May 29 – June 6, 2022

Where

3 nights Tokyo

1 night Kaga-onsen

4 nights Kanazawa

Post-trip extension to Kyoto: details coming soon

Cost

$2,900 per person

Konnichiwa!

Have you always wanted to visit Japan, but you’re uncertain about where to go, where to stay, and how you’ll communicate?

Let me take you under my wing!

Japan with Amy is like traveling around Japan with your fun Japanophile friend. I’ll take you to all my favorite places and make sure you’re taken care of. We’ll use public transportation, eat amazing food, and see a side of Japan that’s different from the standard package tour. Meet me at the airport in Tokyo, and I’ll take care of the rest!

Daily life…

Tradition…

Nature…

About Amy

I first fell in love with Japan in my 20’s, when I lived and worked in Kanazawa for 2 years. I taught junior high school English on the JET programme, and it changed me forever! Now I go back every year to give lectures on expedition ships all over Japan, lead workshops for Japanese guides in Tokyo, and teach academic English at an international graduate university in Niigata.

My Japanese language skills and cultural insights will help you experience a side of Japan that you might not expect. My tours focus on the quirky, the whimsical, and the everyday surprises that Japan can offer up, as well as the design, the history, and of course, the food. With me, you’ll consider why things are the way they are in Japan, and look at your own culture through fresh eyes.

Something a little bit different…

This trip is a mix of everyday Japan in all its glorious quirkiness, blended with classic elements such as sublime gardens, family-run ryokan (traditional inns), temples, markets, geisha and samurai districts, an unforgettable Japanese festival, and joyfully curated meals and snacks.

Is this trip right for you?

This trip is best for people who are….

adventurous
open-minded
able to sit and sleep on the floor, Japanese-style
relatively fit, and able to walk for a couple of hours a day
not the typical guided tour-type of traveler

What’s included:

Amy as your tour leader, making sure everything goes as planned
All daily cultural activities and experiences
Small group size (12 people or less)
8 nights accommodation in 3-star hotels and family-run ryokan (Japanese inns)
All meals on main tour, including a couple of drinks at lunch and dinner, from dinner on your arrival night (May 29) to breakfast on your departure day (June 6)
All domestic transport on main tour using local transportation, including a 7-day Japan Rail Pass
Amy’s friendly face greeting you at the airport, and taking you on the train to our first hotel
Passmo transportation card with 2,000 yen credit for subway and vending machine purchases
The unique opportunity to experience a glorious Japanese summer festival
Entrance to all sights in the itinerary
Plenty of free-time throughout the trip
Two pre-departure Zoom lessons on 1) Japanese language and 2) Japanese etiquette and travel tips
A dedicated Japan with Amy website containing everything you need to prepare for your trip

What’s NOT included:

International flights to/from Tokyo
Any extra transportation, activities, admission fees, or food/drinks not mentioned in the day-by-day itinerary
Personal items such as SIM cards, laundry, souvenirs, etc.
Trip protection/travel insurance
Post-trip extension to Kyoto: details coming soon

Trip Highlights:

TeamLab Borderless digital art exhibition in Tokyo
Sensoji temple and Asakusa in Tokyo
Last night in Tokyo’s eye-popping Shinjuku neighborhood
Ride on the shinkansen (bullet train)
Kaiseki dinner and overnight stay in a remote hotspring resort
Kenroku-en garden
Matcha tea ceremony
Gold leaf workshop
Private tour of Kanazawa’s geisha and samurai districts
Stroll one of Japan’s top three gardens
Omicho market
Kanazawa’s Hyakumangoku annual summer festival

Want to know more?

Please fill out the form below.

A few photos from Japan with Amy 2019, and sneak preview for 2022…

Testimonials

“Japan with Amy is awesome! The fun began even before I boarded the plane, with Amy’s entertaining and educational online language lesson, and a comprehensive website that provided all the info I needed to prepare for the trip. The itinerary was a terrific mix of ancient and modern, providing a glimpse of Japan’s fascinating history, culture, and people, and a tasty survey of its delicious food, for omnivores and vegans alike.
Amy was a fantastic guide through it all. She was our leader and teacher, always available, knowledgeable, and engaging. Since I am pretty independent and rather shy, I was a little worried that I’d be antsy for more free time on my own. That didn’t turn out to be a problem. Amy struck the right balance between leading us in group activities and giving us time to explore on our own. In the end, Amy was so good, and the group was so fun, that I happily spent more time with the group than I expected to do.
Several of us had opted to go to Kyoto for a couple extra days after the tour. We were sad to say goodbye to our amazing guide, but thanks to Amy we were also equipped to strike out on our own with greater confidence and cultural competence than many tourists. As an unexpected bonus, we’d bonded so well that we actually ended up spending quite a bit of time together in Kyoto even though the tour was over.
In short, Japan with Amy is an amazing tour with an amazing guide, and a great way to meet amazing people and make amazing lifelong memories. Arigato gozaimasu, Amy-san!”

~ Lisa, California

“Amy did the near impossible: She made Japan accessible, without watering down the experience. We often found ourselves in places with few other western tourists, with limited English spoken — and yet we felt prepared and comfortable. And each day, we gained insights into the language, culture, and history, while having fun and a lot of laughs! A specials thanks to Amy who worked hard to make sure that my partner and I — both vegans – had wonderful meals three times a day.”
~ Beth, California

“Japan with Amy was a terrific experience. This was my first experience of traveling with a group of strangers. I only knew two of the other members of the tour group, and only as colleagues. I was worried that despite my experience with international travel, I would feel uncomfortable or trapped in group activities I would not enjoy. That was never the case! Amy made all the group outings enjoyable and planned for time for the group to disperse and explore alone. It was my first time in Japan and I enjoyed it greatly.

One big advantage of traveling with Amy is her knowledge and love of Japan. I felt I was seeing aspects of Tokyo and Kanazawa that I would not have seen had I traveled alone or with a more conventional travel tour. I must single out the terrific choices for all our dining experiences. The food was amazing and I looked forward to every meal and snack! Thank you, Amy! “

~ Rainer, New York

Get in Touch

Amy Loewen

Registered California Seller of Travel #2137305-40

Send me a Message

If you’d like to see the day-by-day itinerary, or have any questions at all about this trip, please send me a message.