My OAT Japan's Cultural Treasures Review

One of the Best Japan Trips for Seniors? Why OAT's Japan's
Cultural Treasures Stands Out

Japan is one of the world's most popular destinations for travelers 60+, and with good reason. The combination of fascinating history, incredible food, beautiful scenery and a culture unlike our own makes Japan an
extraordinary senior travel destination.

That popularity also means there are plenty of Japan tours to choose from. In this review, I'll share what I liked about OAT's Japan's Cultural Treasures, what I think they do particularly well, and a few tips that can make an already
excellent trip even better.

Visiting during cherry blossom season isn't a must — but we planned our trip around it.
If you can, that's the time to go!

Why I Chose OAT for Japan.
And Why I’d Do It Again

Planning Your First
OAT Adventure?

If you're considering Japan's Cultural Treasures or another Overseas Adventure Travel trip, I hope my experiences and tips help you decide whether OAT is right for you.

I've now taken 19 OAT adventures and have another one booked. If you decide to travel with OAT, I'd really appreciate your telling them (when booking):
"I was referred by Jesse Slome
OAT #932019."
It costs you nothing and it helps me earn a credit toward a future adventure.

So far, 88 travelers have told OAT they were referred by Jesse Slome.

If you decide to take an OAT adventure, I hope you'll be #89!

Thank you - and I hope to see you somewhere in the world!

When We Took This Trip: March 29 - April 17, 2024
Jesse's Thrifty Senior Traveler Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Japan is just one of those destinations you can't help but love. And, surprisingly, it may not be the big things you'll remember most.

It's the toilet stalls where the seats rise automatically as you enter and lower when you leave. It's the hundreds of vending machines selling everything from sushi to Baskin-Robbins. It's the streets where I dare you to find a piece of discarded trash.

I could go on and on.

If you're considering an organized tour to Japan, here's what I think OAT does exceptionally well — better, in my opinion, than any other tour company.

Great Value: Believe it or not, the Thrifty Senior Traveler actually paid full fare for this tour. Okay, I waited until OAT announced one of its Special Savings offers. But because I specifically wanted our dates to coincide with cherry blossom season — always a bit of a gamble — we booked well in advance.

There are cheaper Japan tours. In my opinion, they're not nearly as good. There are more expensive tours, too. I just don't think they're necessary.

Great Tour Directors: These people can make or break a tour, and ours was truly exceptional.

Japanese people can sometimes be less forward than Americans when it comes to offering suggestions or inserting themselves into your plans. But tell your Trip Experience Leader what's important to you, then step back. In my experience, they'll often exceed your expectations.

Every tour typically includes some “free time.” Increasingly, OAT Trip Experience Leaders are taking willing travelers to discover unique experiences that aren't part of the scheduled itinerary. Ours certainly did, and we were extremely grateful.

Perfectly Located Hotels: If you keep reading, you'll see that we flew into Tokyo early and stayed at the Marriott using points. OAT generally avoids the big American chain hotels, which can sometimes be located outside the city center.

OAT's Tokyo hotel was excellent. More importantly, it was right in the middle of the action.

Just a couple of blocks away, we found the kind of food stalls you see on Somebody Feed Phil. We ate like the locals — pointing, smiling and trusting the chef behind the counter to surprise us. He did.

The Small-Group Difference: There is a huge difference between traveling with 16 people — OAT's maximum group size — and traveling with 40 people on a standard big-bus tour.

Most Japan tours include some type of sumo experience. But with just 16 of us, it felt personal. I even got the chance to try putting a 300-pound sumo wrestler off balance.

I failed. There's photographic evidence elsewhere on this page.

A Perfectly Balanced Itinerary: You'll see many of the sights that every Japan tour covers. But after talking with other people who have visited Japan, I came away feeling that we experienced considerably more.

From hands-on matcha tea grinding to walking through fish markets and trying fresh sea urchin, the itinerary goes beyond simply checking famous sights off a list.

Yes, you'll see the shrines. And the beautifully manicured gardens.

But you'll also get a better feel for everyday Japan.

Special Experiences: Like many people, I'd watched Memoirs of a Geisha. But this trip gave us an opportunity to spend an afternoon learning more about the lives and traditions of geisha.

And yes, we even played geisha games together. That is a lot more memorable than simply watching a performance.

A Home-Hosted Visit: After 19 OAT trips, home-hosted visits can sometimes start to feel like a familiar part of the formula.

Not this one. We spent an afternoon with a former school principal and his wife. They dressed us in formal wedding kimonos, took our photographs — and then printed them for us to take home.

To me, that experience perfectly captured Japan: an extraordinary level of personal care combined with remarkable technology.

That's why I think OAT does Japan exceptionally well. It isn't just about seeing Japan. It's about getting enough opportunities to actually experience it.

Ever wanted to try getting a sumo wrestler off balance? I did—with absolutely no success!

That's one of the benefits of traveling with OAT's small groups: you sometimes get opportunities—and experiences—you'd never have on a traditional tour.

Now, enjoy some of Jesse's photos from Japan.

Tips And Advice: OAT Japan's Cultural Treasures

Booking Airfare
Once again, the Thrifty Senior Traveler booked our own airfare because I was able to get a better deal than OAT's offering. We also added a few days on our own in Tokyo and a few days at the end of the trip.

This former New Yorker had no trouble navigating Tokyo's incredible subway system. But having OAT arrange transportation—or taking a taxi—is, of course, always an option.

Tokyo Pre-Trip
OAT makes Japan easier. But if you're willing to venture out on your own, Japan is remarkably manageable.

We spent three days in Tokyo on our own. And honestly, we covered as much, if not more, than the far more expensive organized pre-trip. We saw the Ginza, the fish market, temples and parks, and barely spent much money.

Navigating the trains is easy, as long as you're willing to ask people for directions. Our particular station had three or four different levels of train platforms, but people were incredibly helpful.

We also took multiple free walking tours around Tokyo. Each was led by a young person who provided an in-depth experience and then recommended great places where locals eat.

Get an IC transportation card:
If you're spending time in Tokyo, using the trains, or traveling independently before or after your OAT trip, get a Suica, PASMO or other compatible IC card. It makes riding trains and subways dramatically easier—and you can also use it for small purchases at convenience stores, vending machines and other businesses.

Think of it as a prepaid transportation card, not an unlimited-travel pass. You load money onto the card and simply tap it when entering and exiting a station. The fare is automatically deducted from your balance.

And here's the Thrifty part: On applicable JR East trips, the IC-card fare can actually be a little cheaper than buying a paper ticket because IC fares are calculated to the yen while paper fares are rounded up to the nearest ¥10. Don't expect to get rich from the savings—but why pay more when you don't have to?

For visitors, Welcome Suica cards can be purchased at Narita and Haneda airports (with a credit card I recall), and there is no ¥500 deposit. You can load the amount you want and add more cash as needed.

Visit a Department Store
In Tokyo, definitely visit Ginza Mitsukoshi, the "Harrods of Japan." There are two levels dedicated to food. On one, you'll find gourmet bento lunch boxes, freshly carved roasted meats, tempura, sushi, and yakitori. The other features high-end fresh produce, luxury gift fruits (including $200 crowned melons), premium teas, sake, and international wines.

If you miss the one in Ginza, don't worry. There are other Mitsukoshi department stores in cities you'll visit during your OAT trip.

Go Evening Bargain Hunting
Around 6:30 to 7:00 PM—an hour or two before closing—vendors at many department store food 'stalls' begin marking down fresh bentos, sushi, and hot deli items with discount stickers ranging from 20% to 50% off.

We never made it during our trip, but if you do, please let me know!

Wear Slip-On Shoes If Possible
I wear Merrills that require tying, and I managed just fine. But if you have a pair of shoes that slide on and off easily, bring them.

You'll encounter plenty of situations in Japan where shoes need to come off, so slip-ons can make life easier.

Bring Your Insulated Water Bottle
There was a time when coffee was rarely found in Japan. Today, there are hundreds of Starbucks locations in Tokyo.

Coffee at Starbucks isn't particularly expensive. But fellow Thrifty Senior Travelers know the trick: bring your insulated bottle and take that second cup with you from the breakfast buffet.

And if you visit Starbucks, save your receipt. Bring your same-day receipt back to any Starbucks in Japan—it doesn't have to be the same location—and you can get a second drip coffee, the same size or smaller, for around $0.85 to $1.25 USD.

Don't Expect Public Trash Cans
Streets are spotless, and yet you can go hours without finding a trash can. If you are a snacker, or like picking up fruit or an ice cream along the way. [pack and bring a small plastic bag for your own trash until you find somewhere to dispose of it. Bring a couple of U.S. supermarket veggie bags (they're still free).

Getting Japanese Yen
Get Japanese yen from an ATM using a debit card.

There are 21,000 of 7-Eleven stores across Japan (almost 3,000 in Tokyo alone), and almost every one has a Seven Bank ATM. You can't go far without seeing one. Plus, it's fun to see what Japanese 7-Elevens offer—they're not at all like their U.S. counterparts!

Pack a "Pocket Towel" or Handkerchief
Public restrooms in Japan rarely provide paper towels. Many will have electric hand dryers, but locals often carry a small washcloth or handkerchief in their pocket for drying their hands.

It's a small thing, but bring one.

Bring a Zippered Coin Purse
Japan still relies heavily on physical cash for small purchases, street markets, and temple donation boxes. You'll quickly accumulate dozens of heavy 100-yen and 500-yen coins.

Men typically have pockets. For women, bringing a small zippered coin pouch can be worthwhile!

Use Luggage Transfer Services (Takkyubin)
If you're adding days before or after your OAT trip—as we did when we went to visit a friend in Osaka—know that major hotels offer door-to-door luggage shipping.

Services such as Takkyubin, including Yamato Transport (the company with the famous black-cat logo), can send your large suitcases ahead to your next hotel or even to the airport.

For roughly $15–$20 per bag, you can free yourself from hauling heavy luggage onto crowded trains or up and down station stairs.

That's a pretty good investment in your back!

Written by Jesse Slome, The Thrifty Senior Traveler
Originally published August 24, 2026 | Last updated August 24, 2026