I'm Going To Japan

Wynter wrote:Tell me about it. But the article doesn't say anything about long lines and slow flow...

Japanese efficiency. :thumbsup:

bmwracer wrote:
Japanese efficiency. :thumbsup:

Reflection of their employment rate, eh?

On Topic: I'm going to be sitting with another teacher to figure out which travel agency we want to use to go to Japan. :woot:

Wynter wrote:On Topic: I'm going to be sitting with another teacher to figure out which travel agency we want to use to go to Japan. :woot:

Q recommended JAL, but I dunno how cheap/pricey it is.

Wynter wrote:
On Topic: I'm going to be sitting with another teacher to figure out which travel agency we want to use to go to Japan. :woot:

I don't know anything about these guys:http://www.iace.co.jp/english/tokyo/ But they advertise on the local Japanese TV here. [/list:u]

I have to go with a company based in Canada in order to go and it has to be board approved. :bleh:

Wynter wrote:I have to go with a company based in Canada in order to go and it has to be board approved. :bleh:

Aren't there JAL flights into Canada?

This page is all in Japanese, but it looks like they have an office in Toronto:http://www.iace-canada.com/map.html

bmwracer wrote:
Aren't there JAL flights into Canada?

Yup, but I'm not talking about flights... :sweat:

gaijinmark wrote:This page is all in Japanese, but it looks like they have an office in Toronto:http://www.iace-canada.com/map.html

I don't think it's Board approved... :doh: But i'll look into it.

I have Explorica and EF who want my business and I don't know which to choose. I'm gonna post the itineraries for both here so mebbe someone who's been to Japan can tell me which one is better... :sweat:

Wynter wrote:

I have Explorica and EF who want my business and I don't know which to choose. I'm gonna post the itineraries for both here so mebbe someone who's been to Japan can tell me which one is better... :sweat:

Tell them both that you're getting pricing from the other, and they'll have to do their best to get your business... that'll make sure you get the best deal.

Anime Dad wrote:

Tell them both that you're getting pricing from the other, and they'll have to do their best to get your business... that'll make sure you get the best deal.

That's what I did, and one cut the price $700 to meet the others. So now I'm worried. If they can cut that much, what's being sacrificed? I don't want poor service while on the tour...

Wynter wrote:
If they can cut that much, what's being sacrificed? I don't want poor service while on the tour...

Their profits. Simple as that. They would rather make a small profit than none at all :beaten:

Itinerary #1 - 8 Days

Day 1 > March 07 > Start Tour

Day 2 > March 08 > Konichiwa Tokyo
Meet your Tour Director and check into hotel

Day 3 > March 09 > Tokyo Landmarks
Tokyo guided sightseeing tour
Sensoji Temple visit
Imperial Palace East Garden
Meiji Shrine
Visit Tokyo Tower
Tempura dinner

Day 4 > March 10 > Hakone
Hakone excursion
Lake Ashi Cruise
Mount Komagateke

Day 5 > March 11 > Tokyo--Osaka
Travel to Kyoto via Shinkansen Bullet Train
Nara excursion
Todaiji Temple
Kasuga Shrine
Nara Park

Day 6 > March 12 > Kyoto
Kinkakuji Temple visit
Kimono Show
Visit Fushimi Inari Taishya
Visit Sanjusangen-do

Day 7 > March 13 > Osaka Landmarks
Travel to Osaka
Osaka guided sightseeing tour
Osaka castle visit
Umeda Sky Building Obeservatory
Okonomiyaki dinner

Day 8 > March 14 > End Tour

Also includes:
- Round-trip airfare
- Breakfast daily
- Dinner daily
- Full-time services of a professional Tour Director
- Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
- Visits to select attractions as per itinerary
- High-speed train to Kyoto
- Kimono Show
- Tour Diary

Itinerary #2 - 9 Days
DAY 1 - Fly to Japan

DAY 2 - Osaka
Arrive in Osaka

DAY 3 - Osaka œ Kyoto
Visit Osaka Castle
Travel to Kyoto
Take a guided tour of Kyoto:
Nijo Castle
Heian Shrine and Garden
Gold Pavilion

DAY 4 - Kyoto
Enjoy a free day in Kyoto
Optional: Nara:
Todaiji Temple
Deer Park
Kasuga Shrine

DAY 5 - Hakone
Take the bullet train to Hakone
Tour Hakone National Park:
Mount Fuji
Take a cruise on Lake Hakone
Ride a cable car up Mount Komagatake

DAY 6 - Kamakura œ Tokyo
Travel to Kamakura
See the Great Image of Buddha
Continue on to Tokyo

DAY 7 - Tokyo
Take a guided tour of Tokyo:
Meiji Shinto Shrine
Harajuku Shopping District
Imperial Palace Plaza
Take a Sumida River Cruise to Asakusa
Visit Asakusa Kannon Temple

DAY 8 - Tokyo
Visit a fish market
Optional: Nikko:
Toshugo Shrine
Kegon Waterfall
Lake Chuzenji
Bonsai Garden
Enjoy a tempura dinner

DAY 9 - Depart for home

Also Includes:
- Round-trip airfare
- 7 overnight stays in hotels with private bathrooms
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- Full-time bilingual EF Tour Director
- 2 sightseeing tours led by licensed local guides: Kyoto œ Tokyo
- 9 visits to special attractions

Wynter wrote:

That's what I did, and one cut the price $700 to meet the others. So now I'm worried. If they can cut that much, what's being sacrificed? I don't want poor service while on the tour...

they'll probably serve you some soggy ass tempura and teriyaki chicken from a microwave and tell you it's authentic japanese food.

Anime Dad wrote:

Their profits. Simple as that. They would rather make a small profit than none at all :beaten:

Well I hope that's the case.

Tu_triky wrote:

they'll probably serve you some soggy ass tempura and teriyaki chicken from a microwave and tell you it's authentic japanese food.

Well, I've been with the first one (Itinerary) to Europe, and I'm going with them to China. They've been create about the food, and really exposing us to a variety. I dunno about the second company tho.

If they are a reputable company, they have a reputation to uphold. It ain't gonna be the best of everything on the tour, but I think it would be OK :)

The second tour you spend slightly more time in tokyo and you end it with tokyo not start it with tokyo...which is tough cuz you're spending so little time there anyway...the jet lag is going to be bitch so it's going to take some time to adjust to the time difference...they're both basically the same they focus almost entirely on old world japan...if that's what you're going for you shouldn't be disappointed in either one....

the tours seem virtually identical.

Are you going with a flock (students) again or is it a private thing between friends? Because if you are playing shepard the first itinerary looks more solid and easier to control. With the second one it leave too much room for on-the-spot decisions which works fine with a party, but can be disastrous for a large one, especially with kids involved.

I don't know if it's a practice in Canada or if it's standard with Japanese tours, these is no lunch included. Make sure you have sufficient JPY on you to feed the hunger mob comes lunch time.

Anime Dad wrote:If they are a reputable company, they have a reputation to uphold. It ain't gonna be the best of everything on the tour, but I think it would be OK :)

The second company is a break-away for the first company, and totally killing the latter in terms of competition. They're out to get each other. :shakehead:

Tu_triky wrote:The second tour you spend slightly more time in tokyo and you end it with tokyo not start it with tokyo...which is tough cuz you're spending so little time there anyway...the jet lag is going to be bitch so it's going to take some time to adjust to the time difference...they're both basically the same they focus almost entirely on old world japan...if that's what you're going for you shouldn't be disappointed in either one....

the tours seem virtually identical.

Well it IS an art history trip... Hmmmm... I never considered the time in terms of when we're visiting Tokyo. Thanks for the tip!

thtl wrote:Are you going with a flock (students) again or is it a private thing between friends? Because if you are playing shepard the first itinerary looks more solid and easier to control. With the second one it leave too much room for on-the-spot decisions which works fine with a party, but can be disastrous for a large one, especially with kids involved.

I noticed that too. The "kids" in question are 15-17 year olds and they don't usually need sheparding. But having a definite plan works best, from my experience, than flying from the seat of one's pants.

I don't know if it's a practice in Canada or if it's standard with Japanese tours, these is no lunch included. Make sure you have sufficient JPY on you to feed the hunger mob comes lunch time.

The same was the deal with Europe. Only China offers Lunch as part of the cost... I wonder why that is. The kids are told to bring enough money to cover food. The rest is for spending, so the amount can vary per kid.

Wynter wrote:

The same was the deal with Europe. Only China offers Lunch as part of the cost... I wonder why that is. The kids are told to bring enough money to cover food. The rest is for spending, so the amount can vary per kid.

I didn't see a day devoted to COSPLAY.....sounds like both tours are deficient in that respect.

Tu_triky wrote:

I didn't see a day devoted to COSPLAY.....sounds like both tours are deficient in that respect.

lol! COSPLAY site-seeing woulda been fun. I wonder if my students would cosplay with me...