Spring 2016 – Japan Escorted Tour (SOLD OUT!)

★Exclusive Japan Escorted Tour from Hilo, Hawaii with Japanese Hospitality (J-tour #005)★

“Let’s Enjoy Sakura Viewing and Local Food & Spring Sake!”

– Escorted by Yosh Sato (UH Hilo/HCC graduate & certified Sake master/local food lover originally from Tokyo area)
– Escorted by Mio Sato (UH Manoa/HCC graduate & local food/desserts lover originally from Nagoya/Takayama)

“We would like to welcome Hawaii locals to Japan and you to experience Japanese culture, good local food, freshest sake, quality customer services, shopping, scenery and a lot more! More importantly, we would like you to experience what we enjoy the most in Japan! Let’s travel to and enjoy Japan with us, Japan local style!!” by Yosh

Tour Highlights:

-Witness the Seasonal Cherry Blossom, Sakura, in Kyoto and Eat the Sakura Mochi!
-Explore Kyoto, Takayama & Tokyo, the Historic Towns & Modern City of Japan!
-View the Beautiful Snow-Covered Mt. Fuji at Lake Ashinoko!
-Enjoy the Freshest Sashimi & Local’s Favorite Numazu Bowl at Numazu Minato Fish Market!
-Relax in the Private Onsen & Foot Bath in Takayama and Eat the Premium Hida Beef!
-Enjoy Japan’s Local Food and Taste the Freshest Spring-Limited Local Sake at Breweries!
-Explore Local-Only Super Markets and Buy Local Omiyage!

Tour Dates:

<10 Days/8 Nights> 3/16/2016 – 3/25/2016

(3 nights in TOKYO – 1 night in NUMAZU – 2 nights in TAKAYAMA – 2 nights in KYOTO)

*Want to go earlier? or stay longer? No problem! We can make that arrangement for you! Please feel free to contact us.

Tour Destinations:

**TOKYO** ⇒ Tsukiji Fish Market (inside & outside) – Ueno Town (Ameya Yokocho Shopping Streets – Ueno Park – Ueno Zoo – Tokyo National Museum) – Asakusa Town (Sensoji Temple – Nakamise Shopping Streets – Kappabashi Tool Town) – Tokyo Skytree – Solamachi Shopping Mall – Tokyo Station Shopping Mall – Shibuya (Hachiko dog statute & scramble cross walk) – Harajuku – Ginza and more…
**MT. FUJI** ⇒ view from Lake Ashino-ko in Hakone (or Lake Kawaguchi-ko)
**NUMAZU, SHIZUOKA** ⇒ Numazu Minato Fish Market (freshest sashimi, Numazu bowl, omiyage & more…)
**JR NAGOYA STATION, AICHI** ⇒ Underground Shopping & Local Restaurant Streets
**TAKAYAMA, GIFU** ⇒ Miyagawa & Jinya Morning Market – Sake Tasting at Local Sake Breweries – Private Onsen – Famous Premium Hida Beef & Takayama Ramen and more…
**KYOTO** ⇒ Fushimi Inari Shrine (3400 Vermillion Gates) – Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Ninen/Sannenzaka Shopping Streets) – Nishiki Market (Shopping Streets) – Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion – Arashiyama Bamboo Groove and more…

*On this tour, you will have free time and days to visit places of your choice and to have your own experience in Japan. At the same time, we will offer you options to visit places with us.

Tour Prices (Land Tour Only):

Adult

– Double & Triple Occupancy

$1,680.00 per person + tax

– Single Occupancy

$1,850.00 per person + tax

* For child occupancy or any other pricing questions, please inquire us.
* Maximum #: 20 PAX/minimum #: 10 PAX
* The above tour prices are based on the exchange rate as of 10/01/2015 and subject to change anytime according to the fluctuation of exchange rate between U.S. and Japan.
* Tour registration will begin on 10/01/2015 and end on 1/31/2015 (or as soon as all seats are sold).

< Inclusions >

*8-night business-type hotel accommodations with 4 buffet breakfast (1 breakfast at each hotel location) – please note that Japanese hotel rooms are smaller in general than ones in the US. A list of hotels will be available and provided to you at least 1 month before the tour departure.
*Full-time tour services (tour guiding, escorting & interpreting) provided by English/Japanese speaking guide(s) from the beginning to the end of the tour in Japan.
**All transportation fees in Japan: 3/17 airport limousine bus ticket from Haneda Airport to Tokyo hotel, 3/18 pre-paid JR SUICA card (2,500 + 500 yen deposit) to cover train fares on the tour days, 3/20 1 luggage delivery service from Tokyo to Takayama (or Kansai Airport), 3/20 chartered bus tour from Tokyo to Numazu, 3/20 ropeway & lake cruise tickets, 3/21 transportation from Numazu hotel to Numazu Minato, 3/21 train fares from JR Numazu Sta. to Jr Shizuoka Sta., 3/21 bullet train fares (reserved ordinary) rom JR Shizuoka Sta. to JR Nagoya Sta., 3/21 express train fares (non-reserved ordinary) from JR Nagoya Sta. to JR Takayama Sta., 3/23 express bus ticket from JR Takayama Sta. to JR Kyoto Sta., 3/25 airport limousine bus ticket from JR Kyoto Sta. to Kansai Airport.
*All admission fees on the tour days

< Exclusions >

*Roundtrip airfare from Hawaii to Japan
*Meals in Japan (except for some breakfast mentioned above)
*Passport application fees
*Travel insurances
*Incidental hotel charges such as room service, laundry service, phone calls, etc.
*Wi-Fi rental fee for smart phones (iPhones, iPads…)
*Personal expenses (food, drinks, omiyage, etc.)
*All other transportation fees on free times/days
* All other transportation fees on free times/days

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1	3/16	Wed.	Hawaii	DEPARTING DAY -Depart from Hawaii -Pass the international day line on the way
Day 2	3/17	Thurs.	Tokyo	ARRIVING DAY -Arrive in Tokyo, Japan (Haneda or Narita Airport) -Transfer to hotel by airport limousine bus -Check-in at hotel in Tokyo
Day 3	3/18	Fri.	Tokyo	1-DAY TRIP -Visit Tsukiji Fish Market (inside and outside) -Try the freshest sushi for breakfast/lunch and enjoy omiyage shopping! -Visit Ueno Town (Ameya Yokocho Shopping Streets, Ueno Park, Ueno Zoo, Tokyo National Museum, etc.) - Asakusa Town (Sensoji Temple, Nakamise Shopping Streets, etc.)
Day 4	3/19	Sat.	Tokyo	FREE DAY -Buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant (included) -Plan your day trip and travel on your own or -Join YOSH for holoholo in Tokyo (TBA)
Day 5	3/20	Sun.	Tokyo-Lake Ashino-ko-Numazu	TRANSFER DAY -Check-out hotel in Tokyo -Transfer from Tokyo hotel to Lake Ashinoko in Hakone (by chartered bus) -Ride the ropeway and enjoy the lake cruise in Hakone to see Mt. Fuji (or will visit Lake Kawaguchi-ko if access to Mt. Hakone is restricted due to the volcanic advisory) -Transfer from Lake Ashinoko to Numazu hotel (by chartered bus) -Check-in hotel in Numazu, Shizuoka
Day 6	3/21	Mon.	Numazu-Nagoya-Takayama	TRANSFER DAY -Enjoy local-style buffet breakfast at the hotel (included) -Visit the fish market at Numazu Minato (port) -Transfer from JR Numazu Sta. to JR Shizuoka Sta. by train -Transfer from JR Shizuoka Sta. to JR Nagoya Sta. by bullet train -Transfer from JR Nagoya Sta. to JR Takayama Sta. by express train -Check-in hotel in Takayama, Gifu
Day 7	3/22	Tues.	Takayama	FREE DAY -Enjoy local-style buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant (included) -Enjoy holoholo in the old samurai town of Takayama & private onsen!! or -Join YOSH for the morning market and the Sake tasting tour!! **Half-a-day Shirakawago tour available at extra cost (from 1:00 - 5:00 PM)
Day 8	3/23	Wed.	Takayama-Kyoto	TRANSFER DAY -Transfer from JR Takayama Sta. to JR Kyoto Sta. by bus -Check-in hotel in Kyoto -Enjoy holoholo in Kyoto!! or -Join YOSH to visit Nishiki Market & Fushimi Inari Shrine.
Day 9	3/24	Thurs.	Kyoto	FREE DAY -Buffet Breakfast at the hotel restaurant (included) -Plan your day trip and travel on your own or -Join YOSH to visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Ninen/sannenzaka shopping streets, Gion area, Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion, Arashiyama Bamboo Groove by bus/train (by chartered mini bus)
Day 10	3/25	Fri.	Kyoto-Osaka	LAST DAY -Check-out hotel In Kyoto -Transfer from JR Kyoto Sta. to Kansai Airport (KIX) by airport limousine bus -Check-in at the airline counter -Return to Hawaii

Flight Schedules/Air Tickets:

**Please note that this is a land tour only and does not include air tickets to/from Japan.

*Hawaiian Airlines:

– Departing Flight: [ HA457 ] – Wednesday, March 16, 2016, 5:35 PM

from Honolulu (HNL) to Tokyo – Haneda, Japan (HND)

– Returning Flight: [ HA450 ] – Friday, March 25, 2016, 9:05 PM

from Osaka – Kansai, Japan (KIX) to Honolulu (HNL)

*Japan Airlines:

– Departing Flight: [ JL89 ] – Wednesday, March 16, 2016, 5:55 PM

from Honolulu (HNL) to Tokyo – Haneda, Japan (HND)

– Returning Flight: [ JL792 ] – Friday, March 25, 2016, 10:10 PM

from Osaka – Kansai, Japan (KIX) to Honolulu (HNL)

**If you need any assistance in finding your flights, please feel free to contact us.
*As this tour is guaranteed for departure, please book your flights to/from Japan as soon as possible.
*Please notify us of your flight schedule as soon as you book them. If your arriving airport is Narita, we will provide you with an instruction to meet the tour group or YOSH in Japan.

Tour Registration:

To register for the tour, please click here or download & fill out a tour registration form and mail it (or drop off at tour desk) with a deposit fee of $100 per person to:

Attn: Yosh Sato
Japan Tour Sales, Maikai Ohana Tours
260 Kamehameha Avenue, Suite 209, Hilo, HI 96720

Final Tour Payment(s):

The balance payment (total tour price + tax – $100 deposit) will be due by Thursday, December 31, 2015. We will notify you of the balance payment and send you a final invoice by e-mail. A personal check, cash or credit cards (at our tour desk) are acceptable. . We will notify you of the balance payment. A personal check, cash or credit cards (by Paypal or at our office) are acceptable.

Cancellation Policy:

If you need to cancel your tour reservation, you must advise us in writing (by letter signed by the person who has made the reservation or e-mail). Please note that any cancellation request by phone will not be accepted. Then we will confirm your cancellation and notify you of any cancellation fee(s) if any. If you cancel your reservation, one of the following cancellation fees applies:

>anytime prior to the departure date (today – 3/16/2016): No Cancellation fee ($100 deposit fee only)
>75 to 62 days prior to the departure date (1/1 – 1/14/2016): 25% of total tour price
>61 to 31 days prior to the departure date (1/15 – 2/14/2016): 50% of total tour price
>30 to 0 days prior to the departure date (2/15 – 3/16/2016): 100% of total tour price

*Deposit will be refunded to you if the tour is cancelled by us.requirement.

Terms and Conditions:

You must have a valid US passport to travel to Japan.
Participants with Non-US passport may require to obtain visa from the Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu before the tour departure. Please contact at 808.543.3111.
You must be in good health condition and able to walk long-distance (at least 0.5 mile a day)
Daily tour schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.
Due to limited storage space on public transportation, it is recommended to carry only 1 carry-on and 1 bag or backpack per person.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended to purchase for your protection.
Your hotels will be determined and notified to you at least 2 weeks before the tour departure date. All rooms will be budget/economy-class/business type: twin-bedrooms for double occupancy and single-bedrooms for single occupancy with non-smoking or smoking (can be treated with room freshener).
Credit cards are widely accepted to make your payments in Japan. However, it is recommended to exchange and carry some amount of cash to be expensed for your own needs. Local shops (100 yen shops, etc.) and small restaurants may not accept credit cards.
A minimum of 10 tour participants is required to guarantee the departure of the tour.

(Registration status as of 1/20/2016: SOLD OUT!! SUMIMASEN!!)

Download the tour itinerary in full detail below:
– Spring Break 2016 – Japan Escorted Tour “SAKURA” (3/16/2016 – 3/25/2016)**

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Travel Insurance:

Travel insurance is strongly recommended for all tour participants. Our partner, Allianz Travel Insurance, offers several options to cover your Japan trip. To get an instant quote, please visit one of the links below:requirement.