Most Inspirational Moment
There was no single moment but it was all about the experience. The country is very different from the west but safe and friendly so easy to comfortably explore.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Quinlan was the perfect guide. Infinitely helpful and patient. Knowledgeable and energetic. Well organised and great company.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don’t come to Japan cold. Do a little research on cultural differences, food and the language. It’ll make life much easier. Smart phones make navigating the cities easier (Japanese sims from Amazon?) and travel cards on iPhones make life easy too. You need a little cash but not loads; Most places use cards but there are a few exceptions that should be prepared for. Public transport to and from airports are easy but do your homework in advance.
Suggestions
The most disappointing aspect of this tour was the Exodus support in the UK. We were asked to provide passport copies for our JR pass; this was pointless as you need the real thing to get them and proved a lack of communication with the Japanese third party provider. Also, when requesting additional nights the prices quoted (on two occasions) were twice the price of those achievable when booking direct (a heck of a mark-up!).