We were on one of the first tours to enter Japan after their reopening in October, 2022. Our tour was 'Ancient Trails of Japan' which we were attracted to because it promised lots of walking and hiking and a unique cultural experience. We were not disappointed. We logged 8+ miles around Tokyo on our first day! The hikes on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route were amazing! A certain level of fitness is required here as some of these trails are steep, but the views are well worth the effort. The hike between Magome and Tsumago on the Nakasendo trail was less strenuous, but still rewarding with beautiful mountain views and historically preserved towns. This was our first trip to Japan and we feel like we got a great introductory experience with a good mixture of city sights and immersion in nature and Japanese cultural history. Our guides were all extremely professional and were willing to go the extra mile to make sure we got a good experience. Our thanks to: Toshi, our tour director who was with us for the whole trip and made sure everything went smoothly; Sue, our guide for a wonderful day in Tokyo; Yoko, who guided us through an equally stunning day in Kyoto; Kazumi and Waka, our guides on the Kumano Kodo; and Uki, our guide on the Nakasendo. All of these beautiful, helpful, and knowledgeable people helped make our trip a most memorable one. I would recommend Unique Japan Tours to anyone interested in a cultural experience that will resonate for years. They are a professional and well-run organization and their people on the ground in Japan are some of the best in the business.