DIY vs Samurai Tours

Japan is a safe place and the Japanese people are very helpful. All you have to do is ask someone, and normally they will be more than happy to help out. Many Japanese people will even volunteer to help without being asked. So, yes, there is no reason why you can’t plan your trip yourself.

However, you will need to spend hours researching on the internet before leaving. Once you get to Japan, it will take you some time to learn how to use the public transportation system and to orient yourself. And you will make mistakes that will cost you both time and money both before and after arriving in Japan.

You can ask anyone who has been on one of our tours, that we do more than just take people around by the hand. We teach people how to use the public transportation giving you the freedom to confidently explore on your own during free times. And because you will be with one of our guides during the guided tour times, you will see so much more than you would compared to if you were traveling on your own.

But, best of all, you will understand much, much more of what you see. Many things are very different in Japan. The Japanese way of thinking is completely opposite to the western way of thinking on many different levels. Because of this, understanding what you see can be the most difficult thing of all when traveling to Japan. Our guides will be able to bring Japan alive with their insights. You will go home with a much better understanding of the Japanese culture and people. And, after all, isn’t that what travel is all about?

Initially, a do-it-yourself tour of Japan will appear to be less expensive. But your inevitable mistakes will quickly eat into these savings. If you have the amount of time needed to research your tour, and if Japan is just another destination in your “bucket list”, then a do-it-yourself tour would be OK. But we get many people on our tours who have a major interest in Japan and its people. If you are one of these people, you might want to consider one of our tours. Add in the benefit of seeing and understanding more, and an escorted tour quickly becomes a much wiser travel investment.

If you don’t think you would like tour groups, then you have come to right place. Our tours are designed for people who don’t like tour groups. Our clients are always surprised at the friendliness of our groups.

But if you absolutely, positively don’t want a tour group, then one of our Independent packages might be right for you. These packages will give you enough structure, logistics and assistance to allow you to concentrate on the important things like seeing the wonderful country of Japan.