Review: Luxury Honeymoon in Japan, Hot Springs, Hiking, Biking, Sumo Wrestling Exhibition, Flower Arranging Class, Local Cuisine

We best enjoyed staying at a few traditional Japanese inns called ryokans. I doubt we could have discovered such lovely gems on our own. The inns provided AMAZING 15-course traditional Japanese meals that were a feast for our eyes and our mouths. One inn was part of a large hot springs, so we especially enjoyed relaxing in the hot waters. The relaxing pace at the ryokans complimented our stays in more bustling areas like Tokyo.

Our tour guides were fantastic and made a big difference to our experience of Japan. Our guide in Tokyo pointed out all sorts of details that we never read in our guidebooks, and she wove cultural and political history into her explanations. We've talked about the guide every day since we returned from our trip, and we've kept in touch with her over email!

We also thoroughly enjoyed the ikebana flower arranging class. The interactive experience made Japanese culture come alive in a way that a museum can't. The teacher was obviously very experienced in her craft and shared with us about her family's tradition doing ikebana.