11 Day Iconic Japan's Honshu Gastronomic Journey （Private Guide and Driver）

Customer Reviews

• Luba

  · June 3rd, 2025
  Our children were always fascinated with Japanese culture. And so about 10 months ago, we decided to surprise them with a trip to Japan. I honestly didn't know where to start. On one hand I didn't want a group tour as it's very structured and crowded. On the other hand I was hesitant to plan on my own and manage logistics in the country I know very little about. I started my research and stumbled across UME Travel company advertising private tours to Asia. I decided to submit my request and within minutes Phoebe reached out to me. He was very patient and responsive. I had tons of questions and was very skeptical. Phoebe tailored and retailored our itinerary multiple times to meet our needs and budget. When the final draft was ready we made our payment, received detailed agreement, and the anticipation has begun. I would be a liar if I'd say I wasn't nervous. I was a wreck. And no matter how many times Phoebe tried to assure me that everything is going to be fine, I was still very concerned. Fast forward, a week before our trip, we received detailed itinerary with dates, hotels, transportation and even packing list. 2 days before our arrival a list of drivers and guides was also sent to us. The driver contacted us as we landed (the company also supplied us with esim card so we could communicate) and let us know he was waiting for us. Honestly I felt like a VIP. The driver was holding a sign with our name, he helped us with our luggage and a van was waiting for us in the parking lot. We got transported to a hotel in Tokyo with a great view and very nice accommodations. The guide reached out to us immediately detailing our plans for the next day. I won't go into details of our trip as it was tailored to our interests and needs. But I just wanted to highlight that every driver, guide and travel agent (Phoebe) were professional and organized. Never late, always providing us with the best service possible. They also were very flexible if we wanted to make changes to our schedule or visit different sites than what was initially on the itinerary. It also so happened that it was my son's birthday on the second day of our journey. The guide found an incredible place for our celebration and made a generous gift on behalf of the company. Our departure was as smooth as arrival. Overall an incredibly trip for the whole family. I whole heartely recommend UME Travel and their amazing travel agent Phoebe.
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• Amanda

  · May 25th, 2025
  Great for any age! This was my fourth time using Ume Travel for my needs in Japan. When my mother saw all the pictures from my previous visits she told me she wanted me to take her; so that is what I did. I contacted Phoebe with Ume Travel and she helped me create a perfect trip for my mother. We even created a custom trip so we could visit Hiroshima and Itsukushima Shrine! My mother is older and sometimes would need breaks. The tour guides I had were ones from my previous trips and were very accommodating to her needs. They were flexible and allow us to make some minor changes to plans when we saw a Fox café we just HAD to go to!
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• Fraser

  · May 22nd, 2025
  What an amazing trip! I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants to get to know Japan. It’s such a great way to experience the culture, visit some stunning sights, and try tons of delicious food! The whole trip was really well put together — huge thanks to UME Travel and their incredible travel specialists. After chatting with us, they totally understood what we were looking for and tailored the itinerary perfectly. Our local guide did a great job balancing sightseeing with free time, so we got to see a wide variety of places without feeling rushed. The pace was pretty fast, with a few early mornings and long days, but the upside was that we got to see more and often managed to beat the big tourist crowds. Our guide Sherry was absolutely fantastic — she went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experience. She was super organized from start to finish and really knowledgeable about Japanese culture. She was always happy to answer our questions and help out whenever we needed. Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious — she did such a great job keeping us all motivated, especially during those early starts!
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