Best Planned Trip to Japan!
Reviewed By DSBPiano - Bellevue WA | Traveled to Tokyo | Japan | East and Southeast Asia
Eri is the BEST! I have been to Japan many times to visit family and friends throughout my life, but it had been 13 years since my last trip. A lot has changed in the travel world, so I had some apprehension about going but Eri took care of everything. One of the best decisions I ever made was hiring her. She is organized, thorough, conscientious, accessible, and fast! Since she travels to Japan often herself, she is current on all the rules. She walked me through every part of the process from before we left WA (preparing any documents to get through customs), all hotel, all activities (Gibli museum, Team Labs, Kyoto Tour, Kimono Photos in Asakusa, etc.), train & travel arrangements within Japan (Shinkansen tickets, JR Pass), to helping me prepare when coming back to WA. She suggested various options for how long to stay in each city, gave me time frames, and truly made my worries disappear. I have recommended her to everyone I know and will be using her services again. Don't hesitate
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Japan Expert
Reviewed By TwaWal123 - Tacoma, WA | Traveled to Japan | East and Southeast Asia
Eri was terrific in her recommendations and booking for a Japanese trip. I was so impressed, I am having her assist with another trip in 2026.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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So helpful!
Reviewed By Sarah - Tacoma, WA | Traveled to Southeast Asia | East and Southeast Asia
Eri was so helpful helping us plan our girls trip to Singapore and Vietnam. We had no idea where to start, just knew we wanted to go to SE Asia! Eri was super flexible during the planning process, accommodating changes in plans and allowing us to have as much freedom with the trip as we wanted, while also doing the work to make sure everything went smoothly. It was really nice to have someone in our corner to deal with unexpected changes while we were on the trip too!! Overall, highly recommend using Eri for your travel needs!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Dream Japan Vacation!
Reviewed By M. Kelly - New Jersey | Traveled to Japan | East and Southeast Asia
Thank you Eri again for all your help in planning our dream vacation, it was everything we imagined and so much more! We truly wouldn't have changed a thing! All of our accommodations were wonderful, especially the hotel in Fujiyoshida with the private onsen! We got incredibly lucky and Mt. Fuji started peeking out of the clouds as soon as we arrived and stayed in clear view until we left the next morning. I’m so happy I finally got to cross that off my bucket list! The tours you recommended were also some of the highlights of our trip! My husband LOVED the sumo show, and on our tour in Kyoto we saw several real geisha, it was so cool! Thank you again for making this trip so amazing, exciting, and stress-free. We’ll definitely reach out when we start planning our next vacation!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Great Florida trip with my daughters!
Reviewed By DCSBPB - Tacoma, WA | Traveled to Orlando | Florida | USA
Ari listened and tailored a Universal Orlando trip fitting all of our needs. She was patient with our requested changes and dumb questions. And she kept our budget in mind as well. Highly recommend.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Trip of a lifetime!
Reviewed By Ginger - Gig Harbor, WA | Traveled to Japan | East and Southeast Asia
It was a trip of a lifetime!!! We especially enjoyed Kyoto and our food tour you booked for us was another highlight. Also the Machiya in Kyoto was our favorite of all the places we stayed. I especially enjoyed the traditional breakfast there. We really appreciate all her help and advice! We will be returning customers as soon we are ready to travel again!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Repeat Customer!!
Reviewed By Michelle - Polson, MT | Traveled to Seattle | Washington | USA
We have worked with Eri multiple times over the years and she is wonderful!!! Eri is incredibly thoughtful, detail oriented, and insured that we had a wonderful trip every single time. Her attention to detail is unmatched! Will definitely use her services again!!!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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A trip we will never forget!
Reviewed By Amanda O - Washington, D.C. | Traveled to Tokyo | Japan | East and Southeast Asia
My work trip to Australia coincided with our 14th wedding anniversary, so my husband and I contacted Eri to make the best of a "long layover" (i.e., a 9 day stay) in Tokyo to celebrate. We came with a long list of wants (shopping! onsen! food! Edo-era architecture! summiting Mt. Fuji!) and, with deference to our budget, she came up with a full and absolutely ideal itinerary.
Activities were perfectly spaced out to give us time for leisure, and our guided tours were informative and fun and catered to our interests. Eri selected an affordable hotel with everything we needed close to all of the things we wanted to do. Eri, intuiting that we would be sore after our overnight hike, even booked us into a beautiful hotel with a private onsen in view of Mt. Fuji. We soaked our pains away, and picked up our adventure refreshed.
What impressed me most were her constant communication, quick responses, and anticipation of needs we didn't even consider. For instance, we were to arrive in Tokyo extremely early in the morning, and would have needed to battle the trains with large luggage during rush hour. Just before our flight, she reached out to help us with a timed pickup service instead--it made the trip so much easier, and we would not have thought of it ourselves! I have planned so many of my own trips (even to Japan), and am used to small things going awry; I've accidentally booked hotels without air conditioning, or without laundry services, or for the wrong days. Traveling in Japan is also hard for foreigners, even ones who speak some of the language. Eri navigated the planning flawlessly. All of our needs and wants were answered to, and we had many more opportunities and experiences than we could have found for ourselves. We highly recommend Eri for travel planning, to Japan or anywhere, and we look forward to the next trip we book with her!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Trip of a lifetime!
Reviewed By Joan - Mountain View, CA | Traveled to Japan | East and Southeast Asia
Thanks so much for helping arrange such a fascinating and interesting trip for us all! We got to see and do so much in the 3 weeks we spent in Japan. We really enjoyed the guides as well as the food tours and the tea ceremony you had arranged for us. It was also helpful having a private driver to and from the airport, as well as in Hakone. The guides were great and always willing to adjust the itinerary to our interests. This was a trip of a lifetime, and the perfect way to celebrate our son’s bachelor’s and master’s degree completion as well as our 25th wedding anniversary! Thank you again so much, Eri!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Japan Adventures!
Reviewed By Jkeane1219 - Des Moines, WA | Traveled to Japan | East and Southeast Asia
Eri's exceptional service allowed my husband and I to take our daughter on a dream graduation trip to Japan! We were there for 12 days and Eri helped coordinate all of the details to ensure a smooth trip! We stayed in 4 separate hotels, so that we could experience different areas and parts of the culture. This also required transportation reservations and recommendations to get us to and from where we needed to go. She also made suggestions for excursions and things to check out while we were there. Based off of our selections, Eri carefully booked activities for us and provided us with all of the info in an easy to navigate app. Before going, both my husband and daughter were nervous about not speaking Japanese or knowing some of the cultural norms, but having Eri prepare us and provide so many logistical details helped so much. Some highlights were: TeamLab Planet, a Sumo experience luncheon, Kyoto walking tour, numerous shrines and temples, riding the bullet train, walking the Osak
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Easiest trip ever!
Reviewed By Nicole - Seattle | Traveled to Universal City | California | USA
I am not a fan of travel plans at all!!!!! I was so excited to work with Eri for the first time. She listened to my wants/needs, gave me just enough options to not overwhelm me and truly took all the stress off of me. She communicated clearly all my options the once I decided she took care of everything. She booked our flights, hotel and gave us every bit of info we may need. How to get from the airport to the hotel, shuttle info for the attractions, even the bag restrictions for the theme park. She is already working on our next trip. I will definitely continue working with Eri for all my future travels.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Best trip ever!!!
Reviewed By Nessa - Washington | Traveled to Japan | East and Southeast Asia
Eri had out trip planned out perfectly. I had adventures tailored just to me and my experience to Japan was so exciting and rewarding! We had seen things most people don't get to experience--tea ceremony, Geisha experience, even a person tour guide. She really listened to my wants and totally came through. When planning a trip, Eri's your person, you will not be disappointed. Excellent job!!!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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A Once in a Lifetime Trip, Made Even Better By the
Reviewed By MegQJ - Seattle, WA | Traveled to Tokyo | Japan | East and Southeast Asia
Japan was INCREDIBLE, and our time there was made even more special by Eri's excellent recommendations!
In brief, the food, the scenery, and the weather were all so beyond our wildest dreams. When I consulted with Eri on our planned itinerary, she made some great suggestions as to several day-trips we could take outside of Tokyo to maximize our time in Japan, including sightseeing in Yokohama's Chinatown (delectable dim sum), and an overnight stay in Hakone (which was a real highlight of our trip). While in Hakone:
* The ryokan that Eri booked for us was perfect -- it was peaceful, and we loved our room. It was just the right size -- the ryokan didn't feel too flashy/touristy
* We did end up using the public onsen at the hotel... but no one else was present when we went, so we ended up having the space to ourselves (which was glorious)
* The DINNER -- oh my goodness! Eri wanted us to have an authentic kaiseki dining experience at a fair price point, but what she found for us was FANTA
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Awesome trip to Oahu Hawaii!!
Reviewed By Jessy T - Tacoma Wa | Traveled to Oahu Island | Hawaii | USA
Eri helped us from the beginning to the end and made sure everything was taken care of for us down to the smallest details of my gluten allergy and finding different restaurants and calling ahead to the luau to let them know that I needed a gluten-free plate. She made things so simple and smooth and made us feel very secure with a trip that we were nervous about. I would recommend her to anybody and we plan to use her again in the future on our next major trip.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Amazing Antarctica
Reviewed By Anonymous - Oregon | Traveled to Antarctica | Antarctica
Eri was super helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and fun to work with. Great communicator with prompt responses to emails and she checks in with you to see how things are going. Reach out so she can help you plan that trip of a lifetime.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Eri Hayakawa is A+!
Reviewed By Kathi - Gig Harbor, WA | Traveled to Maui Island | Hawaii | USA
From the moment my husband and I met Eri to inquire about planning a trip to Hawaii to celebrate his major milestone birthday which would include our four grown daughters flying from different parts of the U.S., we appreciated her joyful enthusiasm, guidance, experience, and excellent communication skills.
The group package which Eri put together for us included flights, staying at one of the Westin hotels on Kaanapali Beach, airport shuttle, and an exciting luau.
Everything went flawlessly. All six of us had a fabulous, memorable time! We wholeheartedly recommend Eri for your next travel plans.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Much Improved Booking
Reviewed By Dave S - Gig Harbor | Traveled to Antarctica | Antarctica
I had booked an Antarctic Expedition directly with Viking but when I needed to make an adjustment, I consulted Eri. Not only did she facilitate the adjustment, but she secured a better booking at lower price and a cabin upgrade. Eri is very attentive and easy to work with. She starts with a "Can Do" attitude and gets the job done. I am definitely using Eri going forward.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Dream Trip a Reality
Reviewed By Jami - Pasco, Wa | Traveled to Greece | Europe
For twenty years my husband and I dreamed of traveling to Greece someday. Eri got word of that and kept her eyes open for a deal we couldn’t refuse! From the 7 day cruise through the isles, to the boutique hotels in Athens and Rome (yes we added a stop and extended our stay!), from the excursions to the flights, Eri helped us with every detail and personalized it to fit what we wanted. Without Eri, this trip would still be on our bucket list and just a dream.
The question above asks if I’d recommend Eri to a family member, and without hesitation the answer is a solid YES! In fact I have recommended her to my mom, my cousin, and several friends. This is a no-brainer. If you like to travel and don’t want to fret about the details, Eri is your girl!!
Eri Hayakawa responded
"Thank you so much for your kind words! I can't wait to work with you again in the near future!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Amazing California Adventure!
Reviewed By Liz K. - Gig Harbor, WA | Traveled to Universal City | California | USA
Eri made our trip to California/Universal Studios absolutely perfect! She gave us many options, worked with our budget and was so knowledgeable and thorough. The attention to detail was amazing! We had such a clear and organized itinerary for our trip, and when we wanted to adjust some things last minute she jumped in and fixed it all for us. It was so nice to have someone else put in the work of organizing our trip so we didn’t have to spend time researching hotels/park passes etc and instead could focus on the fun! Everything was so smooth throughout the trip. What made the experience even more enjoyable was how friendly, attentive, and enthusiastic Eri was. We will absolutely be working with her on our next trip!
Eri Hayakawa responded
"Thank you for your amazing feedback! I'm thrilled to hear that your trip to Universal Studios was a blast and everything you'd hoped for. It’s a place filled with magic and adventure, and I'm glad you were able to immerse yourself in all the fun and excitement! Crafting a perfect itinerary that captures all the joy and thrills of Universal Studios is something I love to do, and knowing you had a fantastic time makes it all worthwhile. I look forward to working with you on your next adventure!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Easiest trip ever!
Reviewed By Ham - Seattle, WA | Traveled to Japan | East and Southeast Asia
Eri is the best! It was my first trip to Japan (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka) and she helped me navigate it all. I had to match my extended family’s plans that were already set and she was able to complete all the bookings for me. I was amazed by the detailed itinerary she set. She had a ton of suggestions and we were able to discuss and narrow down what would be the best experience for me. She had very helpful tips and knowledge that were useful too. Directed me to apps and guides that would help me get my way around. Eri is with you every step of the way. As soon as I landed, she had detailed instructions on what and where I needed to go. It was a breeze. I’m so grateful for the trip that Eri helped me plan and I would go back to her time and again!
Eri Hayakawa responded
"Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful experience! I'm thrilled to hear that your trip to Japan was everything you hoped for and more. It's a spectacular destination with so much to offer, and I’m delighted that you enjoyed every moment of it. Your positive words mean a lot to me... thank you!! At Travel Leaders - Travel Center Inc., we strive to craft unique travel experiences that cater to your personal travel dreams! Looking forward to helping your next vacation soon!"
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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