The Japan Alps

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 are 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 on 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 tour. However, we cannot always guarantee a baby cot in every accommodation.
• Pets are not allowed.
• The tour itinerary is subject to change due to weather conditions, or any other case of force majeure. Please note that any information mentioned may be subject to change or modification.
• Your travel documents will be given to you as follows:
  • Travel diary by email at least 20 days before departure, as well as other electronic documents
  • Paper documents (airport transfer ticket, transportation card, Japan Rail Pass voucher) and Pocket WiFi upon arrival at the airport by our airport assistant.
• No ticket is provided for airport transfers to Kansai airport. The reservation is booked in the name you provided when booking with us.
• In very rare cases, mostly in very high season, the tour steps might be reversed. You will be informed in your 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's included in the 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 a single room, between 10 and 16m2 (107sq ft and 172 fq ft). For more comfort, you can choose our luxury 4* accommodation upgrade option.
• 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. This option is not possible in the Kanazawa traditional house accommodation.
• 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 all 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 all 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 (over 5 people), it's possible, depending on hotel availability, that not all members of the group will be accommodated in the same hotel. Of course we will aim 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 booked. Hotels, corresponding to local standards, are given as an indication only and may be changed on site for hotels of a similar standard.
• In a ryokan, guests sleep on comfortable futons on tatami mats. Rooms have 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.
  OPTIONAL: Enjoy a private Japanese bathroom in your room. This option is recommended for mixed couples, families, people who are modest or have visible tattoos.
  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.
• In the minshuku, you will sleep on comfortable futons in tatami rooms. WC and bathrooms are shared. The bath can be made private on request at reception (subject to availability).
• Traditional house in Kanazawa: each house has been chosen for its location (transport, shops, temples...) for your convenience. All lodgings have at least one Japanese tatami room and a minimum of 3 beds, either single western bed (not double) or futon. Please let us know if you want to sleep in a western bed.

Your transport :

• Flights are not included in this tour. Please contact us if you would like to include flights in your order: 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 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 6:30pm. at the latest to make the most of the airport services of your tour (welcome and transfer to Tokyo).
  The return flight should be on the same day due to the time difference, departing 9am at the earliest. Please consult us if you need advice on your choice of international flights.
• If the flights have been purchased by you, independently of Japan Experience, you must send us your flight information (flight number, airport, date and time of arrival) at least one month in advance to allow us organise 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 unaccompanied. If you prefer 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 travelers 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 may be made before your hotel. If you would like a private, non-stop transfer directly after the actual arrival of your flight, please select the "Private Taxi from the Airport" option. Please note that due to the many changes in airline flight schedules, if your airline notifies you of a change in arrival time less than 72 hours before your departure, and it is over 45 minutes, we cannot guarantee your airport transfer. You will then have to take a taxi at your own expense, requesting a refund from your airline due to the schedule change. 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 requested from your airline being the only solution. Japan Experience is not responsible for last minute schedule changes. On the way back, the shared shuttle bus leaves from your hotel or very close by to take you directly to Kansai airport (KIX) in 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Included in your tour is a pre-charged transport card of loaded with ¥1,500 (around £8 / $10) (Suica or Icoca brand); a Japan Rail Pass 14 days, a Fuji Hakone Pass 3 days, bus tickets for Takayama > Shirakawago and bus tickets for Shirakawago > Kanazawa. These cards and passes should cover a large part of your trips during the stay. After the ¥1,500 on your transport card runs out, or if the line you are travelling on is not covered by any of your passes, your travel will be at your own expense by recharging your pre-paid transport card (at ticket machines in all stations and metro stations, cash only).
• The Japan Rail Pass is a personal train pass for foreign travellers visiting Japan. The pass allows unlimited travel for 14 consecutive days on all Japan Railways (JR) trains throughout Japan. You will receive a voucher to be exchanged at a JR office when you are welcomed at the airport by our assistant (list of office locations provided in your travel guide). You will be asked to show your passport and fill in a form. During this exchange, you will need to select the start date of your pass. Once your Pass has been activated, it will be valid for 14 consecutive days from the date chosen. To prevent wasting time when you arrive at the airport, we recommend exchanging your voucher upon arrival in central Tokyo. This is because exchanging it at the airport could cause you to miss your airport shuttle. With your Japan Rail Pass in hand, just go to the station, insert the pass in the ticket gate (or show it to the ticket inspector at the gate) and board any JR train. Non-express trains in Japan are mostly open seating. If you are worried about not having a seat (on a Shinkansen for example), simply go to a ticket office and reserve a seat at no extra charge. The Japan Rail Pass covers all JR and Shinkansen lines in Japan. The following journeys are not covered:
  • Travel by metro and bus within cities (payable by pre-paid transport card, included in your package)
  • Transfers from the train station to your hotels (by foot, bus, metro or taxi)
  • Travel on private train lines (non-JR lines)
  • Travel on Nozomi and Mizuho high-speed trains (Shinkansen). It is possible to take these trains but a supplement fee is required
  • Trips made outside the validity period of your Japan Rail Pass
• Japan Rail Pass: It is not necessary to have a Japan Rail Pass which covers your entire stay. This would only be only cost-effective if used for long journeys between the different locations of your stay (especially on the Shinkansen), which are very expensive. In large cities like Tokyo, only about ⅓ of public transport is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and getting around is relatively cheap (Tokyo metro tickets: £1/$2; Kyoto daily bus card: £3.50/$5). So providing you with a Japan Rail Pass for 21-days instead of 14 would not be cost-effective and would actually significantly increase the cost of your trip.
• If a person taking part in the tour is a Japanese national and resident of Japan, or a foreigner living in Japan (including students), then that person is not eligible for a Japan Rail Pass. Please contact us to get the price of the tour without a Japan Rail Pass. They will have to buy train tickets for the journeys on the spot in Japan. The Kansai Railway Pass is also subject to the same nationality/residency requirements. This is not the case for the Hakone Free Pass. If someone is a Japanese citizen but NOT a resident of Japan, then he/she can benefit from the Japan Rail Pass under certain conditions (contact us for details).

Your activities :

• The airport reception is in English. Your airport assistant will be waiting for you at the customs exit holding a sign with the name you provided when booking. 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 Kanazawa. 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 Matsumoto tour lasts around 4 hours and includes a samurai experience. Please note that the tour will be in English if your group is made up of travellers of different nationalities. More details on the meeting point will be in your travel pack. Dinner is not included, but your guide will be able to recommend the best places to eat.
• The activity "Cycling through the Japanese countryside" is a group activity (with a maximum of 8 participants), so you may enjoy the company of other travellers, and it lasts 3 hours. All participants, including children, must have cycling experience. Children under 135cm (too small for their own bike) in child seats, can benefit from a half price child ticket.
• The guided tour of Gion lasts around 2 hours and starts at 7pm. Please note that the tour will be conducted in English if your group is made up of travellers of different nationalities. More details on the meeting point will be in your travel pack. Dinner is not included, but your guide will be able to recommend the best places to eat.

Your meals :

• Any breakfasts not included in your tour package can usually be added at the reception when you check in at the hotel. However, you will find many cafés near your hotel serving good breakfasts, often better (and less expensive) than those in the hotels, which sometimes have tight schedules and are predominantly savoury. If you would like to add all breakfasts to your tour when you make your booking, you can add it as an option. NOTE: breakfasts will be at your own expense in the Japan Experience traditional houses in Kanazawa.
• Traditional Japanese dinner and Japanese breakfast (mostly savoury) are included in your Tsumago and Kaga Onsen stays. Please provide any dietary requirements you may have, we will pass them on to the accommodation so that they can take them into account when planning the meals. If the accommodation cannot take any of the 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 the device at the end of your stay. Your pocket wifi will work until the last day of your tour.
• A maximum of 5 devices can be connected to one pocket wifi (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 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.