Wanting to experience Japan, “my way” – only having spent an exciting weekend in Tokyo many years back – I made contact with a dear friend who recommended Mr. Kenjiro Ikeda (Director of Inbound Department) for our  “special” wishes.

Actually all we wanted to see was the “True Japan”  - not lengthy excursions with all the temples and all the museums, but what is it like to live in Japan.  Of course going to Nagasaki and Hiroshima you HAVE to visit centre of the atrocities committed to the civil people Japan and to humanity. We became extremely humbled witnessing the devastations of the atomic bomb – understanding more than ever, the World must never see this again.

We went to in addition to the above mentioned cities to Okinawa, Kobe and Kyoto.  Travelling with a cruise ship we know we have only ONE day to see it all – which is a “no-go”.

We asked True Japan Tour to tailor a program for us – meeting Japanese people and having personal guides who gave us an overview of the Japanese everyday life. Good and bad. Being “illiterate” you need good hand to hold on to. We were picked up by our personal guide shipside. We got to see it all, as said some of the typical touristic sites – but went out of mainstream – having nice lunches being the only foreigners having a lovely company with an English speaking person –our guide for the day. We were blessed - not stressed. We did not get a bargain compared to the cruise’s excursions – but the value-for-money was much, much better.  Having worked in the travel industry a lifetime, I know.

The 5 days we spent has become a “teaser”. We want to bring 3 couples with us to Japan in spring, doing a culinary trip from Kobe to Hokkaido Island, expecting the same warm reception with people who can tell us the “secrets” of the everyday living in Japan, rubbing shoulders with the Japanese.

Thank you for understanding us True Japan Tour – job well done !