Nabana no Sato tours

Had a great experience! The van ride was smooth. The driver will drop you off and pick you up at the said locations. Having a private transport is very convenient since going from the outlet park to nabana no sato will be quite a long walk. There is enough time to shop at the outlet park and it is quite relaxing at the illuminations. It was quite crowded at the start of the illuminations since a lot of people line up waiting for the lights to go up at the tunnel of light. Better go directly at the tunnel of light after entering the park to catch a good view of the tunnel of light. The begonia garden was also beautiful and a great place to relax. They also have lights and sounds show in the park.

A small group of 8 people (in a 8 seater MPV) which is good (50mins ride to reach ~1pm). We have enough time (1pm ~ 4.45pm) for the Mitsui outlet (as we only go to the shops we are interested). There is a food court selling most of the famous food (Miso Tonkasu, Ramen). We had our dinner there. As for the illumination, we stay from 5-8pm. As there is not a lot of people (early Feb). we completed the whole area in ~2hrs. We just sit around for nearly an hour. Probably in peak period, the timing is just nice. The ticket included ¥1500 voucher for you to spend in the souvenir shops or some pop-up snacks booth. This trip is extremely worth brining you to 2 itineraries (which is a little troublesome by public transportation - to 2 places).

There was no tour guide accompanying us during the stops—the driver and our guide simply dropped us off and picked us up at the agreed time. Honestly, this setup worked perfectly. These destinations don’t really require guided explanations, so having the freedom to explore at our own pace was ideal. The time allotted for Mitsui Outlet Park was brilliant. It was more than enough to browse properly, try things on without rushing, enjoy some snacks or coffee, and still make thoughtful purchases. It didn’t feel hurried at all, which made the shopping experience much more enjoyable. Nagano no Sato Winter Illumination was beautiful and festive, especially in the evening. There are lots of restaurants in this stop also. Overall, highly recommended!

It was a great tour! We got to try seven different flavors of strawberries, all of which were big and sweet, and we were in high spirits! The owner of the strawberry farm was kind and lovely, and the woman even took pictures for us, so it was a great memory for my mother! And we were nervous about going up the snowy mountain, 1212m above sea level, in one go on the ropeway, but it was very stable and there was no shaking, so there was no need to worry at all! Speaking of the view from the top, it was a breathtaking panorama! I also recommend the soft serve ice cream here! Haha👍. We also went around our favorite stores at the next outlet, and had some great shopping! The fourth thing we were looking forward to was Nabana no Sato! The amazing light show, the tunnel of light, and even Kagami Pond made us feel like we had gone to another world! Above all, today's tour guide, Fujiki-san, was a very cheerful, friendly and kind person! I felt that the job of a gaito was his calling👍Thanks to him, it was a very happy day, and my mother was very satisfied and said she was happy! I love Japan even more now! Thank you so much! I would definitely like to use it again! ^_^

Very updated and very friendly our companion Mr Li. Thank you so much.

although it was raining in the afternoon but I really enjoyed the tour. Erina was so helpful and always assisting us, she’s friendly and always smiling and of course…beautiful hehe. THANK YOU so much ERINA👍

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Japan! If you’re a fan of JDM culture, Fast & Furious, or just love cars, this experience is absolutely worth it. It doesn’t feel like a typical tourist tour—you really become part of the local car community. Seeing legendary cars, meeting passionate owners, driving through Tokyo at night, and visiting Daikoku PA created memories we’ll never forget. A special thank you to our driver, Timi. She was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and professional from the very beginning. She made us feel comfortable, shared interesting stories, answered all our questions, and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Her passion for JDM culture really shows, and it made the night feel authentic and special. Thank you, Timi, and the whole Gaijin Tuned team for an unforgettable evening. We would definitely do it again and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Tokyo!

Sun Peng, our guide, deserves a perfect score! He was incredibly knowledgeable about Kumamoto throughout the trip, explaining the unique features of each attraction. To be honest, the scenic train wasn't really worth it; 2300 yen per person just to see some mountains. It wasn't as beautiful as the Ghibli train I rode in Hakone, Tokyo. It was a shame we couldn't go boating in Takachiho Gorge today. The scenery was nice, though slightly less impressive than Hokkaido's Blue Pond. My only criticism for the guide is regarding Takachiho Shrine. Going there is fine, but the path is genuinely difficult, so be prepared. However, on the way back to the parking lot, the guide told us to follow Google Maps to the third parking lot, which would have been a disaster! You absolutely must return to the slope and head straight for the third parking lot. When you go to the shrine, there's a fork in the road on that slope; pay attention to the sign for the third parking lot. It's only 300m that way. Do NOT follow the map! Our large group followed the map, but luckily, I had seen the sign on the way in, otherwise, we would have been completely lost trying to go back the same way! The cheese buns the guide recommended were pretty good, and the cream puffs were also nice, filled with ice cream. I didn't get to try the summer iced tea special. The horse meat sashimi and barbecue were decent, but don't have high expectations; it's not as good as grilled beef. Next, regarding the guide's recommendations at Kusasenri: I didn't buy the keychains, nor the horse oil cream, but I did get a fridge magnet. The green house was a bit hard to find, so you need to look carefully. The beef burger was sold out. The only thing I think is worth recommending, which the guide didn't, is the ice cream. If you go, remember to try the ice cream at the museum! Oh, and I should mention that the time at Kusasenri is quite short. If you climb to the observation deck and then want to eat or shop, it might be a bit rushed. Be prepared to just have ice cream! The fridge magnet is cute and worth buying for 800 yen! Finally, the Ten Ga Ten ramen was a bit unappetizing; the firm noodles were very salty, not as good as Ippudo in Osaka, haha. Ippudo is also salty (apparently ramen is meant to be paired with sake). As for the Osmanthus fried rice: it tasted like something any Chinese restaurant could make, so there's no need to specifically try it in Japan, haha! Overall, this group tour was actually pretty good, just a bit rushed. Of course, that's because there were many places to visit, and it wasn't a self-guided tour, haha! I would definitely join a group tour again if I have the chance!