Japan Tourism for independent travellers

[Seat0B]

and pay.

Japan Increases Daily Arrivals Cap To 50,000 & Soon Allows Tourists On Non Guided Tours

Japan increases the daily arrivals cap to 50,000 and will soon allow tourists on non-guided tours.

loyaltylobby.com

although it is quite a modest fee to enable a long awaited and anticipated trip to take place...somewhere around $200-$250 per person

 

[ketsuzei]

Strong rumour that in the not too distant future citizens of G7 countries will be granted the right to Independent tourism. Comes from a US friend whose predictions on Japan have been close to the mark.
Sadly won't include us.

I think that's a misinterpretation of what Kishida has been saying about bringing things back on par with the other G7 nations. Very unlikely according to my (family) source within the government.

 

[pyffii]

any reasoning as to why the transit hotel at Haneda is not allowed to open ?

 

[Stevo.1702]

I for one am eagerly hoping that JAL will bring their 777 back to SYD.

 

[frodo]

It's not looking too good in the short term, news from today is that flights and accommodation needs to be booked via a travel agency.
Hopefully they relax this ridiculous decision soon, not like it makes any difference whether I book hotels/flights myself or having an agent do it, presumably at an inflated price.

 

[Buzzard]

+1 and I are booked on a cruise originating in Japan come April.
We are due to fly out end of March in order to have 3 or 4 weeks touring Japan pre cruise.
Hopefully the current situation becomes more clear by November when we need to pay the balance of our cruise.

 

[Cynicor]

Been a while since I posted anything travel on this forum. Hi to all the familiar names!
I'm hoping to get to Japan in Jan/Feb for some snow. Have a bunch of stuff I booked myself so I've reached out to a couple of agencies to see how this might all work. I'll update as/if/when I hear back.

 

[kelvedon]

any reasoning as to why the transit hotel at Haneda is not allowed to open ?

Transited through Haneda last week and transit passengers were all deplaned first, corralled together, and escorted through arrivals security before the the locals were let off the plane. I think there is not much desire to let the leprotic Gaijin mingle.

 

[Seat0B]

I just submitted these questions to Japan Guide Agency:

"I have already purchased airfares.
I have independently booked accommodation at Prince Hotel East in Shiga Kogen in Jan 23, and at Hinode in Niseko in Feb 2023. I may cancel the Niseko accommodation and go to Nozawa Onsen or Hakuba instead.
We also wanted to visit Tokyo and Kyoto as tourists after we finish skiing. Is this possible?
We have various family members joining us for different parts of this visit.
Are you able to "take over" the accommodation bookings that I have independently made? Or do I need to re-book all accommodation through your organisation? Are you offering "tours" in the locations I would like to visit?
Thank you very much. Arigatoo gozaimasu."

Got this immediate automated response:

"We are sorry that the priority is given to customers who have purchased our products now. We are currently receiving many inquiries and it is taking us some time to reply. Thank you for your understanding."​

I will keep the forum updated if I get any reponse. Also I notice the fee has increased from 20,000 yen to 30,000 yen per person.

 

[Cynicor]

Hmm. I never got any automatic reply. I wonder whether mine went through or if they put that message up this AM due to inundation over the weekend?
This mess is going to take a while to sort out, I think.

 

[Seat0B]

Hmm. I never got any automatic reply. I wonder whether mine went through or if they put that message up this AM due to inundation over the weekend?
This mess is going to take a while to sort out, I think.

Despite really wanting to go, and all the issues assoicated with cancelling arrangement, I am really thinking that I will probably have to just cancel. The visa proces alone is off putting!

 

[Pele]

I also never got a response to my query last week which was similar to Seat 0B's. The process looks extremely painful as like you said you still need to apply for a visa and the Japanese consulate in Sydney doesnt even have any appointments available for this until late November.....

Cynicor did you actually pay the 30,000 yen fee or just do an enquiry?

 

[Port Power]

I am just going to sit back and wait. A lot can happen is six months, and probably will!

(I have booked the March flights myself, which my TA said is not a problem as I am joining a tour. The tour is with an Australian tour company, but of course they use local guides and services. Whatever changes might or might not happen, the tour part is covered. No way I would still be going as an independent traveller.)

 

[Seat0B]

I am just going to sit back and wait. A lot can happen is six months, and probably will!

(I have booked the March flights myself, which my TA said is not a problem as I am joining a tour. The tour is with an Australian tour company, but of course they use local guides and services. Whatever changes might or might not happen, the tour part is covered. No way I would still be going as an independent traveller.)

A good strategy if you can wait. However some of my accommodation has cancellation dates falling in late Oct so I will have to decide by then (In about 6-7 weeks) or do a not insignificant amount of my money.

 

[Seat0B]

I also never got a response to my query last week which was similar to Seat 0B's. The process looks extremely painful as like you said you still need to apply for a visa and the Japanese consulate in Sydney doesnt even have any appointments available for this until late November.....

Cynicor did you actually pay the 30,000 yen fee or just do an enquiry?

Might be that one time it’s good to live in Canberra as we can apparently just turn up at the Embassy during allocated hours with our documents and get the visa issued. That’s bad news for people elsewhere about the long wait for an appointment.

Visa Applications for Tourists Participating in Guided Package Tours

 

[jase05]

We have friends who have booked on QF79/80 on 20/11 and 26/11. Interestingly when I spoke to him last night he said QF are no longer selling seats on either flight and are instead offering seats via SYD on the website. Obviously he has some concern as to if his current flights are going to be cancelled and whether QF would put him on the flight through SYD and secondly will he even be allowed entry to Japan by then

 

[rbjhan]

We have friends who have booked on QF79/80 on 20/11 and 26/11. Interestingly when I spoke to him last night he said QF are no longer selling seats on either flight and are instead offering seats via SYD on the website. Obviously he has some concern as to if his current flights are going to be cancelled and whether QF would put him on the flight through SYD and secondly will he even be allowed entry to Japan by then

I just booked flights for Mar/Apr 2023, via Brisbane/Sydney respectively, I did see the MEL direct flight but no rewards seats available...not sure whether they pulled it or just, you know, unavailable.

 

[Cynicor]

So I’ve heard back from a usa company. Think it was auto reply. They need to book my first night and pay 200USD PP too, then I get an erfs. Then need a visa.

 

[drron]

So I’ve heard back from a usa company. Think it was auto reply. They need to book my first night and pay 200USD PP too, then I get an erfs. Then need a visa.

Though I have heard from a US TA who thought something similiar would work but have now found out Airfares and all accommodation have to be booked via a TA in Japan and individuals can't arrange their own.

Application for Visa for foreign nationals eligible for Phased Measures toward Resuming Cross-Border Travel

www.mofa.go.jp

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Though I have heard from a US TA who thought something similiar would work but have now found out Airfares and all accommodation have to be booked via a TA in Japan and individuals can't arrange their own.

Application for Visa for foreign nationals eligible for Phased Measures toward Resuming Cross-Border Travel

www.mofa.go.jp

The lack of foresight from the Japanese government is hilarous, but totally predictable...

At least this will make it even less attractive than what was first thought with this 'update', bring no tourists back, continue to smash the yen into the ground and (hopefully) make them realise that unencumbered travel is the only way people will return.