our guide, and really enjoyed him as well. And we had a great driver, Koji, who we are also very thankful to have met. I would highly recommend Japan Deluxe Tours to anyone who is considering visiting Japan. I look forward to booking a tour with them again in the future!

Review №30

2023-10-24 08:35:07

Our guide, Kanako, was more than helpful and was willing to help us get around both on and off the tour itinerary. She was very knowledgeable with all of the sites we had visited and was very kind and respectful to everyone participating. We only have one complaint and that is we wish we had gotten to Akihabara an hour later so that more stores had been open right away. I understand that can be difficult to time alongside all of the other things we had to do that day, but it still made it a little hard to hit all the stores we wanted to visit. That said, Kanako helped us try to find the things we had been trying to look for. She even called a few shops and asked about stock for us.Secondary note: she saved us from a large bug on the bus. Truly a super hero.

Review №31

2023-04-11 16:05:47

I want to start by saying first that the tour a majority of places you will visit is NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE. I want to be clear that if you have a mobility issue this tour is not going to be physically great for you. As a handicap person I struggled, as it wason average 7 miles of walking and many places dont have elevators or escalators.We did the 11 day anime Japan trip.Now onto the rest of the trip.Our tour guide yoshi was amazing. He taught us a lot and was super kind and informative. He hands down was worth the price of the trip.All the hotels were clean and nice. The Ryokan was our favorite. The hotels are with in 5 minutes of the local train station. The Ryokan had a natural hot spring selection and that was heaven.The things you do on the trip are pretty cool and they keep you busy. My favorite being deer park and ghibli museum. Also if you have to choose between museum and warehouse, choose the museum. It has way more to do in it. Universal was a let down, and dont get me wrong, JTD tried to get us to buy fast passes but Im disabled and know I cant do much riding. However, we could not get into super Nintendo world just to see it without a fast pass. Which sucked because we just wanted to look. I do think the tour has too many shrines in it. I think doing one of each religion type is enough, and we did one buddist and six Shinto. They were all beautiful, and I couldnt do some because stairs, but I kinda wish there was something else instead of six shrines/temples. all the food places they take you to are clean and delish. Also I think the timing of somethings should be switched, for example the Kyoto light show would have been better at night and the fish market we went directly after breakfast so I wasnt really hungry to buy food. Somethings felt too rushed time wise, like we got 45 minutes in harajuka so we had to go back at night to finish more shopping. You get a little over an hour in the shopping area where Capcom, Nintendo, the Pokemon center, and other anime stores are. The Nintendo store literally had a line for its line, like you had to take tickets for line. We wanted to go in but knew if we did we would miss shopping at the other stores. I know plenty of people in your group went back in the evening or their free day. The open air art museum was a bummer because it was cold and rainy even though the guide said the museum would change if weather was bad and it did not. The ninja house was fun but four flights of steps with no elevator. The rickshaw rides were great, but note if you are overweight you and your travel companions will have to ride separate.We thought we would like Tokyo best due to our love of anime and games but Kyoto was really the shining star. It was beautiful with so much to do.The best part of the trip was yoshi as our guide and or original tour group. Also I think when they put us together and we had 49 people in one group that was too many.The worst part was the inaccessibility for handicap people (not jdts fault just wish I had been aware) and the visit to the tea house. First off, I walk with a cane and getting in and out of a chair is hard for me. I had to sit on the floor. Second the tea house lady was rude. Im immunocompromised so I did not want to eat the open candies out of a bowl that everyone was touching so I was trying to just quietly pass the bowl along. She stopped the ceremony and stared at me until I took one and it. I felt humiliated and uncomfortable.Aside from that experience every place is so clean. Most people are wearing mask and everywhere has hand sanitizer. Most restaurants take your temperature before entering. So other than the tea house experience I felt safe from germs as an immunocompromised person

Review №32

2022-10-27 03:31:37

Our tour was absolutely amazing! We did the Golden Route from Kyoto to Tokyo and extended one day in Tokyo. The hotels were all wonderful and very comfortable, with amazing breakfasts. Everyone was very helpful and kind at the hotels (Rihga Gran Kyoto, Ryokufuso, and Tobu Hotel Levant). Our tour guide, Yayoi, was absolutely the best. She was so endlessly kind and patient, and she provided so much knowledge the entire trip. Overall it was truly the trip of a lifetime. Among all the amazing sights and foods, these were the highlights for our tour: the Nara deer, the Fushimi Inari shrine, Hakone Open Air Museum, Owakudani valley gondola, and the Tsukiji fish market (we had amazing melon, ichigo daifuku, grilled unagi, and maguro nigiri). We appreciated having a free day built into the tour because not all the sights around the city would appeal to an entire group. We loved getting a preview of Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya with the tour so we could orient ourselves for our free days. Unfortunately visiting in mid-October, we were slightly too early for peak fall colors, but the autumn weather was clear and gorgeous for walking around. We had a spot of trouble when getting an airport transfer on arrival at Osaka (Itami) airport. I would recommend getting a clearer map and directions to the pick up spot ahead of time because the spot was very difficult to find with our limited Japanese, and there seemed to be miscommunication between the tour agency and the taxi company. But after finding them, the entire tour went smoothly from there, including our departure transfer. I will say that we enjoyed experiencing traditional culture in Kyoto first, then ending in Tokyo. We did have to stick to timelines while wandering each stop and we did end up having to hustle to make sure we made it back in time. So if you want to take things very leisurely and see every single nook and cranny at every stop, then it might not be the best choice. However, I personally would 10/10 recommend this tour group since I still had plenty of time at most places to see and shop to my hearts content (with the exception of the Hakone Open Air Museum, which I would recommend speeding through most of quickly since there is just so much to see, we were absolutely in love with the Symphonic Sculpture!). We felt wonderfully taken care of, and Yayoi-san was seriously the best! I cant wait to go back!

Review №33

2019-01-28 06:05:08

The 10-day Japan Quilting Tour was excellent. We covered a lot of territory and I will return with many experiences. Hiroko was a great guide who knows Tokyo well and helped us with getting around when on our own, where to shop for things and gave us insight into the Japanese culture. I usually travel on my own making up my own itineraries and this is my first trip where I joined a tour. I highly recommend this tour. The language barrier can be challenging initially but everyone is helpful, patient and kind.

Review №34

2023-06-11 21:01:33

Overall, the Anime Tour was a very fun and enlightening trip. The daily itineraries really did try to pack as much stuff into the day as possible while still allowing you free time in the evening to explore. The travel and seating arrangements were pretty good for the most part aside from me usually get separated from my traveling companions to accommodate a single trip attendee who kept trying to cling onto everyone else despite everyone else being with spouses or their own group.Our tour guide was an excellent host and very knowledgeable about all the local areas, customs, and traditions. He was also very professional and helpful despite another unfortunate incident in the group. I recommend that JDT screen customers for any medical conditions (or prior histories of disruptive behavior) which could make them a liability by themselves in a foreign country. As mentioned earlier, there was a single trip attendee who had some mental issues which ultimately culminated in physically assaulting one of my friends. Again our tour guide was very professional despite such a unique incident but I was disappointed in the JDT management staff who tried to handle the incident. I believe most of the group picked up on this disruptive behavior throughout the trip and something could have been done earlier to prevent such an unfortunate incident. This event did put a damper on the last few days of our trip considering how much each of us spent on this tour but we tried to get past it.In conclusion, I enjoyed the trip immensely and if that aforementioned incident wouldve been avoided (along with managements handling of said incident) I would have given this tour 5 stars. But I would be remiss not to mention to future travelers to be on the lookout for those issues.

Review №35

2024-04-21 17:23:27

Wonderful fun and exciting trip with Japan Deluxe Tours !

Review №36

2022-12-22 23:37:46

Review Japan Deluxe TourWe thought this tour was EPIC and exactly what we wanted. We would book again and look forward to doing other tours with Japan Deluxe.Takayama Fall Festival Tour:A little bit of everything -Japan edition.Urban, rural, natural, historical, culture, taste. Art to gardens, castles, ramen, museums, onzen!Each day was a new adventure and we felt honored to see many of the places we visited. Beautiful places - well cared for. Pride of the Japanese. Even though it was sometimes crowded, we never felt like tourists.Our guide Hide-san was an invaluable resource, kept and efficent schedule, and was very pleasant.This is a highly booked tour with a tight schedule.(We still highly recommend it and trust the guides to give you an awesome experience. But there is not a lot of free time. Some people tried to see friends in Japan and that was very difficult to accomplish.)The accommodations are booked for you, everything is clean, and we were well taken care of.You will get everything you need, and MORE. Japanese service is impeccable.Dont try to micromanage them or this trip. Just go. And they will create a magical Japanese experience for you.Hacks:If you dont want total immersion, nature walks, or you dont like fish this trip is not for you.You need to be phyically able to walk, climb some stairs, and sleep on a futon for one night. Beware the weather. It rained our entire trip and was cold- rain boots, gloves, scarves, and light parkas would have been nice. Also bring hand towels with you in purse or backpack. They do not have paper towels in bathrooms anywhere. Some areas are very rural and you need yen - no credit cards accepted.Dont be anxious as Japan is very westernized.Again you will be given everything you need.Dont try to micromanage your helpers or this trip. They will create a magical Japanese experience for you. Roll with it.

Review №37

2023-02-10 16:35:25

The tour was great! It was my third trip to Japan, and my first with this company. They were very professional, the accommodations were comfortable and convenient. Our assigned tour guide, Sasayama Michiko, did an excellent job.

Review №38

2018-10-13 04:24:51

What a delightful tour! I have done about 4 other tours in various countries. This was well organized, with excellent stops, and the best tour guide. She was happy, always moving, spoke excellent English, and went above and beyond to assist every one of our 30 members - even took me to the train station to show me how to get to Osaka! This is perfect for first time Japan visitors. And lots of walking!

Review №39

2019-04-05 00:48:13

Our 8-day tour from Tokyo to Hiroshima was an amazing adventure and the perfect way to get a solid overview of Japan. We hit many key sights throughout the country — major shrines, temples, castles, etc. — plus had local experiences like a tea ceremony, rickshaw ride, a hot springs visit (onsen), and more. Especially for first-time visitors to Japan, this tour is definitely the way to go, and I think it would even work well for repeat visitors.Logistics were great. Before the tour, the organizers answered all of our questions by email and phone and even helped when my flight to Tokyo got messed up. During the tour, the transportation was seamless, thanks to our awesome driver Kenji who even helped with all of our luggage. The hotels were just what you’d expect, with a couple in particular being very nice and one being a traditional Japanese-style hotel (a unique experience); only one of the hotels was not quite up to standards, but for one night it was fine.Our tour guide Hiro was simply amazing — always looking out for the group, sharing great stories, and being incredibly engaging and informative. She was a wealth of knowledge and humor; we were never bored! And she kept the tour running like clockwork, giving us the perfect amount of details so we’d know when/where our next departure would be, and so on — essentially taking away all of the stress of typical travel.If I had one nit, it’d be to add in a little more free time, especially in the days in/around Kyoto, so we could explore (and take a break) on our own. But I can see the benefit in packing our days with great sightseeing, and our group was filled with fun and interesting people who were already well-travelled. The pace is brisk, so be ready for a good night’s sleep every night. All in all, I would absolutely do a tour like this again.

Review №40

2019-01-28 06:38:48

Trip of a life time! My daughter and I traveled to the International Quilt Festival, January 2019. Booking the tour with Yuka was seamless. She was responsive to questions and timely in responses.Haroko was our guide who kept us organized and safe. She provided us with many opportunities and shared personal experiences when she lived in Japan, which helped us relate to Japanese culture and family life. She is a fantastic, professional guide. She was available to assist us with anything we needed.I confidently recommend Japan Deluxe Tours based on my experience.

Review №41

2019-12-12 22:51:39

Tried a Japan tour with this company a few years back and really enjoyed the experience. I will admit, speaking Japanese definitely helped me navigate at times when I was without my tour guide (free time in Akihabara, while exploring Tokyo on my free-day, etc.), but having a guide and getting to meet new individuals while traveling was a new experience I am grateful to have.The meals were good overall, but some days were truly fantastic. I still think about the hoto noodles near Mount Fuji and wish I could find a place state-side that has them.Great service, kind staff, 10/10 would recommend!

Review №42

2018-10-01 06:30:58

Fantastic 8 day highlights of Hiroshima tour. Jam packed days of local food, culture and history. Highly recommend this tour of was amazing we had so much fun and made great memories. The tour guide we had yayoi was fab she kept us together and entertained the whole time. Cannot recommend it any higher it was great and we would love to do another

Review №43

2019-03-21 23:16:39

Japan Deluxe tours was very awesome and perfessional. My tour guide Hiroka-San was the best part, she made me feel like I had family giving me a tour of a country she knows pretty intimately. I highly recommend this tour for anyone traveling alone or just overwhelmed by their first time in japan.

Review №44

2019-03-21 08:25:44

We booked a 6 day Essence of Japan tour with Japan Deluxe Tour. Right from the beginning, this company (Yuka in particular) was very quick to respond and answered all my questions. Yuka even make recommendations about what snacks to try.Our tour guide, Hiroko, was a lovely person and an excellent tour guide. She was so helpful when we needed help with the JR rail booking. She even stayed passed her working hour to make sure we got our tickets. She bought Japanese snacks for us to try.The tour bus was a very comfortable and a big coach for 16 people!

Review №45

2018-10-12 00:08:36

Japan Deluxe Tours is a great way to travel Japan worry free. I was able to see all of the major sites without worrying about planning transportation. Our guide was knowledgeable and she was always happy to help with things outside the tour. I honestly dont know what I would have done if I had tried to go solo to Japan. Im vegetarian and our guide was indispensible in helping me figure out what I could eat.

Review №46

2019-01-28 07:31:27

My first time overseas and I have loved every moment of our tour. Hiroko’s knowledge of Japan and insight into Japanese culture has been both helpful and inspirational. Her attention to detail and her warm and loving personality ha been a blessing. Thanks Japan Deluxe Tours for giving us Hiroko.

Review №47

2019-01-28 06:02:31

Hiroko was an excellent tour guide, providing a first-class experience. The accommodations, specially selected destinations, introductions to local flavors and attention to detail made our time in Japan unforgettable. This tour is the way to see Japan!

Review №48

2018-10-01 06:31:54

It has always been my dream to go to Japan, and Japan Deluxe Tours made all my dreams a reality. I love anime, and not only did I get 10 days to see almost all of the sites Ive always heard of and seen in years of my personal love for Japan, but I also got the true Japan historical and cultural experience I had always desired to experience too. Yayo, our guide was phenomenal in every way and truly went above and beyond as a guide. She was so knowledgeable, sweet, and accommodating! I felt as if I got the full Japan experience and was tremendously pleased with everything. I recommend it in every way!

Review №49

2018-08-10 02:46:26

Brilliant Golden Route of Japan Tour from Kyoto to Tokyo. For our third wedding anniversary we wanted to do something special and we found Japan Deluxe Tours on the internet and booked with them. We were not disappointed with beautiful scenery, amazing people of Japan and thanks to our very funny and knowledgeable Kazu San made it into one we will never forget.

Review №50

2019-01-28 06:00:29

Loved our smiling, patient, knowledgeable guide, Hiroko!!! Hiroko was an expert in all things Tokyo/Japan. She gave each guest personal attention and made sure every special request was satisfied. Highly recommend traveling with her! Loved this tour!

Review №51

2018-10-12 00:25:00

We are enjoying our trip to Japan. Hotels have been awesome. Last night we stayed at a hotel built on a cliff! Today traveling on the bullet train to Kyoto. Sammy and Hiro are great tour. guides

Review №52

2018-06-30 08:39:13

Went on an 8-day tour guided by Yayo (Golden Route of Japan). The tour covered a lot of interesting places and she knew all sorts of things about every one. We visited various tourist spots, from shrines to shopping centers, and spent a decent amount of time at each one. Overall, fast-paced but fun. Just be prepared to walk A LOT.

Review №53

2018-10-13 14:05:58

Excellent tour! Really had a great time. This was the best tour I have ever been. The tour guides, Hiro and Sammy were very friendly and very helpfuli got to see many interesting and beautiful places and I met some wonderful people. The best group, we always on time, A+.

Review №54

2023-04-11 19:23:50

My tour was for AnimeJapan 2023. It was the best trip Ive ever had and I know Ill return again to Japan in the future. Everything was above and beyond my expectations! Our Tour guides were very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. I loved every moment of the trip. The only downside I can mention, is that you go to so many places and only wish you had more time. Average of 2 or so hours at each location (30 travelers per group). That said, its not a bad thing, I got to sample all that Japan had to offer! The food was so much tastier than anything I could find here in the USA. Honestly, the trip started when I got to my first flight as they serve you Japanese meals. I highly recommend Japan Deluxe Tours! Wish I could give you all more stars.

Review №55

2024-04-19 09:18:11

One of the best yours and the group was the best. We all got along and our tour guide was outstanding💕

Review №56

2019-01-27 23:12:19

The Tokyo portion of the 10 day Quilt Festival Tour has lived up to expectations!!!! Our guides are fabulous and are working like crazy to meet our every wish!More adventures today, then lLooking forward to the Kyoto segment!

Review №57

2019-01-28 05:59:43

The tour was amazing! I came with seven friends for the quilt show, and will leave with 26 friends! Hiroko, our guide, took excellent care of us. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the tour.

Review №58

2018-10-18 23:42:36

Highlighs of Japan/Grand Tour was an excellent comprehensive tour of Japan. It provided a balance experience of large cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, etc) & less visited towns (Hyogo, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Beppu, etc) which included Shrines, Temples, Castle, Gardens, Gorges, Markets, Hot Springs & Parks.Hiroko epitomized Customer Service in perfection, alway with a smile. She took opportunity to get to know each guest so she can make suggestions to enhance our experience. Shes extremely patient w/ challenging & needy guest & would make sure they did not dine alone.(she needs to be applauded!)Loved Monkey Park which was not on original itinerary. Bullet Train is to be experienced, must visit & experience Hot Springs at least once in your life! Bamboo Forest via Rickshaw was extremely fun, not what you think (young, athletic, strong young men were amazing, not older men as in China). Castles were architectural feats.

Review №59

2019-01-28 05:57:10

This tour is so amazing! Hiroko is our tour guide and she makes everything so interesting and convenient. Today was the sashiko museum and the Kubota tie dye/shibori kimono museum. Incredible. What gems they have found to show us!

Review №60

2018-10-01 06:37:48

Did the 10 day anime tour with my wife. Wow. I was kind of skeptical about the tour when we initially booked, but I was soon proven wrong. We did EVERYTHING I could think of in the 10 days. Our tour guide Yayo made this a life changing experience for us. She was able to answer any and all questions we had. If youre thinking about pulling the trigger and booking this tour, do it. The food is great, the hotels were all 3 to 4.5 stars, and I was never bored.The only negative thing was the Typhoon that shut us down for a day. But thats nothing that they could have changed :)

Review №61

2019-03-28 23:29:38

I just finished an amazing tour with so many things I would never have found on my own. Our lovely and fun guide Hiroko was added value beyond imagination and I would recommend anyone to tour with Japan Deluxe Tours. Arigato gozaimasu!

Review №62

2020-03-16 17:09:26

This company is refusing to refund my money saying it’s still safe to travel to Japan. I repeatedly asked about bringing my child into this situation, and they answered they are not canceling the tour even though schools, museums and sporting events have been canceled in Japan. I am shocked. Their option?- they will refund half of my money, or give me a one year credit. I have until today to make a decision. It is clear this company values profits over people’s needs at a time like this.

Review №63

2019-03-26 00:21:13

Im in the middle of my second tour with JDT. I cant recommend them highly enough. They have a wonderful diversity of tours with knowledgeable guides, great drivers, and fascinating experiences off the beaten path. The price is very reasonable for what you get. Theres also a good mix of guided portions and times when you can do whatever you want. The guides also go above and beyond in assisting with planning travel in Japan beyond the tour (e.g., assisting with buying shinkansen tickets and shipping luggage).JDT is amazing. I highly recommend them

Review №64

2019-01-28 05:59:56

About halfway through a fantastic textile tour. Hiroaki is the absolute best guide you could ever imagine. She is so flexible and has created a fabulous itinerary with a perfect mix of activities

Review №65

2018-10-12 00:20:36

Excellent organization. Kept us busy and experiencing the sights and culture of Japan. Wonderful guides -caring and extremely helpful. Trip lived up to its name! Thoroughly recommend taking this tour.

Review №66

2018-10-12 00:03:48

We are with Hiro and SammySammy pres on the bullet train. This is my second tour with this company. We are experiencing the same great service we did 6 years ago. Hotels have been lovely. Both tour guides are more than helpful and we are enjoying all the other people in our group that are from other countries.

Review №67

2019-01-28 06:01:11

Hiroko is the best tour guide! The Tokyo Quilt Festival is amazing. Fantastic experience for any textile lover.

Review №68

2018-08-10 00:14:03

What a great tour! i went on a golden route tour, and it covered basically everything i wanted to do in japan. the tour guide, kazu kato, was very helpful with navigating and even helped travel around tokyo after hours. it was a great experience!

Review №69

2018-06-30 00:34:45

The trip was very well designed. The guide was excellent and knowledgeable. We experienced bith traditional and moder age Japan. Every day was different and overall very informative. Would definitely recommend them to everyone

Review №70

2019-01-28 06:03:05

It is great to be in a small group so that there can be flexibility to make adjustments based on our interests. The quilt show tour has been fabulous, as we have been going to places of interest to textile lovers.

Review №71

2018-06-30 04:21:57

Long story short this was the best tour i have ever been on in my life. The tour guide was very friendly, i got to see many interesting and fun places and i met some great people. This group truly deserves 5 stars

Review №72

2023-03-03 05:58:25

I would definitely recommend Japan Deluxe Tours, they were very helpful and kept me up-to-date on the details of my tour!

Review №73

2018-10-13 02:39:56

This tour has been amazing, our guide Hero has been so kind and treated us as her family. I would not have survived the train system without her. Best experience I’ve ever had overseas

Review №74

2019-01-28 05:54:20

My trip through Japan was so awesome, I never could imagine how wonderful it could be!Thank you Hiroko you are the best tour guide!!

Review №75

2019-01-29 07:01:39

Great experience . very well planned. Hiroko and her aid are wonderful and very helpful. Excellent tour

Review №76

2018-10-09 05:41:06

The tour was most informative and really beautiful.

Review №77

2019-03-21 08:01:01

Adventure of a lifetime amazing time I will never forget

Review №78

2019-03-19 23:55:12

One in a life time thng