Why Japan on an organized tour?
Japan is one of the most striking destinations there is, and yet one of the most intimidating to approach alone. The language barrier, the writing in kanji and kana, the complexity of the transport network, the highly codified social codes: everything militates in favour of entrusting logistics to a professional and focusing on the essential, i.e. being there, present, available to what the country offers.
A local guide transforms a Buddhist temple into a living history lesson. He knows what time to arrive at Fushimi Inari to avoid the crowds, in which izakaya to order okonomiyaki like the Japanese, and in which ryokan the kaiseki breakfast alone is worth the detour. The organized tour gives access to a Japan that remains opaque to hurried visitors.
Weather reference data: Tokyo (central Honshu). Hokkaido (north) is cooler in summer and receives impressive snowfall in winter. Okinawa (south) enjoys a subtropical climate, warmer in winter than Tokyo but exposed to typhoons from June to October.
