Testimonials
9/17/2023 - 9/25/2023 / 2023-09-17
This tour truly showed us the charms of Hokkaido! Billy is an amazing tour guide, the best tour guide we have had anywhere in the world. We had so many great experiences on this tour.
Ms. Lisa Renee Yanek
7/16/2023 - 7/24/2023 / 2023-07-16
The tour was great and the number of travelers was perfect. Miharu is an excellent guide and she took care of the group with no complaints. She is a true “Professional” and her ability to handle the hiccups were fantastic. She should be the person to train all future guides. The driver, also, worked well with Miharu and was able to help her make changes to the tour order when required.
Mr. Nakazato
7/16/2023 - 7/24/2023 / 2023-07-16
The tour was very well organized from my first phone call to the final leg from Chitose to Haneda. Our guide, Miharu, was exceptional, weaving historical and contemporary information with personal insights and relevant stories.
Ms. Mosle
5/1/2023 - 5/9/2023 / 2023-05-01
Our tour guide was fantastic and very helpful. A true Gem. She went way far and beyond what one might expect from a tour guide. She was also exceptionally knowledgeable abut the area and the history. I am very grateful to her.
Ms. Thomson
5/1/2023 - 5/9/2023 / 2023-05-01
Thanks to all of you for a wonderful vacation (even though Mother Nature didn’t cooperate, and we missed most of the cherry blossoms!) The tour was so well planned and organized, with a blend of nature, culture, food, and exploration, that we hardly missed the Sakura. I’ve come to understand that Hokkaido is beautiful at every time of year. In my 20 years as owner of a small tour company, I learned a lot. First: The guide makes or breaks the tour. I hired and worked with dozens and dozens of guides, many of them very talented, but not one of them could hold a candle to Miharu Katsume, who is one of the finest professionals (in any field) that I have ever met. Her attention to detail was remarkable; she never forgot any little item that might please or help a guest, once she found out about it. I’m sure your staff was responsible for accommodating my ridiculous food allergies everywhere we went, but Miharu went above and beyond, by making sure I was eating properly when my back went out. She refused to take ‘no’ for an answer! The fact that it was Golden Week would have been daunting for some guides, but not Miharu. She managed to find an emergency room, took me there, translated, helped me understand how to take my meds, and brought me home. Unbeknownst to me, she arranged for your Tokyo office to overnight a wheelchair, as I wasn’t walking steadily. As it turned out, the meds did their job and I didn’t need the wheelchair…..which was a stroke of luck, since my traveling companion, Madelon Thomson, fell and cracked her kneecap, requiring the use of the wheelchair for the rest of the trip! Madelon needed a lot of attention, and I observed the way Miharu cared for her with respect, kindness, and sometimes firmness. She wanted to make sure that everyone on our tour was able to take part in every activity. She didn’t want us to miss out on anything. As she said herself, “The word ‘no’ is not part of my vocabulary.” I can’t begin to express my respect for her. (If I were still in the tour business, I’d be begging you to clone her!) She brought honor to your company and your country, and joy to her guests. Next, logistics: This tour went off without a hitch, from my perspective as a guest (sorry to hammer away at this, but a great guide fixes logistical glitches without the guests knowing about it. There’s no substitute for experience.) The hotels were comfortable and clean, with very hospitable staffs. The Hilton was the highlight; ringed with patches of snow, it was still winter there, but the interior was warm and gorgeous and the dinner was beautiful, one of the most memorable among many fine meals that we had. The bus driver was outstanding. Through many long hours on the road, he was always smiling and helpful. In closing, I send my appreciation to all of you for everything you did behind the scenes to make this tour such a success. I’m a big fan.
Ms. Seligman
5/1/2023 - 5/9/2023 / 2023-05-01
Exceptionally well-organized and well-executed, with some interesting activities (like the drumming demonstration and "class"). Accommodations and meals were good-to- excellent. Rest stops were well-planned and generally excellent and/or interesting. The tour leader (Miharu?) was incredibly organized, energetic, and and hard working, and did everything imaginable to attend to ALL of the needs of ALL of the group.
Mr. Colson
2/5/2023 - 2/13/2023 / 2023-02-17
The tour was well-organised. The itinerary was reasonably set, with manageable distances between the objectives. The bus was comfortable and clean. The guidance was interesting and rich. The accommodation was comfortable and clean. The food was good, fresh and tasty.
Mr. Marinescu
2/3/2020-2/11/2020 / 2020-02-03
Great tour guide and bus drivers were amazing considering the amount of snow and ice.
John, Heather, Timothy & Patricia from Australia
2/3/2020-2/11/2020 / 2020-02-03
Overall we loved the tour schedule, all the snow and ice festivals, scenic and historic sites, bus transportation, meals, and the many hotel/inn accommodations. Our tour guide (Kim) took good care of our entire group. We had a fun and enjoyable time in Hokkaido.
Gary & Elaine from California