See the real Japan and experience its culture beyond the typical tourist sites. You'll walk through busy streets, ride the bullet train, and enjoy local foods. Each tour is customized to fit the preferences of the group.
Posted By : Musonius
Although I am an experienced traveler, I recommend that anyone going to Japan for the first time do so with guidance, and Shawn and Becki are excellent guides! They are vastly knowledgeable about Japan, as well as fluent in Japanese. They have mastered the ins-and-outs of travel in Japan as well as the local customs. You can stick close by them if that is what you prefer, but they encourage you to explore, using WhatsApp to make sure you don’t get lost.
They have carefully chosen Japanese destinations that will allow you to experience its culture, history, and food. The hotels we stayed in were all first-rate. Shawn and Becki’s network of contacts made it possible for us to have some very special experiences. Our group got to take a class in ink-brush painting, do a meditation with a zen master, and chat with a geisha-in-training. I should add that what a group does depends on the expressed wishes of the group members.
Japan is a wonderfully strange place. Travel with Shawn and Becki, and you will get to experience both its mysteries and its magic.
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Posted On : 2023-04-04 15:45:19 
Posted By : janeub
Japan and More is a wonderful way for the first-time visitor to Japan to experience the country! There's no way a first-time visitor would be able to navigate the country like Becki and Shawn do! They've planned things to maximize every minute of every day without overwhelming people on their tour. The small group gets to experience things travelers on a "bus tour" couldn't. We had a private art class with a Sumi-e artist, Zen meditation with a Buddhist monk, traditional tea ceremony, dinner with Giesha entertainment--and so much more. We stayed in a traditional Japanese ryokan inn, soaked in hot mineral baths, visited shrines, temples, and museums. The 12-day tour allows time to travel to Hiroshima too--an emotional experience. And we got to see the beautiful spring cherry blossoms! This is a trip of a lifetime, and Becki and Shawn are the perfect hosts--knowledgeable, friendly, and always available to help, answer questions, and give background information on the places we visited. We made fast friends with them and the others in the group. We were sad to leave!
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Posted On : 2023-03-30 16:29:32
Posted By : tonytone1
Suggest a name change to "Japan and much more". A kaleidoscope of Japanese culture. Whisked along on a magic carpet courtesy of Shawn and Becki. 4 star hotels strategically placed to minimise walking to the next train station. Green car bullet train reserve seats, exotic temples, wonderful meals whether fine dining or a locals noodle house. Experiences as varied as Zen meditation to Karaoke with charcoal painting classes and an evening with a Maiko (a trainee Geisha) in-between. We were away for 2 weeks but felt like a months worth of experiences. Is it expensive - yes but actually excellent value for money. Highly recommended.
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Posted On : 2023-03-28 04:48:25
Posted By : Darcy415
Japan and More is magic! Perfect way to see Japan as first-time visitors (or even repeat visitors). The focus is small-group travel, visiting the most beautiful and interesting places, using local transport, and eating at small, locally-owned restaurants, and staying at the most comfortable hotels. PLUS lots of extras such as a meditation session and Temple tour with a Buddhist monk, dinner with an authentic Geisha, a night in a ryokan - a traditional Japanese inn, a traditional Japanese art class with the son of a master artist (who is an acclaimed artist himself), and participation in an historic tea ceremony. We loved that were able to travel as locals without having to figure out all of the confusing logistics. Becki and Shawn are Americans who have lived in Japan for many years, teaching in Japanese universities, working in Japanese companies, and continually learning about Japanese life and culture. They have many Japanese contacts and friends and understand Japanese life as both insiders and outsiders. And both of them are super nice, always patient, and make everyone feel like a treasured guest. We loved EVERYTHING about this tour and our trip!! I can say without any reservation that this is the BEST way to visit Japan.
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Posted On : 2023-03-27 22:51:58
Posted By : Z5168BJjaneb
My husband and I spent three great weeks in Japan with Becki and Shawn this past spring during cherry blossom season. It was fun as well as easy to tour with them as they already knew all the tricks, transportation paths, good restaurants, and perfectly located nice hotels along with the best places to visit. Ours was a group of just five people along with Becki and Shawn...the perfect size to have conversation when we wanted, different perspectives, and comraderie on various public transportation methods without being tied down to a slow moving large group on a bus. We appreciated working with them in advance too to design an itinerary that most interested in us, and they went out of their way to get in everything we suggested. We recommend also taking advantage of the opportunity to do a home stay visit they can arrange. We did and had a lovely visit with a family in their home with all of us cooking a traditional meal together. The quieter and serene Kiso Valley and Nakasendo trail times were highlights and quite the contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Tokyo and Osaka big city experiences. There is a good amount of walking, but every excursion is well worth it. Our three week trip gave us a great opportunity to absorb a good amount about Japan with Becki and Shawn as knowledgeable, personable, and patient guides. We wish them only the best as they continue to help others appreciate their second home and country they love!!!
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Posted On : 2019-12-17 19:09:10
