Perfect balance of everything

Great way to see and experience a lot of Japan. A good balance was achieved in regards to seeing sights, tasting food, experiencing nature, and getting involved in the culture. A lot of walking involved - which I found was a good way to explore the cities/towns as well as a way of getting amongst the nature during the many hikes. Fun group of mostly 20-30 year old people made it an ideal way of sharing the experience with like-minded people. The only downside was that the details of each day were often left to the very last minute - making ir difficult to plan out what what to wear, what to carry in the backpack etc. Hostels were all nice, clean, comfortable and central. Alan, the tour guide, provided excellent history and information throughout, with useful top tips on where to go eat and drink across the country. Overal, excellent tour!