My son and I went on the Japan Adventure Tour (JJA) and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Our Tour Leader - Bob (can't remember surname) was a knowledgeable host and although rushed at times ensured we saw all the interesting sites and informed us of other things in and around the areas visited. His role was to take us to places of interest as opposed to staying with the group each and every day. It was made clear to us where and when to meet when it was time to move on to a different location. We had a small group of 7 which was nice and we spent most of our time travelling around together but you have the option of doing your own thing if you choose to, I would recommend Tucan Tours and have already done so to friends and people I work with.