Has anyone used Friendly Planet to go to Japan and were you pleased with your trip? My husband and I are planning to take our grandaughter and this looked like a good option; but I've never heard of the company.

Never heard of them, but am not a tour person. I see it is 4 nights at Asakusa View Hotel in Tokyo and 4 nights at Rihga Royal in Kyoto. Air incl. to Tokyo return from Osaka. Day trip to Hakone.

Half day guided tour in Tokyo. In the area of the Imperial Palace "you'll see the charming East Outer Garden with views of the ancient castle walls and ruins". Can't tell if you actually will get off the bus and go into the garden or if it is a snapshot stop or just a drive-by. Actually, the description doesn't say anything about a bus. I would skip the pearl gallery stop. A free day after that, then on to Kyoto.

I wonder if the shinkansen is a Nozomi, Hikari, or Kodama shinkansen. Probably Hikari which would be good. Hopefully it is not a Kodama train(s).

Guided tour in Kyoto: Nijo-jo, Kinkakuji, Handicraft Center for the souvenir stop, and Kiyumizu Temple. Two free days in Kyoto after that.

I wonder how the transfer to the airport be done. I suppose your tour group, with guide, will ride a chartered bus.

Your talk about the trains makes me think you've been to Japan; so perhaps you can answer some questions. Do we need visas if we have round trip air tickets. Is the walking to get to the temple half way up Otowayama Hill in Kyoto difficult? - say on a scale of 1-5...5 being most challenging?

What nationality are your passports? If they are US passports (all three) then you don't need visas. You should check travel.state.gov about documents for your GD as there is concern about international child abduction and there may be document requirements showing permission of her parent(s) allowing her to travel with you. I don't know about the hill.

I checked the website and what I was referring to may be a non-issue for you. The subject is Parental Child Abduction (a non-custodial parent abducts the child) and Japan is not a party to the international agreement about it.

The information about the GD was thought provoking. She is old enough at 18; but there's a chance that our grandson, 14, will also be joining us - it might not be a bad idea to have something from his parents.