Kanazawa

The overall itinerary was well-planned (the time spent at each stop and the attractions themselves). Our tour guide was Ms. Tao, and I really enjoyed how she shared interesting tidbits about Japanese culture while introducing the sights. We stayed at a hot spring inn; although it was a bit old, it was simple and clean. If you plan to buy your own snacks or cookies to eat at the hotel in the evening, I recommend buying them in the city during the day, as the hotel is located on a mountain and there are absolutely no convenience stores nearby.

As someone who gets carsick, this was a risky decision. I was worried about whether the three-row overnight bus would even run on New Year's Eve (December 31st), the cleanliness of the bus, and the bumpy ride. It did run, and it was very clean (including the toilets). The ride wasn't too bumpy, and each seat had a curtain, providing some privacy. The bus was also quite punctual. The driver and the staff who helped with the luggage were very kind; thank you to them.

Our tour guide, Xiao Guo, was very considerate of everyone. He introduced the relevant attractions along the way, asked how everyone felt, and helped take photos. We were lucky enough to encounter heavy snow on the first day, but for some reason, the itinerary for Takayama City and the Gassho-zukuri Village on the first day was switched. We went to the Gassho-zukuri Village in the afternoon, where there was more snow, which affected visibility, taking photos, and vehicle traffic. Although the tour guide said that he would give us more time on the second day, I chose this itinerary because I wanted to spend more time in Takayama and the Gassho-zukuri Village on the first day, rather than the second day. However, they may have had other considerations, after all, safety is the most important thing when traveling. Fortunately, it had snowed heavily. The next day, Kenrokuen Garden, which I had not expected to be so beautiful, was full of beautiful scenery. I was grateful for all the arrangements. The room was quite large and comfortable. The breakfast selection was not very large, but overall it was okay. I hope to report two things to the travel agency: (1) Since there were too many vehicles gathering at the same time when we checked in, it would be better to let everyone see where they should queue and which flag they should look for. Otherwise, asking one by one would be very confusing. (2) In addition, it is hoped that the system can be designed so that whoever pays first can select a parking space online, instead of having to go to the site to select and allocate a space.

The early morning half-day tour allowed us to catch up on sleep on the bus. Because it was early, there were fewer tourists, making it easier to take beautiful photos of Shirakawa-go and avoiding the crowds and difficulty crossing the bridge. It also gave the group members ample time to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. Overall, we were very satisfied.

It's incredibly useful, covering the 21st Century Permanent Exhibition, Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle, and several smaller art galleries and museums—all in one e-ticket! It's also very easy to use; simply open the QR code page and show it to the staff for confirmation! Perfect for those who want to visit Kanazawa in one concentrated area—highly recommended!

It's convenient, fast, and the process isn't too complicated. You can pre-select a later train to reserve a seat and ensure you have a designated seat. You can also tell the station staff in advance that you can change to an earlier train to get a non-reserved seat!