South Korea in Winter: Best Things to Do

Highlight: war in Nikko at the shrine. Shrines and temples in general, Japanese gardens, castles/fortresses, the hikes, the temple stay, the culinary highlights (10-course menu, sushi chef restaurant, and more). I also liked the balance between free time and guided time. Special mention goes to the tour guide Laura, whose guidance and knowledge made it possible for me to experience Japan in such an enjoyable way.

Hello Japaventura, the trip was truly amazing! I had an incredibly wonderful time and feel very happy to have had Ricky as our tour guide. He really made an effort to fulfill all our wishes and to bring us closer to the culture as much as possible! Best regards, Iva Baze

The program is well designed to see the essentials in 12 days. There are many transfers, but the accommodation is of high quality. The evening with the locals was very appreciated, even though the language barrier somewhat limits exchanges. Areas for improvement: customer contact during trip preparation, layover time in Hong Kong (at least 3 hours is needed to avoid rushing between the two planes if there is a slight delay), consider adding one or two museums in addition to the National Museum of Tokyo.

It was a very multifaceted trip with many fantastic experiences that definitely sparked a desire for "more Japan." Our tour guide Lorenzo contributed to this, as he organized and navigated the trip very well and flexibly, making it a lot of fun, and he impressed us especially with his incredibly vast knowledge – there was no question about this country that he could not answer!

We are preparing our trip to Japan this autumn 2026 and are leaving for the first time. I thank Japaventura for accompanying us on this adventure, and I am very happy with our exchanges. The team is available and responsive, a big thank you.

Our long-awaited tour of Japan will be an unforgettable experience in our lives. Traveling by public transportation, the opportunity to stay overnight with Buddhist monks in a temple in Koyasan, as well as with a host family, were authentic Japanese experiences. The hospitality of Yasuko, the engaging conversations—sometimes supported by our translation apps—and the hands-on introduction to the family tradition of chopstick making still fascinate us today and will remain a wonderful memory. Our guide Lorenzo, who brought an excellent group spirit, was a guarantee for a smooth, informative, fun, cheerful, and culinary outstanding journey. Each of the aforementioned stops had its own special experience factor and showcased the beauty and cultural diversity of this wonderful travel destination, with its unusually polite and courteous people among whom we had the privilege to travel. What an exemplary country... JAPAVENTURA put together this 21-day trip very well. We were very satisfied and can highly recommend this tour operator.

The trip was very inspiring, both in terms of the country and its people—especially the way people interact with each other. When I returned home, this was brought to my attention again in a striking way. The punctuality of the trains was also fantastic.

Very intense trip, discovering Japan in its various aspects, a complete change of scenery, and the good fortune of being well accompanied by our guide Emma, who shared her passion for Japan with us. Thanks to her energy, good humor, kindness, and availability, we had a wonderful journey.

With this highly varied and eventful trip, we were able to get to know a country that is both tradition-conscious and aspiring, in many facets and in very beautiful landscapes. The politeness of the people, the cleanliness throughout the country, and the punctuality of the means of transport were absolutely impressive.

Intensive and fairly physical program as described in the itinerary. Provides a good first overview and makes you want to return to explore the subject further.