how much free time will there be?

we are by nature not “tour people”--- we like our independence and free time to explore on our own. we have built the schedule as much free time as we can: each day at least a few hours---if not the whole day!---of complete down time. of course, we will suggest a whole range of activities for each town & provide you with maps, but you can decide whether or not to take 12 baths or go for a hike or take an optional cultural class like soba noodle making or taiko drumming. some folks opt to sleep in and miss breakfast, skip the hike and take a nap, while others join on every activity we can come up with! we like to stress that this is NOT a fully guided tour: according to condé nast traveler the correct term is an “escorted” tour. we escort you in your adventure and leave it up to you to fill your day as you please. in each small village we will give you a map we’ve made of our favorite baths, lunch spots, etc.... to help you navigate.

what kind of accomodations? futons or beds?

in the cities we will be staying in modern, western-style hotels, with beds instead of futons. once we reach the countryside, we will be staying in small, traditional japanese ryokans. often owned by one family for many generations, it is quite like staying in someone’s home. in these ryokan/inns you will mostly sleep on futons on tatami mats ON THE FLOOR, which some in our groups past have said are much more comfortable than a western bed. we can sometimes request a western-style bed for you, but cannot guarantee they will have one to offer (and there may be a charge for them bringing in beds for you if they have them). being able to get up and off the floor is a requirement when traveling to japan: not only will you most often sleep on the floor, but we do also sometimes dine while seated on the floor as well.

do i need a special visa or immunizations for japan?

in the past, no immunizations or special precautions were needed for travel to japan—-however, in our new covid reality this has changed. currently for our 2022 tours the government will require proof of 3 vaccinations. a good site to visit for the current requirements is the japan national tourist organization web site for all the details about traveling to japan you could ever imagine: www.jnto.org

what’s the deal about smoking in japan?

japan is still a country of smokers, but it is getting much much better. we have chosen the restaurants that we have included in the tour because we love the food, and by reserving a section for a group we can guarantee that at least our space is as non-smoking as possible if not completely non-smoking. as far as the inns we will be staying at, we have requested non-smoking, and they expect us to be a bit picky about this. they generally air out the futons after each guest, but there may be times when we will have to switch rooms because of this. thankfully trains and transport are all non-smoking places now in japan. if you are a heavy smoker, we request that you do not join our tour as we attract mostly health-conscious folks who have in the past been physically challenged by the rare smoker who traveled with us. i personally am allergic to smoke, so having someone reeking of smoke get on our bus or train car can really cause me and others to suffer. update: because of the olympics, the japanese government has changed the laws a bit to favor non-smokers! many restaurants now do not allow smokers inside!

do you have a single supplement? what about solo travelers?

while we used to match roommates (with much success over 15 years until the ill-fated trip of 2019) we are no longer assuming the liability for this service. we completely believe in and love solo travel----and in fact have met some of our best friends and repeat travelers when they joined us as solo guests. we will provide solo travelers with a single supplement price upon request, but by far the most affordable option is to bring your own roommate. japanese countryside inns basically charge double for single occupancy, unfortunately. in the cities it is much easier and affordable for solo travelers to have their own room.

what about vegetarians or food allergies?

in japan it is quite rare to have food allergies, and they do think we westerners are rather silly about ours. through the years, though, we have trained our favorite chefs to work with us so that we can accomodate most dietary restrictions/preferences——but ONLY if we are informed before travel begins. there is not much of a problem for the gluten intolerant or those with wheat allergies (daily rice instead of bread makes this easy). i count myself in the picky category, not being a fish eater and deathly allergic to shellfish, and i have learned how to work my way around it so traveling with us makes it easier than being on your own. (but please keep in mind that japan IS an island and fish is their main staple, a culinary recurring theme!) we will try our best to work with your allergies, but there may be times that the only option may be convenience store nuts, cheese and crackers! on our last trip we had a strict vegetarian along who was surprised at how well each inn took the care to make him special dishes. please let us know your concerns well ahead of time so we can make arrangements. also, you should be aware that unless we are made aware of your needs at least a month before departure, we will NOT be able to change the menus at the small inns at the last minute. these inns specialize in seasonal, local food, some of it cured and pickled far in advance, and are unable to make last minute changes.

how is/was traveling in japan during the covid pandemic?

current social norms in japan have everyone wearing masks pretty much everywhere, indoors & out. we will be expected to wear them when indoors pretty much all the time unless it is just our group together, but especially on public transportation. we ask that you respect the local culture by wearing masks when around others. it is not as easy to get covid testing in japan as it is here in the US, so i would recommend bringing a few rapid home test kits to keep with you in case you start to feel puny. as of 2024, no problems associated with this at all (crossing fingers it doesn’t come back!!)

what happens if i contract covid while traveling in japan?

traveling with some rapid home test kits will give you peace of mind should you start to feel sick. the current protocol (as of 9/26/22) in japan is that those who test positive must isolate for 7 days. of course, when traveling from town to town, hotel to hotel, on a tour this is not possible. those who test positive will be asked to stay in either the current lodging or at a hotel that accepts quarantine needs. we are researching options for this in each town we visit, just in case. this is one main reason to purchase travel insurance to cover your quarantine bills.

why do you require proof of travel insurance?

unfortunately we’ve learned the hard way that insurance is a necessity——especially during the times of covid, and also when traveling to a country that is prone to many natural disasters! we have many tales to tell of people having to leave the tour for medical evacuations, or because of a death in the family——or just not making it to japan at all. we want you to be protected, health-wise, as well as financially. you can research different insurance plans at www.insuremytrip.com or talk to your current insurance provider.

accessibility issues in japan?

japan is not the most enlightened when it comes to accommodating travelers with disabilities. we will be traveling through the deep, rural countryside where train stations and inns may not have elevators or escalators, which is also why we advise everyone to travel as lightly as possible. pathways and walking paths in japan are not evenly paved, so you must be able to traverse uneven surfaces. there are always steps that do not have ramps, both in public places and in inns and restaurants. our tours also walk quite long distances through train stations, airports, etc… so you must be able to get around easily in order to keep up with the group. please contact us in advance so that we can best advise you.

are tattoos a problem in hot springs?

in the big cities, there are large bathhouses where signs are posted to keep out people with tattoos. but in the countryside, mostly people live and let live and are merely curious about the big white guy with all the ink! for those who are new to this subject: in japan, tattoos have a connotation of belonging to the yakuza, or criminal underworld. the city spas strive to be “family oriented” and many japanese people still hold on to this stereotype even though we are a) obviously NOT japanese gangsters, and b) there is a growing popularity of tattoo among younger japanese folk. incidentally, we have been talking to the japanese government about this issue. when asked what japan can do to make itself more open and easy to foreign travelers, we always respond with this as an example.

what should i pack?

i send out a custom packing list about 6 weeks before travel. it will be fall, which means slightly chilly up in the higher mountains. and, since it is japan, there will always be a chance of rain. the most important suggestion: pack light. pack lighter than you ever have. we are traveling deep into the country, where roads can be rough tracks and stations little more than stops on the line. try not to bring more than you can carry----you will need only clothes for the week, and most days and nights you will be in the hotel-provided robes for bathing, wandering around the village, and even to dinners (trust us: this saves on laundry needs considerably). our “home base” hotels in narita and tokyo each have coin laundry facilities for those who need it (approx. 3 dollars per load to wash, 3 dollars to dry) and there will be opportunities along the tour for you to do your laundry en route. people on all of our past tours have commented that they needed much less than they thought they did/packed. please read the next section about our luggage restrictions.

how much luggage am i allowed?

you are responsible to check with your international airline regarding your baggage limits, but, again: pack light! you will really need only an overnight bag or carry-on-sized rolling case–––i promise you that you will simple enjoy yourself more the less you have to lug around and pack/re-pack while we are on the move. you definitely need to bring much less than you think, since most days you will be wandering around the villages from bath to bath and even eating breakfast and dinner in your cotton yukata robe! i will send a recommended packing list pre-travel for each tour that can help you with your packing questions.

please note that japan is a very densely packed country, and their trains, buses, and even rooms are just not equipped to handle 15-18 tourists toting giant suitcases. be prepared that trains and shuttle buses simply do not have storage space for anything larger than a carry-on size suitcase––and you must be able to lift it into overhead bin/shelf space or be prepared to sit with it on your lap or by it it’s own train ticket. 

NOTE: beginning in march of 2020, large suitcases (anything that can NOT fit in the overhead rack) will NOT be allowed on japanese trains. you will not be able to leave your suitcase at the end of the car behind the last seats as in the past. if you bring a suitcase larger than a carry-on, you will be forced to send your luggage via courier service instead (which comes with a two day delay until you are reunited with your bag, at a charge of $50 per bag) or purchase a reserved seat for your bag. because of this new rule, if you bring a suitcase larger than fifty pounds or 24 inches you WILL be required to ship your luggage via the local courier service at $50 per suitcase per travel leg, which we will arrange for you at the first hotel. if you try to take a large suitcase along, you will be fined at each leg of the train travel, forced to buy your bag its own seat, and hold up the group in doing so. trust us: you do not want the wrath of the group turned on for being “that person” who tries to schlep three bags, always holding everyone up, losing things, getting in everyone’s way. 

we have tried to be reasonable about this in the past, but still some travelers insist on showing up with the biggest suitcase they could find. one note: you can leave a large bags/items behind in the narita  “home base” hotel while we are out in the country, and then be reacquainted with it each time we return to narita. i use this free and safe service for my carry-on needs that i don’t need in country but rather only on the plane. i also ship souvenirs from each town back to the narita hotel for my departure, to fill that large suitcase.