The Japan Experience - 10 Days

Frequently asked questions

• What fitness level is required to join this tour?

  This tour requires a reasonable level of fitness due to the amount of walking involved. There will be some days where you will be walking more than approximately 8-10km. Please bring appropriate footwear for this!

• Can I book the 14 day extension while on the 10 day tour?

  No, this tour must be booked in advance either online or with a travel agent. This tour is considered a different tour to the 10 Day trip so must be booked as an alternative option and not in conjunction with the 10 Day Tour.

• Do many people extend the trip beyond the initial 10 days?

  Yes, we’ve had lots of existing guests extend their stay after the 10 days and head to Hiroshima on their own. This new tour option was born out of demand. However, please note that the 14 Day Tour must be booked in advance to arriving in Japan and cannot be tagged onto the end of the 10 Day Tour.

• How much free time is there in Tokyo if I’d like to do some shopping & optional activities like Mario Kart?

  While there is free time allocated during our time in Tokyo to explore each area a little further, there isn’t enough free time for bigger activities unless you miss some of the inclusions. If you’d like to do the Mario Kart racing for example, we recommend you arrive earlier than day 1 to give yourself some extra time in Tokyo.

• Can I bring a suitcase on this trip & is there a luggage limit?

  We would highly recommend bringing no more than 15kg on this trip, and bringing a backpack instead of a suitcase if you can. You won’t need to carry your luggage around during daily excursions, but you will need to transport your luggage between each accommodation so we recommend packing as lightly as possible. The luggage limit on the Shinkansen (bullet train) is very strict. Bags over 160cm (height x width x length) need an advance reservation and bags over 251cm cannot be accommodated even with a reservation.

• Do we have to carry our luggage around with us each day? Is there a luggage delivery service on this trip?

  You will need to transport your luggage between accommodations, but during the day when out and about you can leave your luggage safely stored away at the hostel. We do not offer a luggage delivery service but our guide can direct where you need to go to do it yourself.

• I’m arriving at 9pm on day 1, will this be a problem?

  Arriving at 21:00 is not a problem at all, but you will miss the welcome dinner and night walk at Senso-ji Temple. Just be mindful that all public transport into the city stops running around midnight so keep this in mind if any of your flights are delayed. If this is the case, there is information in your welcome email about how to get into the city after midnight.

• Where should I fly into? Where do we spend the first night of the tour?

  You can fly into Narita International Airport (NRT) or Haneda International Airport (HND). It doesn’t matter which one you fly into. We don’t offer airport pick ups on this tour but we include incredible detailed information on how to get to the hostel from both airports in your welcome pack. The first night is at Sakura Hotel Nippori in Tokyo. You will be notified in the unlikely case that there are changes.

• Are we staying in hostels or hotels?

  Days 1, 2, 3 you will be in twins in a hotel, On day 4 you will be staying in multi-share accommodation in the mountain town of Hakone, day 5 in a multi-share accommodation in a temple. In Kyoto on days 6,7,8 you will have your own pod in a capsule Ryokan and in Osaka you will either be in twins or triples.

• We are travelling together, can we upgrade to have a private room for all nights?

  We cannot offer upgrades to our nights in Kyoto or our temple in Takayama (days 5,6,7,8) but for the rest of the tour you will be in twins!

• Can I book a single upgrade on this tour?

  We are unfortunately not able to offer a single supplement for our Japan tour, simply because it’s extremely difficult to find a single room, almost every room is a twin so it would essentially mean the guest would need to cover the cost of two people to be able to have a room to themselves. However, we will absolutely try and put you with another solo traveler.

• I’ve seen that we are staying in a temple, how are the facilities?

  We are staying in a temple for 1 night in the stunning town of Takayama. It is breathtaking and truly a once in a lifetime experience. We sleep on traditional tatami mats in multi-share accommodation (up to 9 people in 1 room) with a view of a Japanese garden and provide a mattress, sheet and pillow for all guests. The temple has excellent shared facilities and is centrally located.

• One of the things I want to do while in Japan is have a traditional onsen experience, is that included in this tour?

  While we don’t have an onsen experience included in our packages, there are opportunities to do this while on tour. While in Takayama there is some free time during which your tour guide can give you directions on how to reach the onsens in the area.

• How long do you have to explore Akihabara on the tour?

  You’ll have a couple of hours to explore the area before your tour guide takes the metro back to the accommodation, however you can always stay on longer in an area if you want to and your guide will give you clear instructions on using the public transport on your own.

• Is there much free time in each location?

  The itinerary in Tokyo is fairly packed, but you can always stay in an area for longer and return to the accommodation on your own if you would like to explore more. There’s some free time in Takayama to take advantage of the optional activities like archery or visiting an onsen. While there’s not much free time in Hakone or Osaka, in Kyoto you will have a half day free to explore on your own.

• Do we need to purchase a Japan Rail Pass?

  The Japan Rail Pass is not included and you don’t need to purchase one as we take care of all the transport for you. We try to use local transport for a more authentic experience.

• Can you cater for my dietary requirements on this trip?

  Due to the nature of cuisine in Japan, strict dietary requirements may be difficult to accommodate in some areas. Many of the broths/stocks which flavour much of Japanese food are not vegetarian/vegan friendly, and many meals contain either meat, fish, or egg elements. We recommend downloading the app “Happy Cow” and asking your tour guide for advice throughout the tour. You may also bring some snacks/supplements with you if necessary, but please note that Japanese customs can be very strict with medication so ensure you double check everything you bring.

• The tour doesn’t end in Tokyo, is the return to Tokyo included?

  For those wishing to return to Tokyo after the tour finishes in Osaka/Hiroshima there is the option to include the train cost in the ticket price. This is bookable by your agent at the time of booking or you can add it to your basket when booking on our website. Those guests who wish to book their return train journey whilst on the tour will need to arrange this as soon as possible as it does sell out, so we would recommend arranging this before you arrive.

• Does it matter what time I leave on day 10? I have booked my flight out of Tokyo for 8am on Day 10 is this ok?

  Leaving from Kansai Airport (Osaka) We recommend booking your flight after 9am since the earliest you can get to the airport via public transport is 6am and taxis are very expensive (~14,000Y+). Leaving from Itami Airport (Osaka) We recommend booking your flight after 9am since the earliest you can get to the airport via public transport is 6:15am and taxis are very expensive. Flying out of Tokyo We would not recommend flying internationally any earlier than 5pm. It takes 4 hours to reach Tokyo via bullet train, a further 1 hour to reach the airport and you’ll need to be there at least 3 hours earlier than your flight.

• Flight out of Tokyo for 8am on Day 10?

  Whilst it is ok, it isn’t ideal. The travel time from Osaka to Tokyo can take up to 4 hours with the airport a further 60 minutes away from central Tokyo. If you book a flight before 2pm on day 10, we recommend leaving the tour on day 9 and organising your own accommodation in Tokyo to catch your flight the next day.

• How is WiFi and data access on the trip?

  As Japan is a developed country, Wi-Fi and data access is excellent. All the hostels that we stay in have strong and consistent Wi-Fi. If you’d like to stay connected whilst on the road you can pick up a tourist sim card at the airport, these will cost you anywhere between $20-$40 for 2 weeks worth of data.

• How much spending money do I need for this tour?

  We would advise $600 AUD for the duration of the 10-day tour. This is a safe amount to cover lots on the tour, however you will have lots of opportunities to withdraw more cash throughout the trip.

• How long are the travel times?

  Whilst on the tour the longest travel time is around 4 hours. There will be a day where we will be on the train for 2-3 hours twice in one day with a 30 minute change.

• What is the age range of this tour?

  We have an age range of 18 – 45 years of age. Most of our guests are aged between 21-35 years old are looking to experience our adventurous “flashpacking” style of travel. Our tours are perfect for people of different backgrounds to share travel experiences with like-minded fellow travellers.