Japan planning - help & tips please!!

tellmeaboutit

Hi all. My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Japan for May. Neither of us have been to Asia so naturally we are a bit nervous about bookings and making sure we are able to make our way around.

We went to trailfinders and they pretty much deterred us from going to Japan and suggested Vietnam -- we considered this and will definitely get there one day but really have our hearts set on Japan for this year so got in touch with another travel agent recommended by a friend.

I spoke with them and they sent me a proposal which includes 15 nights in Japan (generally 3 star hotels, for example Toyoko) altogether as follows (dinner inc at ryokans and breakfast at all):
5 in Tokyo
2 in Hakone - ryokan
5 in Kyoto
1 in Tsumago - ryokan
2 in Tokyo

All travel is included as well as the package includes a Pasmo card with 2500yen, a 14 day Japan rail pass, a 3 day Hakone freepass.

Also included as per my requests is an 8 hour private guide in both Tokyo and Kyoto (travel during the day not included though), 2 tickets to a Sumo match in Tokyo, 2 tickets to a cookery course in Kyoto, and 2 tickets to a dance show in Kyoto.

The total quote is for £3,792 (flights not included) or £1,896 each.

I priced hotels and am coming up with approximately €1500 in total for the nights listed above (just using tripadvisor/booking.com so not confirmed with hotels).

Do you think this quote is really high? and I should consider doing my own hotel bookings? I was thinking of asking the travel agent if they could help with everything else beside the hotel bookings as their service includes great detail on the areas and directions between them etc, plus includes access to their desk in Japan and I see these things as important since we are going to be there for the first time, but at the same time I don't want to be spending half our budget on it....

For those who have been or have insight, please can you help me and provide your advice? Thanks very much!

tfak85

Hi tellmeaboutit, we are also booking a Japan trip at the moment. We had a whole three week itinerary booked in 2011 but had to cancel for risk of radiation.

To be honest I don't find trailfinders that good in relation to Japan, we popped into them last week, just to see what was on offer. Their responses were fairly limited and a bit confusing "we do bespoke tours for people, so you should try and fit in with one of our bespoke tours".

If you are Ireland based I would highly recommend contacting Unique Japan Tours. We dealt with her last time and have returned to her this time too, she is highly experienced in Japanese travel. She is very practical, to the point that we found our own flights, told her about them and she encouraged us just to book them ourselves, as she'd only do the same thing but with a fee added. She will work with your budget and give great advice, she can also set you up really well, giving you step by step guides for getting to and from the airport hotel etc., or even have someone meet you for a couple of hours and show you around.

From my own research I would suggest that 5 days in Kyoto is far too much, unless you have the JR pass and plan to travel elsewhere from there, using it as a base to explore Kansai.

We are also looking for tips from others with experience in Tokyo/japan travel, though we are only going for ten nights and our budget is limited enough!!

killbillvol2

That price is very high - it's simple to book hotels yourself.

Also there's very little thought gone into the itinerary they gave you. Why would you need a 14 day rail pass when you're in Tokyo for 7 days?

There's plenty to see in Kyoto for 5 days but again it's a waste of the rail pass.

Here's a thread from a couple of years ago - most of the info is still valid. It's easy to organise your own trip so you should consider it.

Yamanoto

It may be worth sounding out these folks (formerly Japan Travel Ireland) for a second opinion and see what they quote for a similar itinerary:

http://www.uniquejapantours.com/

Edit: tfak85 got there first (and has personal experience of them)

kerry4sam

Have you read this great thread over in our Travel Reports and Reviews forum. Some very helpful, detailed tips & advice in there also.

tellmeaboutit

thanks all! I read the older threads -- the trip report is really great and lots of good suggestions in the other thread as well. I did some research at the weekend and found some great hotel prices so might book them myself and get some travel assistance with transport inside Japan and also the tour guides / tickets etc.

Thanks for the advice on unique Japan as well- I had not come across them yet but will send along an email today and see where they come out. Hopefully will get the trip finalised soon so we can start looking forward to it!!!