Japan from North to South

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 each accommodation.
• Pets are not allowed.
• This tour is subject to change due to circumstances such as 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 before departure
  • Your documents (including your Japan Rail Pass) & pocket wifi will be sent directly to your first hotel in Japan.
• In very rare cases, mostly in very high season, 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 £1.37/$1.93) 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 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 valid in the Japan Experience house in Kyoto nor in the ryokans (on individual futons).
• 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. However we 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 provided. Hotels, corresponding to local standards, are given as an indication and may be sunstituted for hotels of a similar category.
• In the ryôkan, guests sleep on comfortable futons placed on the tatami mat. The room has a private sink and toilet. As is customary in Japanese ryôkan, the onsen bathroom is shared (not mixed) unless you take the ""private bathroom in the room"" option.
  OPTIONAL: Enjoy a private bathroom (japanese or western) in your room, not an onsen bath. This option is recommended for mixed couples, families, people who are modest or have visible tattoos.
  The 4* ryôkan (see 4* option) have comfortable futons raised on either western beds in a traditional tatami room. The bathrooms and toilets of the 4* ryôkan are private.
• Bedroom on the ferry to Hokkaido: a standard room has 2 bunk beds, a TV and small bathroom. No porthole. There is an option for a higher quality room with balcony - please contact us.
• All lodgings have at least one Japanese tatami room and are equipped with a minimum of 3 beds, either in a single western bed (not double) or on a futon. Please let us know when booking if you want to sleep in a western bed.
• Traditional house in Kyoto: each house has been chosen for its location (transport, shops, temples...) to improve your stay. Most of them are either located in the historical district of Gion, or on the edge of the Path of Philosophy and the Silver Temple. All lodgings have at least one Japanese tatami room and are equipped with a minimum of 3 beds, either in a single western bed (not double) or on a futon. Please let us know when booking 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 presented on this page relate to your stay in Japan. You will arrive in Japan through Shin Chitose International Airport (Sapporo, CTS) and depart from Ishigaki International Airport (ISG). Initially, you will have to leave the day before from Europe and land at 7pm maximum to benefit from airport services. On the other hand, the return is made the same day taking into account the favorable time difference. Please consult us for any uncertainty or need for clarification on the choice of international flights. Please note for outward and return flights : you will have to make a change in Tokyo, Helsinki or one of the main cities in Asia. In Tokyo and Seoul, please check that the transit airports are the same. It happens that Ishigaki -> Tokyo and Ishigaki -> Seoul flights land at different airports (Tokyo Haneda HND or Seoul Gimpo GMP) from those from which international flights take off to reach Europe (Tokyo Narita NRT or Seoul Incheon ICN ). The domestic flight Fukuoka -> Ishigaki is included in your offer, either direct or with 1 stopover. 1 piece of checked baggage is accepted.
• If the flights have been purchased by you, independently of Japan Experience, please provide your flight information (flight number, airport, date and time of arrival) at least one month before departure, to allow us organise your welcome and airport transfer.
• Included in your tour is a pre-charged transport prepayment card of ¥ 1,500 (around £7 / $8) (Suica or Pasmo brand); a Hakone Free Pass 2 days, a Japan Rail Pass 14 days and flight tickets for the journey from Fukuoka > to Naha. These should cover a large part of your travels during the stay. After the ¥1,500 Transport Card runs out, 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).
• The Japan Rail Pass is a personal train pass for foreign travellers who wish to visit Japan. This 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 addresses provided in your travel guide). You will be asked to show your passport and fill in a form. During this exchange, you will 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, you are requested to exchange your voucher upon arrival in Tokyo City. This is because exchanging it at the airport could delay your airport shuttle. With your Japan Rail Pass in hand, just go to the station, show your pass to the ticket inspector at the entrance gates and board any JR train. Trains in Japan are almost all 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 in the cities (payable by pre-paid transport card, included in your package)
  • Transfers from the train station to the hotels (by foot, bus, metro or taxi)
  • Travel on private train lines (other than JR)
  • Travel on Nozomi and Mizuho high-speed trains (Shinkansen - an extra fee is required)
  • Trips made outside the validity period of the Japan Rail Pass
• Japan Rail Pass: It is not necessary to possess a Japan Rail Pass which covers your entire stay. This is only cost-effective if it is used for long journeys between the different stages of your stay (especially in 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: £1.75 / $2.45; Kyoto daily bus card: £4.30 / $6). Thus, providing you with a Japan Rail Pass for more than 14 days (21) would not be cost-effective and, on the contrary, would significantly increase the cost of your trip.
• If a person taking part in the tour is a Japanese national and a resident of Japan, or a foreigner with tax residence in Japan (including a student), then that person is not eligible for the Japan Rail Pass. Please contact us to get the price of the tour without a Japan Rail Pass. They will have to buy the train tickets for the tour directly in Japan. The Kansai Thru Pass is also subject to the same nationality/residency requirements. This is not the case for the Hakone Free pass. If this person 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)
• Travel by boat to Hokkaido: the ferry leaves at 5pm from Otaru harbour, located 2.5 km from the central station. You can travel on foot, by local bus or by taxi at your own expense. There is a large waiting room where you can wait for the ferry. The ferry has a restaurant, theatre and spa, which are available at no extra charge. Unfortunately, people with visible tattoos are not permitted in the spa. When the ferry arrives the next afternoon, a shuttle bus (to be paid for locally) will be waiting to drive you to JR Niigata station. If the ferry from Niigata is not available, we will provide you with a ferry from Tomakomai (1 hour 20 south of Sapporo, accessible by JR train) to Oarai, 1.5 hours from Tokyo (included in your offer). Same transportation time. No surcharge.

Your activities :

• 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 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 in your travel pack. Dinner is not included, but your guide will be able to recommend the best places to eat.

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 breakfast to your offer when you make your reservation, you can select it as an option.
• Traditional Japanese dinner and Japanese breakfast (savoury) are included in both of your ryokan. Do not hesitate to indicate any dietary requirements you may have, we will pass them on to the accommodations so that they can take them into account when planning the meals. If the accommodation cannot 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.
• Meals on the ferry to Hokkaido are served in the large restaurant. They are optional, in the form of a buffet and must be paid for on the spot.

Your additional services:

• A pocket WiFi is included in your tour. It allows unlimited high-speed internet access. Your Pocket WiFi will be given to you at the airport of arrival.
• It comes with a small booklet to operate your device (don't panic: it's simple) and a prepaid envelope to return your device at the end of your stay. Your pocket wifi will work until the last day of your trip.
• A maximum of 5 devices can be connected to one pocket wifi at once (phone, tablet, computer...).
• 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.