Best Things to Do in Himeji Castle

Great group tour experience. I was glad that I packed light! It was a small surprise to take so much public transportation everywhere. But our guide was amazing, and we saw a nice combination of classic sights and local gems.

A thoroughly inspiring tour of Kyoto, Hiroshima, Hakone and Tokyo featuring
wonderful activities from Japanese cooking lessons, to drumming, Samurai
sword handling and calligraphy. We particularly enjoyed getting 'under the
skin' of the country, before arriving in the sensory overload that is Tokyo.
The exquisite beauty of Kyoto... the lotus flowers and bamboo forest
The magical atmosphere of Miyajima island... mists and shrines and the
floating Torri gate
The tranquil, moving peace park of Hiroshima


Our group leader Ayaka Tsukamoto was patient, kind, a great listener. She was
impeccably organized and ran our tour with calm finesse


I wished I had done more reading about each destination beforehand.
I didn't pack enough clothes (the humidity drenched everything), so I needed
to buy extras
I should have had a more sensible day pack for my back. In fact, I needed a
two day pack.
With the train traveling and backpacking, I would say the trip is a little
less leisurely than the literature presents.


We had a magical adventure, however, it was quite a challenging trip for a
10-year-old and I don't think I would attempt with a younger child. Towards
the end of the trip, my son needed some time and space to chill and
reenergise and that was quite difficult in Tokyo. I think it would be good to
provide information and opportunity for some relaxed play time when there are
kids of this age in the group. My son wanted to jump into a pool and swim or
kick a ball in a park and just have some low-key downtime.

Fabulous trip. Highly recommended.

Thanks, for an awesome experience.