Most Inspirational Moment
This is a difficult question, as there were many inspirational moments: the wonderful gardens, staying in a ryokan and having a communal hot bath, the impressive Matsumoto castle with a view over the Japanese Alps, the snow monkeys, the bullet train and of course the cherry blossoms, of which there were many!
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader was efficient and well organised. We had plenty of information for our free time and everything ran very smoothly. Suzy was approachable and helpful and did her best to make it a successful tour.On the downside, I would have appreciated more insight into Japanese society and culture from an "insider", either a Japanese or someone who had lived there for some time and spoke the language well. We spent a few days in Japan after the trip with someone who is living there and learned so much more about the country and went to interesting places where tourists who can't speak Japanese would not have been able to go.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be open to new experiences, try unfamiliar foods and take a dictionary. Not so many people speak English. If you ask a Japanese for information or advice, be prepared to wait, as they will often go in search of an answer or someone who speaks English. We found the Japanese in general very courteous and helpful, always ready to assist us "gaijin".Be prepared for a lot of walking, take good walking shoes.
Suggestions
When I enquired beforehand about the amount of walking, as I had been suffering with a back problem recently, I was told it was just leisurely sightseeing. However, we spent many hours on our feet with few breaks. Luckily my back improved and I coped with that, but there was a member of the group who did not cope well and was quite slow, which meant my husband and I were sometimes torn between not abandonning her and trying to keep up with the rest of the group. I think this could have been handled better, perhaps with clearer advice beforehand and arranging meeting points at intervals. The schedule was sometimes too tight to allow for slower walkers.