Our daughter Beyonca had an amazing experience that we believe helped create the confidence to travel abroad in the future. Thanks! -Lovelace Family
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OUR SON HAD A GREAT TRIP! THE GUIDE WAS EXCEPTIONAL!
I informed your the first day we met at the school and 21 days before the trip EF and tour guide informed me we didn’t need visa arrived at the airport and the tour guide left us the without any help
Reply from EF Educational Tours
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your experience. While we aim to provide helpful pre-departure resources, it’s ultimately each traveler’s responsibility to secure the correct travel documentation based on their individual nationality and passport requirements, as these can vary. We understand how frustrating this situation must have been and appreciate you sharing your review.
It would’ve been nice to know the differences between temples and shrines before going into the first one, not wait until the last day. Food: you should also ask for preferences, not just allergies. Some people don’t eat pork or beef for religious reasons, some people only eat vegetables, and some people don’t eat anything that lives in the water because they can’t get past the smell. Having a dinner that was fish based with no other options was sad. I tried seafood, I just can’t get past the smell.
My son had a wonderful time seeing Japan. The bullet train to the foothills of Mt. Fuji and the beautiful shrines were his favorites.
My daughter brought home wonderful memories of Osaka and Tokyo . From castles, temples, bamboo forest, View of Mount Fuji and the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. Wonderful and knowledgeable Mika coupled with teachers and friends made this a highlight!
My daughter enjoy herself
Our EF tour to Japan was an unforgettable and enriching experience that met all expectations, especially in terms of cultural immersion and educational value. The itinerary was thoughtfully designed to balance iconic sightseeing with authentic local experiences, giving our group a deep appreciation for Japan's rich history, traditions, and modern life.
Fun but not you pay for
Amazing and Beautiful
This was one of the best experiences I've had as an educator! EF Tour did such a wonderful job of making sure that I had communication with family prepared, felt ready for my trip with a training tour to Rome, and was confident that I would be in good hands while me and my students were in Japan. Backtracking the Golden Route was such an incredible trip and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in traveling to Asia!
This was truly a trip of a lifetime! From start to finish, EF Tours delivered an unforgettable adventure through Japan's iconic Golden Route. Our tour guides, Haruka and Baba, were phenomenal—so knowledgeable, full of energy, and incredibly engaging. They brought history to life, shared personal insights, and made every moment fun and meaningful. Highlights? So many! I was completely captivated by the Osaka temples and the peaceful beauty of the Nara shrines. Experiencing Japan's historical customs firsthand was deeply enriching. One of the most magical moments was visiting the small village near Mount Fuji—it felt like stepping into a postcard. And the Ice Caves? Absolutely breathtaking! We also enjoyed a cozy and authentic Sumo Hot Pot dinner, and the Open Fish Market in Tokyo was a culinary dream. The food throughout the trip was a feast for the senses—fresh, flavorful, and adventurous. Tokyo itself blew me away: immaculately clean, incredibly quiet for such a massive city, and the transit system was like something from the future—efficient, easy to navigate, and spotless. We even got a fun glimpse into modern Japanese culture with some colorful cosplay sightings that added a fun and vibrant touch to the experience. EF Tours nailed it. This tour was the perfect blend of tradition, culture, nature, and urban excitement. Highly recommend to anyone looking to explore Japan in a deep, authentic, and exciting way. Thank you, EF, Haruka, and Baba—you made this journey truly unforgettable!
Really long travel times and lay overs... better flights could have been booked more direct.
Being able to visit the beautiful shrines and temples along with the shopping areas in Tokyo made this tour a great experience!
My students loved the trip to Japan! The itinerary was great. We saw a lot, but it wasn't exhausting. I liked how we started in smaller cities with more cultural locations before we went to Tokyo. We went in April and saw the cherry blossoms. It was a trip of a lifetime.
Highly recommend this tour! You see Western Japan (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka) then travel through the Mt. Fuji area (note that Mt. Fuji is only visible 25% of days throughout the year) via bullet train and then you see Eastern Japan (Tokyo area). We saw and did so many things from the traditional to the modern. Japanese food is unbeatable! Toilets are a big plus. And the showers are way better than on our European tours (the shower head actually is mounted to the wall at a height for a standard adult!) We went during cherry blossom season - Spring Break is an ideal time to visit. If your school has a fall break/long Thanksgiving break, our tour director said that fall is also spectacular. This is my 4th tour with EF and I do not recommend this tour for a first time group leader or a group leader who is super unorganized. Your EF consultant will try to assist you prior to tour, but unless you prep your students really well prior to tour about Japan specific customs and expectations, there could be a lot of culture shock for them. As a group leader, you will need to prepare them on what to pack/what not to pack, how to complete the Japan Web customs QR code form, prepare them for a cash based society, practice using chopsticks, understand that there will be lots of walking and public transportation, be ready to take off shoes occasionally, and bring hand sanitizer/soap for public bathrooms, bring an empty bag for a 2nd checked bag for souvenirs (Don Quijote, 7-11, and so much more), among other things. We were lucky to have a phenomenal tour director in Japan plus our EF consultant had recently visited Japan so she prepped me prior to tour on some of the nuances about Japan (very different than traveling through Europe). This tour will leave you wanting to return to Japan someday.
It’s an everlasting memories experience that my daughter had. She loved it! My son can’t wait to be apart of it!
Reply from EF Educational Tours
We’re so glad to hear your daughter had such a memorable experience on the Japan tour! It’s wonderful that she loved it, and it’s exciting to know your son is excited for his tour. We can’t wait to help create more unforgettable memories for your family!
Great sites, food, and experience. Any issues or negatives viewed were vastly overshadowed by the positives. This was a great tour for my students, as they were able to see amazing history, eat delicious food, and explore their own interests during ample free time.
Read the fine print before signing up and do not expect good customer service when you call or use chat services.
This was a fantastic tour! The itinerary was great and there was plenty of time to explore on our own. The only ting that would have mad it better is a chance to meet some Japanese teens to talk for an hour or two.