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We had an excellent vacation and were interested to see a culture with very different values from ours [UK]. We organised our own itinerary [with help from Sandy] but spoke or read no Japanese. We managed, but found very little English spoken outside Kyoto, which often made ordering food etc difficult. The transport system is excellent. We also hired a car and found driving on motorways or side roads easy. We stayed in many Ryokan with breakfast and evening meal included. This was a good challenge and well worth doing. The food overall was very good, but very different. No real milk or butter was seen - except for the inhouse Starbucks in the Toyota factory, [and no cows], so no desert trolley!. We noted that the kimono is making a comeback. We would return - with Sandy's help.