Nature and Tradition of Japan

Your tour :

• The prices displayed on this page may vary according to the exchange rate of the Japanese yen.
• Unfortunately, this tour is not accessible to people with reduced mobility.
• Children and babies accepted. From 3 to 11 years old a child rate is offered. In each accommodation, a standard adult bed will be offered to them, and a standard seat will be allocated to them in transport. From 0 to 2 years old inclusive, a "baby" rate is offered. This price corresponds to the allocation of a cot in the majority of the accommodation of the chosen tour. However, we cannot guarantee a baby cot in every accommodation.
• Pets are not allowed.
• This programme may be subject to change due to weather conditions or any other case of force majeure. Please note that any information mentioned is subject to change or modification.
• Your travel documents will be given to you as follows:
  • Travel diary by email 3 weeks before departure, and other electronic documents.
  • Paper documents (airport transfer ticket, transportation card) and Pocket WiFi upon arrival at the airport by our airport assistant.
• There are no ticket for airport transfers to and from Kansai airport. The reservation is registered in the name of the tour reservation.
• In very rare cases, mostly in very high season, steps might be reversed. You will be informed in your mini travel-guide. Thanks for your kind understanding.

Your accommodation :

• Some hotels may ask you to pay a tourist tax on arrival. This depends on the city and even the hotel, as some do not include it in the booking price. Normally, it is ¥200/night/person (about £1/$1.30) but can be slightly higher in 4* hotels. It must be paid in cash at the hotel reception. For traditional Japan Experience accommodations, it is included in the initial tour price.
• Room size: in Japan, a densely populated country where everything is compact, 3-star hotels are of very good quality but the rooms are often quite small (12 to 20m2/129 sq ft to 215 sq ft) depending on the hotel. Please note the size of the single room, between 10 and 16m2 (107sq ft and 172sq ft). For more comfort, you can choose our luxury 4* accommodation upgrade option. (This option is only valid for the hotel in Tokyo, not for the traditional accommodation in Kyoto).
• Double room: Rooms for two people in western hotels have 2 single beds (twin rooms) by default, which can usually be joined together. As an option, you can select a double room instead of a twin if you prefer a double bed.
• Single room: People travelling alone and wishing to book a single room must pay a supplement at the time of booking. The single room supplement is compulsory for orders with an odd number of participants. Please note that if you request more than two people in a single room, the single room supplement will be applied to all accommodation except for the ryokans (3 and 4*). In fact, as this is traditional accommodation, people with the same reservation are grouped together in spacious rooms for up to 5 people.
• 3-person room: If there are 3, 5 or more of you and you do not select the single supplement, a triple room will be allocated to you.
• In the case of a group order (> 5 people), it is possible, depending on hotel availability, that not all members of the group will be accommodated in the same hotel. Nevertheless, we will try to keep you as close as possible.
• Names of the hotels: The names given on the site are for information only. In the event of unavailability, a hotel of equivalent standing will be provided. Hotels, corresponding to local standards, are given as an indication and may be changed on site for hotels of a similar category.
• In the ryokan, guests sleep on comfortable futons placed on the tatami mat. The room has a private sink and toilet. As is customary in Japanese ryokan, the onsen bathroom is shared (not mixed sex) unless you select the "private bathroom in the room" option when booking.
  OPTIONAL: Enjoy a private Japanese bathroom (traditional or modern onsen) in your room. This option is recommended for mixed couples, families, people who are modest or have visible tattoos. The option is only valid for the ryokan in Nikko. The 4* ryokan (see 4* option) have comfortable futons raised on either western beds in a traditional tatami room. The bathrooms and toilets of the 4* ryokan are private.

Your transport :

• Flights are not included in this tour. Please contact us if you would like to include flights in your booking: Flights in economy class with stopovers or direct flights, eco-premium or business air upgrades, provincial departures or abroad: we will be able to advise you.
• The tour departure and end dates presented on this page relate to your stay in Japan. You will arrive in Japan via Tokyo (Narita or Haneda airports) and depart from Kansai airport (KIX, not Itami ITM). On departure, you will have to leave Europe the day before and land at 6:30 p.m. at the most to make the most of the airport services of your tour (reception and transfer to Tokyo).
  The return flight is on the same day due to the time difference. Please consult us for any uncertainty or need for advice with your choice of international flights.
• If the flights have been purchased by you, independent of Japan Experience, you must let us know your flight information (flight number, airport, date and time of arrival) at least one month in advance to allow us to organize your welcome and airport transfer.
• Airport Transfers: The shared limousine bus leaves from the airport and stops either in front of your hotel or at a stop within 1-15 minutes walk from your hotel. Our airport assistant in Tokyo will show you to the platform to take the airport transfer. The transfer to the hotel is unassisted. If you wish to be accompanied from the airport to your hotel reception, please choose the option "Accompanied Airport Transfer" when booking. The transfer is done in a shared shuttle or bus, with other clients leaving for the same hotel or a hotel close to yours. These transfers leave between 1.5 and 3 hours after your flight's scheduled arrival and stops can be made before your hotel. If you would like a private, non-stop transfer directly after the actual arrival of your flight, feel free to select the "Private Taxi from the Airport" option. Please note: due to the many changes in flight schedules by the airlines, if the airline notifies you of a change in arrival time less than 72 hours before your departure, and if it exceeds 45 minutes, we cannot guarantee your airport shuttle. You will then have to take a taxi at your own expense, requesting a refund from your airline for abusive schedule changes. The same applies to your return journey: 72 hours before your return flight, we cannot change the shuttle schedule. Similarly, you will have to take a taxi booked with the hotel, at your own expense, with reimbursement procedures with the airline company being the only solution. Japan Experience is not responsible for last minute schedule changes. The same applies to the return trip from Osaka to KIX airport.
• Included in your tour is a pre-charged transport card of ¥1,500 (around £8 / $10) (Suica or other brand), one Tokyo Subway Pass 3 days, one Nikko World Heritage Pass 2 days, Shinkansen tickets for the journey Tokyo > Kyoto (seats reserved in standard class), and a Kintetsu Rail Pass 5 days. These cards should cover a large part of your trips during the stay. After the ¥1,500 on your transport card is used up, or if the line you are travelling on is not covered by your Japan Rail Pass, any travel will be at your own expense by recharging the transport card (at ticket machines in all stations and metro stations, cash only).
• The 5-day Kintetsu Rail Pass gives you access to all private "Kintetsu" lines in Kyoto, Nara, Ise, Toba and Osaka. In addition, it gives you free access to buses in Nara and Toba/Ise. Thus, they will allow you, among other things, to travel from Nara to Ise and from Ise to Osaka. One of these two journeys (mainly the outward journey) will be by the Shimakaze train, the cost of which, subject to a supplement, is included in your tour package. The other trip will be by conventional train.

Your activities :

• Airport reception is in English. Your airport assistant will be waiting for you at the customs exit holding a sign with the name of the reservation. They will give you your travel documents and take you to your airport transfer. They will not accompany you to Tokyo (this is possible, but optional).
• An English speaking Travel Angel who is a specialist in Japan will be there to welcome you to your traditional house in Kyoto. They will give you the keys, explain how the house and its facilities work, give you a tour of the area (tourist sites, supermarkets, bike rental...) and answer all your questions. They will be available throughout your stay in case of any problems or questions.
• The meeting with the Ama divers of the Ise region will take place with our English-speaking partner, from 11:00am to 5:00pm. Details in your travel diary. Your offer includes boat trips, English-speaking guide, and a premium lunch. If you are prone to seasickness during the boat trips (for this activity: 2 times, 25 min), or if you have any food intolerances for the lunch, please let us know. We will provide you with the necessary advice and notify our partner if necessary.
• For the tea ceremony, you will be welcomed into an authentic tea room, and served by elegant Japanese ladies who have made the tea ceremony their way of life. You will taste traditional Japanese pastries (wagashi) and tea will be served in specially made pots. The exact location and time of your tea ceremony will be communicated to you at a later time. Please make sure to check your emails.

Your meals :

• Breakfasts which are not included in your package can be added at the reception when you arrive at the hotel. However, you will find many cafés near your hotel serving good breakfasts, often tastier than those in the hotels, which sometimes have tight schedules and are predominantly savoury. However, if you would like to add all breakfasts to your tour when you make your reservation, you can select it as an option when booking.
• Traditional Japanese dinner and Japanese breakfast (mostly savoury) are included in your Nikko tour. Please indicate any dietary requirements you may have, we will pass them on to the ryokan so that they can take them into account when planning the meals. If the ryokan does not take any of these dietary requirements into account, we cannot be held responsible and no compensation will be issued.
• Japan Experience houses come with a fully equipped kitchens and are located close to markets.

Your additional services:

• A pocket wifi is included in your tour. It provides unlimited high-speed internet access. Your Pocket WiFi will be given to you at the airport upon arrival.
• It comes with a small booklet to operate your device (don't panic: it's simple) and a prepaid envelope to return it at the end of your stay. Your pocket wifi will work up until the last day of your trip in Japan.
• A maximum of 5 devices can be connected to one pocket wifi at once (phone, tablet, computer etc).
• A single pocket wifi is provided for a tour booking of 1 to 5 people. For a booking of 6 people or more, a second pocket wifi will be added automatically and at no extra cost to your reservation.

A 35% deposit is required at the time of booking to confirm your reservation. The remaining balance must be paid in full no later than 35 days before the departure date.

In case of cancellation, the following fees apply:

• 15% for bookings canceled more than 35 days in advance
• 50% for cancellations between 35 and 21 days prior to the departure date
• 75% for cancellations between 20 and 8 days prior to the departure date
• 100% for cancellations within 7 days of the departure date

These fees are calculated on the total price of the tour, excluding insurance.