Japan Cherry Blossom Travel Guide

Zicasso's travel specialist and her team planned an absolutely outstanding 16-day trip for me and my family. We visited Tokyo, Ghibli Park (near Nagoya), Kanazawa, Kyoto (with day trips to Nara and Osaka), and then wrapped things up with two nights at a beautiful and luxurious ryokan in Hakone.

Communication leading up to the trip was clear and efficient, and whenever we had a question during the trip, we were able to get quick answers from our travel company's rep in Japan.

I would absolutely book another trip with this company.

Zicasso's travel designer had less than three months to bring an amazing trip to life. Our goal was to experience the history, art, culture, and people of Japan. Mission accomplished!

There were so many highlights shared by our exceptional guides and drivers, who felt like friends and family by the trip's end. Some experiences surprised us with their creativity, joy, and value (slapstick sumo skits in Tokyo, the samurai sword experience, sushi class, open-air and Venetian glass museums in Hakone, and especially the Himeji Castle master carpenter tutorial). Though in our late 70s, walking five to seven miles per day and climbing 766-oot sacred Mount Inari weren't an issue.

The veracity of this review is paramount... the only experience we would forgo was spelunking (crawling) in the cold, wet lava cave, as in our ignorance, we were out of our element. We found joints we did not know we had! We are focused on collecting memories, not things. This fabulous trip achieved that goal. Thank you!

Overall, it was a very good trip and we enjoyed it.

The agency did a good job coordinating transportation, activities, and guides.

They were, however, not good listeners and were ”stingy” with information.

On the first count, we made it very clear we did not want hotel rooms with futons. When we arrived on the first day in Kyoto, we were shown rooms with futons. The agency did find us appropriate accommodations for the next night, but that should not have happened.

On the second count, we asked for a list of restaurants near our hotels in Kyoto and Tokyo. We never got one, after repeated asks. We were so far into the planning that it would have been impractical to switch agencies. She did make a reservation at a restaurant in Kyoto that she raved about. It was not very good.

We were in Osaka and wanted to get an earlier train back to Kyoto. I texted the agency as to whether we could change our tickets or have to purchase new ones, and asked for the times for the earlier trains. She said we could exchange them at the station and that we could ask then about times for the earlier trains. I texted back that surely she had the train times. She then did send me the times.

Travel agents should be a fountain of information and make travel as easy and pleasant as possible.

We have used Zicasso before and it was a great trip. A number of our friends had a similar experience. Unfortunately, this tour company was a disappointing experience.

The trip was good. I just thought, if you’ve seen one shrine, you’ve seen them all. The same with the temples.

Zicasso’s travel specialist and team made our trip to Japan absolutely unforgettable. Their attention to detail, organization, and genuine passion for creating personalized travel experiences truly set them apart.

They delivered a perfectly tailored itinerary and the guides were very knowledgeable. Every day was seamless, from exploring Tokyo to soaking in an onsen in Hakone, and Kyoto’s serene temples. Even the transfers between hotels and the airport were effortless.

I would highly recommend the travel company.

Zicasso’s travel specialist is amazing! She went out of her way to plan the best trip for 11 of us to Japan. She listened and understood exactly what we wanted. She is sweet and truly cares. Not only this, but she responds quickly.

As an added bonus, the travel company was reasonable, especially for all that was included. We were spoiled and had a driver and guide for most of the trip, so we did not have to worry about anything. We were also booked at lovely hotels, with delicious breakfasts and spacious rooms.

We absolutely loved our guide in Osaka and Kyoto. She was wonderful! She even got us hand warmers and gifts for Christmas! She was relaxed, positive, and went with the flow. She stayed later at times for us too! Our driver in Tokyo was able to get us a last-minute restaurant reservation for lunch because there was one more type of food we wanted to try there. He was very kind and flexible with us in Hakone too. Our guide in Tokyo was also very nice! Thank you to the team for our trip of a lifetime!!!!!