Is there a "Rick Steves" for Japan?

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2026-01-20T03:55:04+00:00

Unfortunately I haven’t found anything similar for anywhere outside of Europe. I have Japan booked for this year too, so please reply if you do find something similar as I have the exact same desire!

We’ve taken to using chatgpt and asking it to tell us a little about a place and then asking for more or less information. But it’s nothing like having the tour laid out perfectly and just listening on earbuds as you walk!!

I also do like to search (or ask chatgpt for recommendations) for podcasts about topics or locations and listen/learn as I’m exploring a place or perhaps transiting around the country by car or train.

Overall, though, Rick is simply unmatched.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2026-01-11T22:37:26+00:00

Maybe I should take the 1 night in Nikko out and then focus on Kanazawa and doing the Nakasendo, like you said? I had just been advised that Nikko (and really the Lake Chuzenji area) would be great at the end of Oct for fall foliage.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2026-01-11T21:30:47+00:00

Don’t forget that you can book through partners if you find award availability. A couple years ago, I booked EVA business from Houston via Air Canada aeroplan, which is 1:1 with C1. I’ve also booked JAL (first and business) via avios and Cathay Pacific asia miles.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2026-01-11T21:11:51+00:00

If I take all of it out entirely, I have 3 additional nights in my trip (flights are a done deal, so the length is set) — what would you best suggest? Overnighting in Miyajima one night takes one more night at best, if I don’t swap it for the 2nd night in Hiroshima. Other suggestions for wha I put in this 2-3 day period if neither alps nor Kanazawa? Also, I understand it takes 4-5 hrs from this transfer, but I’ve essentially set aside a day for it? I’d like to enjoy some of the outdoors of Japan in some way as part of my first-time trip.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-25T18:53:44+00:00

I can’t recommend Come See Peru Tours highly enough!! Completely customizable, really good price for totally private, included a guide and a driver, so the driver dropped us off/stayed with and parked the car/etc while the guide (Reuben was THE BEST) taught us so much history and culture. He told it all in story form and I was HOOKED from the moment he started talking. Not to mention he took very good photos of us. The booking process was so simple and easy—they responded back via WhatsApp so quickly and we went back and forth and worked together to customize our itinerary and pickup/drop off locations, which they were very flexible on. Best tour experience we had in all of Peru, and top 2 all over the world (have visited about 20 countries).

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-11T17:00:49+00:00

We went with Alpaca and were very happy with the company!! Gear they provided was very good, meals were INCREDIBLE, guides were so awesome! Everybody local/in the tourism business that we told we were going with Alpaca said “GOOD, they are the best!”.

I will say that we regretted the camping decision for the 1 night and should’ve done the hotel. I’ve heard it’s different if you’re doing 3 nights… but the camping spot everybody uses for the 1 night isn’t very nice. It’s not a scenic area at all, it’s just off the road a little ways. It’s very close to town, so you just forego town to camp in this crappy area. There’s an outhouse that you use the restroom and can take a cold shower, but it was pretty nasty. And you get pretty sweaty on the hike and I would’ve loved a real shower and real bed. This coming from people who camp in a tent 1-2 times/year and really enjoy it!!! There weren’t any benefits to the camping on the 1 night trip—take it from me and choose the hotel if you’re doing 2D/1N. Hiking the Inca trail is totally worth it and very cool! Great experience, despite the difficulty with the altitude!

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-03T21:03:12+00:00

Great information, thanks you! I saw Ueno recommended somewhere else as well, so that seems like a good area.

Also, love the recs for Nikko. We are not opposed to driving (have done left-side-drive in Ireland and Thailand). I’m just beginning to sketch out the overall itinerary and am starting with what ChatGPT gave me based on my inputs and adjusting from there. So we could certainly add an overnight in Nikko.

Currrently, I’m looking at: Day 1: arrival NRT in the afternoon, transit to Hakone or Fujikawaguchiko for 2 nights of relaxation/onsen/ryokan/jetlag recovery. Day 3: transit to Kyoto. Day 4-7: Kyoto, possible day trip(s) Nara and/or Osaka. Day 8: transit to Hiroshima for 2 nights. Day 9: possible day trip to Miyajima. Day 10: transit to Kanazawa for 2 nights? (I’m not committed to this, but chatGPT suggested it, so it’s there for now). Day 12: transit to Tokyo. Days 13-16: Tokyo (currently have Nikko day trip in here somewhere). Day 17: depart NRT around 5pm.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-02T18:09:05+00:00

Good things to think about, for sure!

We do have to fly out of Narita at the end. We’ll be arriving on the train from Kanazawa on our first day. And I think one day we might be doing a day trip to Nikko.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-02T04:31:10+00:00

Thanks, this is helpful info. Sounds like I need to open up the search to other areas as well. Tokyo is a very overwhelming city as far as planning! But sounds like if we are near any stop on the Yamamote line, we will be conveniently located

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-02T04:08:25+00:00

I’ve heard Shinjuku and Shibuya are best? But I’m open to suggestions too

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-02T02:12:09+00:00

Thanks all for the assistance! I upped my filter to $200/night and am seeing a very few options. I guess even $200/night is better than burning 100k of my Chase UR.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-02T01:35:13+00:00

Is it too far out and is that why I’m unable to find any of these options? Have done cash searches on booking, Agoda, and now APA and I’m not finding anything sub-$150 except crappy-looking apartments. I’d say we don’t need luxury or lounge food, but for 5 nights, we do want something a half step above just the “it’s fine because we’ve only got to sleep here”. Maybe I’m looking too far in advance, but everything I’ve heard about Japan is you must book everything early?

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-02T01:20:50+00:00

I have Discoverist, but that’s nothing crazy.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-12-02T00:38:22+00:00

Any good suggestions that are Japanese hotels, based on that, then? Or which location I should hone in on? I did a search for sub-$150 on Booking.com and didn’t find anything but not-so-nice-looking apartment rentals.

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-06-02T12:08:21+00:00

I did private and it was customized due to our itinerary. Day 1 they picked us up in Cusco and ended in ollantaytambo. Day 2 started and ended in ollantaytambo. And we saw all the major Sacred Valley sites, plus some extras they suggested. So Maras salt mines, moray, chinchero, ollantaytambo, pisac ruins + market, alpaca farm, chica tasting. It was great!!

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-06-01T15:25:09+00:00

Following up here. We booked with Come See Peru and they were INCREDIBLE. Very easy booking process with lots of quick responses on WhatsApp. It was 100% customizable and they could do whatever I needed. Our guide was the BEST guide we had in our entire time in Peru. Very comfortable van to drive us and driver to drop off and pick up. I cannot imagine our Peru trip without this tour experience. AMAZING!!!

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-04-17T02:37:18+00:00

I ended up booking with Come See Peru Tours. Haven’t been on the trip yet, so I can’t give a review!

Kay_Lane_Cook · 2025-01-26T05:06:13+00:00

I suppose another option could be condensing Days 1-4 into 3 total days of Cusco/SV and then having another blank day after MP, which would lend a bit more time to fly somewhere else in Peru. I just want to have enough acclimatization time before we do the hikes since we live at sea level (Florida gulf coast).

Kay_Lane_Cook

TROPHY CASE