bunster wrote:

Packed with us what we considered
essential guidebooks and a few printouts from JNTO's website.

It seems like JNTO's website is a big favorite among the posters here!
=) Which guidebooks did you like besides LP?

Overall, the experience of planning this trip on our own was fun.
One
big plus is that we are on our own time and not someone elses. The
risk we saw with a package tour is the possibility of being in a
group
with less than desirable travelmates.

So, depending on how locked in you are with this package tour, it
wouldn't hurt to check out an "independent" tour.

I really had a hard time deciding on this... but I realized our "tour
days" really only consist of two half-days... I hope it turns out all
right! But you are right, I am having a blast reading all the recs on
this thread, and planning the trip! =) The price seemed really
good(altho we didn't have time to schedule a ryokan stay, b/c of the
tight schedule... sigh)

Incidentally, we're planning our next trip to Japan this coming
spring.
Cherry blossom season! So some places that are hot for cherry
blossoms are booked up. Keep that in mind. ;-)

We are going to be in Japan the exact same time!! early April!! =) I
think that's why I had a hard time booking the places I wanted. Will
you be visiting multiple cities? =)