Kyoto Trip Feedback

FEEDBACK QUESTIONS FROM October 2011 

Participants were asked to rate the following items on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent) and to add comments under any of the items.

GENERAL LOGISTICS

Communication prior to the trip:  9.5 avg

• I thought the pre trip advice was comprehensive and useful. The package of goodies was a nice touch and including the What's On magazine was especially good for giving me a sense of Kyoto. Having people post their bios was a great idea - next time I would love to hear people's reading suggestions (novels or memoirs or travel guides).
• Very good information leading up to the trip.  The details about getting around the train station in Kyoto and taxi etiquette put us on the right track from the moment we got off the plane.

Communication during the trip:    9.5 avg

• We always knew exactly what the plan was, where to be, and what to do.  You are soooo organized!  It was great.
• Only a couple of times did I feel a bit out of touch about what was going to happen. Perhaps an evening get together to explain the next day's itinerary and/or preparations would be handy. The pre market meeting was good - made the day easier to manage and I didn't later think "oh I missed something". Suggest one bring own hand towel and/or napkin for meals. 

Price of the trip:  10 avg

• The "package" which included the transportation, meals and workshops made everything convenient.  It also saved a lot of time.  We were not standing around trying to make the money match for a dozen people.  Very smart!
• Yikes, it’s Japan, what do you expect
• Certainly seemed reasonable to me. 

Quality of service during the trip:  10 avg

• Couldn't have been better.  Your experience from years of doing these tours really made everything run smoothly.  
• Nancy, you were most helpful and accommodating - a very gracious host. It made a huge difference having certain customs, curious foods/stores/sights explained. 

Variety of things scheduled:  10 avg

• We got a lovely introduction to Kyoto.  The activities allowed us to see lots of beautiful locations and interact with the people
• Instead of 3 workshops that focus on dying, it would be nice to have one on another fiber art, maybe even something with paper.

ACOMMODATIONS

Palace Side Hotel:  9.5 avg

• I was very happy with the hotel, the staff were great, it was clean and comfortable. Breakfast was good. 
• Just fine and the price was great
• This hotel was very nice.   The rooms were much more spacious that I had expected from the online photographs.  The laundry facilities were well used and appreciated.  I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Kyoto.

Rikiya Ryokan:  9.75 avg

• Charming ryokan, happy to have my own room. The neighborhood around it was great for strolling. 
• This was a very different cultural experience.  The owner and her sister to excellent care of us.  The Japanese breakfast was way more food that I could have possibly eaten.  Everything was beautifully presented.  The sister's lovely crochet table cover in our room was unique.  And then we got samples of her work as parting gifts!  My knees suffered from getting up and down from the floor.  But the futons were comfortable and the comforter snuggly and warm.  I would definitely do it again.  

ACTIVITIES

Temple Markets:  10 avg

• Both temple markets were a shopping adventure.  The Tojii market was big and bustling with activity.  I really enjoyed the textile lesson you gave us as we worked our way through the stacks of kimono at the first vendor.  I came home with four kimono and can't wait for an occasion to wear them.  
• The second market was smaller.  I had an easier time getting around it and finding treasures - like the persimmon dye booth.  What a unique color!  Here I found more men's clothing and bought treasures for my sons.
• Both of them were a trove of treasures, for sure. Thanks for direction to particular booths. I enjoyed the second one more, just because it was smaller and seemed to have a greater variety of "things". Good advice to bring a shopping trolley.
• we missed some of the most famous places in Kyoto but that was our fault for doing temari on free days  instead

Sight-seeing (Ohara, Museums, Temples, Shrines):  10 avg

• Yes, the temple here was special, and the garden walk leading up to it certainly beautiful. 
• My knees were not up to hiking into the Palace Gardens across from the hotel or the Temple Gardens near the ryokan.  But the fabulous temple in Ohara filled my memories and camera with peace and beauty.  Everywhere I looked there was a mind blowing vista.  Carpeted with moss and tucked under huge, ancient trees there were gardens and buildings perfectly appointed.  As I identified hydrangeas, camellias, lilies and other plants I imagined that there would be a riot of color in the spring.  A photo book in the gift shop proved the point.
• The walk from the temple beside the stream and down to the village was just lovely.  The people I met in the shops along the way were so friendly and proud of their wares.  We had great conversations and learned so much.  One shop owner had placed a blanket in a nook in the stone wall for a large cat.  This decorative creature was enjoying the sun filtering down through the trees.  Two elderly Japanese ladies wanted to take a picture of the cat, but it was facing the wall.  So, one lady very gently touch the near side of the cat's face with the tip of her finger.  Instead of being startled the cat very regally turned to face the ladies and pose for a picture.  A true Kodak moment.
• The day we spent in Miyama was my favorite.  The trip up through the forest in our little bus was beautiful.  If we had stopped at all of the places I wanted to photograph we would have never made it to the village.  Even though it was overcast, the quaint village was beautiful.  The thatch roof buildings were each works of art.  And almost every house had a flower and vegetable garden.  Even in the cool, damp weather there were butterflies out doing their work.  I think the Japanese visitors who were walking around the village were amused at the gaggle of foreign ladies taking pictures and chatting.  Meeting the dye master at lunch was great fun.  His English was excellent and he enjoyed the group.  The surprise birthday cake and gifts were even more fun. 
• The textile center in Kyoto is a "keeper."  I found many of my family gifts there.  The weaving demonstrations were fascinating.  And the kimono fashion show was absolutely beautiful.
• The visit to the obi studio was very interesting.  The weaving of those beautiful fabrics is so intricate.  It completely justifies the prices. 

Rozome (wax resist) workshop: 7 avg.

• This was a great workshop.  The folks at the studio were very helpful and informative about what we were doing.  I am very pleased with the scarf I made.  I would like to do this activity again.
• although the place was amazing to see, I think this would be the one to change
• It was fun, but a little bit anxiety producing, mostly due to the language barriers)
• This was fun, I was pleased with my noren,  but not particularly creative and I would have liked to know more about the other equipment and perhaps seeing some samples of the work they used to do. If I were to do it again, I would bring my own design ready to trace with the wax.

Ohara Vegetable Dye Workshop: 9 avg

• A beautiful setting. Wish we could have had more instruction about using vegetable matter, maybe a little demonstration of the preparation of the dyes, but I guess that's not what they do there for groups. 
• This was a great workshop.  It took a little while to get us all organized, but the results when everyone showed off their work proved it was worth it.  The dye master shared two pieces he had done by placing leaves on the fabric and pounding them to release their color and print onto the fabric.  Very beautiful.  They generously gave a large hank of peach dyed silk to the three "temari girls."  I plan to use mine to stitch a temari to enter into the National Gotenmari Contest in Akita Prefecture.  

Miyama Shindo Sensei Indigo Workshop-> 10

• This was the best workshop we took.  The tour of the Little Indigo Museum was so much fun.  He had indigo fabrics from all over the world.  We not only learned a lot about natural indigo dye, we learned about the oldest thatch roof building in the village.  I learned so much in this workshop.  Sensei generously shared information with me about how he dyed his indigo balls for the exhibit in London.  I want to try one as the base for a temari.  His love of his art is infectious!

Which are "must do" for next time (including activities you did on your own):

• All of the workshops are keepers.  The day we visited the textile center/obi studio/painted fabric studio was a Sunday.  I suspect that was chosen because of the fashion show.  But it sounded as if there might have been more places to visit if it had been a week day.
• That having been said, all of the workshops were very similar.  I know that this was a textile tour.  But there might be other workshops that folks would enjoy.  Japanese embroidery, weaving, punch needle embroidery, etc.  I know the ladies who took the ikebana class were pleased.  Just a thought to consider.
• I really liked visiting the village and the workshop. The museum was absolutely lovely, a very peaceful place to enjoy the exhibits. 
• Shindo Sensei really is a cool guy, isn't he?
• The garden tour with Mark, the museums, Miyama, Ohara, markets, Nijo Castle, Silver Pavilion, the parade.
• Department store looking, quilt or fabric shops
• O'hara and Miyama must do.   Rafting trip above Aryshiama must do!

...and which ones would you suggest skipping?

• One of my favourites was the garden tour with Mark. I would  recommend it to anyone interested in the culture of gardens and temples. I would also be interested in a guided explanation of the tea ceremony. Perhaps with a student from the school? I did not think of arranging something before I left. 
• My least favourite tour was the obi factory. I did not feel as if I learned much and found it too cramped and difficult to hear even what Junko was saying. 

Would you have wanted more free (unscheduled) time? If so, how much more?

• No, it was good.
• Three free days was one of the attractions to this tour.  The "temari girls" jammed a lot of temari classes and activities into those free days.
• No. We came two days early and left a day late and that was just perfect. 
• Perhaps one more day, but if I were to go again, I would simply stay on a day or two at the end

MEALS

Which are "must do" for next time and which ones should we consider dropping?

• "Food on a Stick" and "Burnt Miso Ramen" are definitely winners.  The lunch in Ohara was beautiful.  But I am not a great fan of tofu.  I looked longingly at the tempura which our vegetarian got.  Maybe give the group a heads up about the menu and let them choose.  It still can be ordered in advance to make it easy on the restaurant.  
• The upstairs restaurant where part of the group went for more sashimi and tempura was yummy.  I wish I had tucked my camera into my jacket.  One of the Portland girls was having an orgasmic experience every time she put the sashimi into her mouth. That might be something to put on the regular schedule.  
• I would skip the Food on a Stick, although having everyone together was fun, the food was not that exciting. The ramen was SO good, and Nancy, you were right, burnt miso ramen was the best!  The one that we went to the night before the tour started was also good, and the food seemed abundant. 
• The restaurant that Paula and I went to on the south side of the Palace grounds was such a lovely place and the hostess so charming, I hope you can take the group there sometime. I had two of the tastiest meals there - very simple, but fresh and if I return I would make a point of going there. (sorry I don't have the name, only a card in Japanese! But I can tell you how to get there.
• Love them all
• I didn't enjoy a lot of the food and found the meal at Kushihachi particularly uninspiring..  I liked the Raman noodle dishes best. 
• I enjoyed all of them.I wouldn't want to drop anything.

GENERAL EXPERIENCE

What was the single best thing you experienced on the trip?  

• For things presented on the tour, it is a toss up between the temple in Ohara and the indigo workshop in Miyama.  Both were amazing experiences in very different ways.
• As a temari addict being able to go to Japan and take lessons with experts was a dream for me.  I thank you for the opportunity which the free days of your tour made possible.
• Seeing the studios where we did the workshops. I didn’t really need to “work” – make a project - but I loved hearing about their work and seeing their setups
• Just Kyoto in general. I loved seeing the temples, I loved the temple gardens, and the textile centre, and the markets. I have been raving about the city since I got home, perhaps making my friends crazy, but it really is a special place with an atmosphere that is unique. 
• Difficult to say - I enjoyed the whole experience.
• The overall respectful culture of the people of Japan. The cleanliness and feeling of safety in the city.

What advice would you offer to others preparing to go with us next time?  

• Get in shape. I did fine even with jetlag (that surprised me). But my buddies were not in shape for walking a lot and they really suffered. Rodney Yee’s Yoga for meditation has easy hip opening exercises great for being able to sit on the floor. Being able to walk /stand for a couple of hours at a stretch is a minimum. Also, prepare for the workshops by studying the techniques online or somewhere before you go and try them.
• I discovered that exchanging money before the trip was an excellent suggestion.  I was immediately prepared for taxi fares and food as soon as I stepped off the plane.
• If I had booked my round trip Pacific flight on Japan Airlines, I could have made short flights within Japan at a much reduced rate.  If I get to return to Japan, I will take advantage of that possibility to see other parts of the country.  This would be very useful if your future tour participants want to extend their stay.
• Believe it when Nancy tells you to exercise to be ready for the tour.  You will have much more fun!
• In the breakfast session before our first temple market adventure, you recommended that a wheeled cart would be a valuable asset.  If that information was in the pre-trip packet, I missed it.  I would have certainly brought a fold up cart to make shopping easier.  If it was there, make it bold print.
• Nothing really - I think the advice and help you gave us (learning a bit of the language and culture and travelling light etc.) were excellent. 
• Read up before you go, and not just travel guides. My personal favourite (easy when you've only read one!) is The Lady and the Monk.  Arrive at least a day early and plan on time afterwards too, if you can. There is so much more to experience and by the end of the trip you will have a list of places and activities that you will wish you'd had time for. Get used to eating fish. Be a little daring in what you will eat, it may be the only time you get to taste pickled gluten, or whatever that was!  Take your own whole wheat crackers, bran, whatever - it's white rice and white bread! The coffee at the Palace Side is good and strong though. And I did learn to really like green tea. Do those yoga stretches - getting up and down off the floor gracefully was a goal I never attained. Still trying. 
• Be prepared to try everything, including all of the food. You will find things you don't like, but you will find things you never experienced before, and some of those may be the best treasures you could find anywhere!  Oh, that burnt miso soup....to die for!

OTHER COMMENTS  

• Overall, a great trip and I hope I am able to return someday. Thanks, Nancy! 
• Your personal attention to us on the trip was invaluable! Thank you so much for being such a good host.
• This tour was so organized that it made our participation a total pleasure and worry free.  The other ladies in the group were fun and we learned a lot from each other.  Nancy used her knowledge and experience to guarantee that we were successful at every turn.  I am telling everyone that my experience in Japan was the best because Nancy was there for me in every way.   If you have ever considered taking a trip to Japan, this tour would be an excellent first step in discovering a beautiful country and a friendly people.
• And thank you for your patience in assisting the two Lawson employees with our baggage shipment.  Everything was waiting for us at Narita with no problems.  And it was a very good suggestion.  Schlepping those extra bags would have been a real pain.
• If you ever decide to try a trip to a different part of Japan, consider Akita.  I don't know if they have fantastic temple markets there, but they have a National Gotenmari Contest.  We could probably work up a temari tour!
• Nancy is a wonderful guide. She is able to run a tight ship without offending people. When we all worked together things worked smoothly for everyone. (Funny, how true that is for the people of Japan).  I appreciated the fact that aside from one morning at the beginning, we started our planned days at 9:00am.  I never felt rushed or lacked for sleep.  Therefore, I was always ready to enjoy the entire day.  We walked and walked and walked! Do not come on this trip if you are not ready to walk!  I have traveled a lot in my life, and this trip was a highlight for me!  I would recommend Nancy's trip to anyone I felt was up for the adventure, the walking, and the food.   The Ryokan experience is a must!  I have a huge appreciation for the culture and the people of Japan now which I never had before.  It was an awesome experience, and I hope to return to Kyoto again some day. I would love to do a trip with Nancy in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom!