Pottery, Bamboo & Textiles in Northern Kyushu
FAQs
Visit Japan National Tourism Organization’s Essential Information, http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/essential/index.html, for general travel questions around Passports, Visas, climate, time differences, healthcare, money exchange etc.
Listed here are FAQs about our tours:
Weather:
1. How is the weather in Japan when we travel?
2. What kind of clothes should I bring for the trip?
Lodgings:
1. What class of accommodations do we stay at during the tour?
2. What amenities may we expect to find in our accommodations?
3. Do hotel employees generally understand English?
Luggage:
1. How much luggage will tour members be allowed?
Money:
1.Where should we exchange money?
2.How much spending money should we bring?
3.Do you recommend cash or traveler's checks?
4.Can we use ATM cards in Japan?
Flight:
1.Where do you recommend buying an airline ticket to Japan?
2.When do you recommend that we purchase an airline ticket for the tour?
Others:
1. Along with the ordinary things packed for travel, what specific gear and clothing would you recommend for our trip?
2. How rigorous are CTS tours?
1. How is the weather in Japan when we travel?
(Kyushu Tour )
May in Kyushu is mild and pleasant. Short-sleeve or light long-sleeve shirts should suffice, along with a light jacket or sweater.
(Japan Sea Tour)
Japan’s weather in October is quite pleasant with clear skies and mild temperatures. Typhoons are uncommon in October in Japan. But, if one comes, it will pass quickly.
Please note that irregular weather has been seen all over the world in recent years, and Japan is no exception in this regard.
2. What kind of clothes should I bring for the trip?
No formal wear will be needed during your tour. Pack casual wear. Layered clothes that can easily be adjusted are best, and be sure to bring shoes suitable for walking. Remember that Japanese custom necessitates frequent removal of shoes when going indoors. Shoes that can be easily taken off and put on, such as ones with Velcro attachments, are highly recommended.
Lodgings:
1. What class of accommodations do we stay at during the tour?
You will stay in modest class lodgings, which are clean, decent and centrally located. The rooms are well equipped but smaller than average American hotel rooms.
2. What amenities may we expect to find in our accommodations?
All of your rooms have a Western-style bathroom attached. They will also provide toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and yukata or pajamas. They are also equipped with TV, alarm clock, hair dryer, refrigerator, thermal bottle, tea bags and teacups. Body soaps and other sundries are somewhat different than those available in America, so if you have special needs, bring your own.
Coin-operated laundry machines are available in all hotels on the Kyushu Tour and the hotel in Kyoto on the Japan Sea Tour.
3. Do hotel employees generally understand English?
Since this tour takes participants well off the regular foreign tourist venues, hotel staff generally will not understand English. However, since rudimentary English grammar and vocabulary are part of Japanese public education, you should be able to communicate by writing simple English phrases.
Luggage:
1. How much luggage will tour members be allowed?
We recommend that you travel light or at least try to. Traveling with a light bag makes your trip a lot more fun and easy. Besides on main piece of luggage, bring a smaller bag for two one-night-two-day expeditions for the Kyushu Tour or one four-night-five-day trip for the Japan Sea Tour.
For airlines regulations, check with you travel agency or airlines.
Money:
1.Where should we exchange money?
We recommend that you exchange money at a bank in the airport when you arrive in Japan. Exchange rates are, in general, more favorable to you over in Japan than in the U.S. and travelers’ checks get a better exchange rate than cash.
We recommend you exchange enough money for the entire trip at the airport because, once the tour begins, you will not have time to exchange currency. It is also hard to find financial institutions in the small towns and villages.
2. How much spending money should we bring?
Your will need to pay for the meals that are not included in the tour price. The average daily meal costs for previous tours have been 8 - 10 dollars for breakfast, 10- 15 dollars for lunch, and around 15 - 25 dollars for dinner. To this, you should add one or two hundred dollars to cover transportation, admission and snacks during your free time activities.
The Kyushu Tour (13 day tour) includes 12 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 4 dinners. You will need to buy 1 breakfast, 7 lunches and 9 dinners, or about $216 to $280 for the meals not included in the tour. Adding $100 to $200 travel expenses to this, you should bring $316 to $480.
The Japan Sea Tour (12 day tour) includes 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners. You will need to buy 5 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners, or about $156 to $230 for the meals not included in the tour. Adding $100 to $200 travel expenses to this, you should bring about $256 to $430.
Please note that craft and souvenir purchases are not included in this forecast.
3. Do you recommend cash or traveler's checks?
Japan is a cash society. Though large department stores and specialty shops can handle major credit cards, traveler's checks and both American Dollars and Japanese Yen, most small, regional shops and restaurants accept cash only.
4. Can we use ATM cards in Japan?
Foreign credit and debit cards can be used at ATM machines at any Post Office. ATM machines at 7-Eleven convenience stores may take credit or debit cards issued overseas.
Flight:
1. Where do you recommend that we buy an airline ticket to Japan?
The CTS Japan Tour price does not include air tickets, nor does CTS provide air ticket reservations. You must obtain air tickets yourself. Contact the airlines, the internet or your own travel agency. If you are looking for a travel agency specializing in discount tickets to Japan, we recommend Sankei Travel of America to book your flights. ( Sankei Travel San Francisco Office: 210 Post St. #920-1, San Francisco 94108. 1-800-332-0208 ) CTS has no business affiliation with Sankei Travel. You should be well informed of the rules and restrictions of the tickets before you purchase the tickets.
2. When do you recommend that we purchase an airline ticket for the tour?
Our group tours require a minimum of 10 participants. If the group size falls below the minim required number of participants two months before departure, the tour will be cancelled. We recommend that you purchase airline tickets after we guarantee tour departure two months before the tour date.
1. Along with the ordinary things packed for travel, what specific gear and clothing would you recommend for our trip?
Many restrooms in Japan are not equipped with paper towels. Bring along a handkerchief. Restaurants don't customarily provide paper napkins, so bring a supply of tissue paper. Hotels provide towel sets but no washcloths. If you need one, bring your own. Earplugs can help you get a good night's rest. They can also ease jet fatigue.
If you are a coffee or black tea drinker, bring instant coffee or tea to save money.
Over-the-counter drugs are expensive in Japan. Bring what you think you will need.
2. How rigorous are CTS tours?
The tour includes 1-3 miles of walking almost every day. You will walk on paved streets, modest slopes and stairs. Though the tours are not rigorous adventures, you should be confident of your physical mobility and be able to climb up and down a three-story building on foot.