23 Day Unforgettable Japan & Hokkaido Extension

• Return international airfares included
• Incredible sightseeing, including Mount Fuji, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and beautiful temples, shrines and castles like the UNESCO World Heritage Site Golden Pavilion and old feudal relics like Takayama Old Town and Himeji Castle
• 21 nights in centrally-located, 3 and 4-star accommodation
• 1 night in a Japanese Onsen hotel
• Experience the iconic, exhilarating Japanese bullet train
• Breakfast daily and two dinners, including a Japanese Izakaya experience
• Escorted by a professional, English-speaking guide (Days 7 to 22)
• Dedicated, comfortable transportation 

• Sapporo - Spend two nights in Hokkaido's largest city
• Otaru - Visit Otaru Canal, Sakaimachi Street, Tanaka Sake Brewery
• Hakodate - Experience the morning market and discover the rich history of the Red Brick Warehouses
• Matsushima - See the ancient Zuiganji Temple and cruise through the hundreds of islands in Matsushima Bay
• Tokyo - Visit the famous Asakusa district
• Tokyo - See one of Japan's most revered shrines, the Meji shrine
• Tokyo - Ascend the 634m Sky Tree observation tower
• Yokohama - Visit Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse
• Hakone - Visit the incredible Daibutsu (Great Buddha) at Kotoku-in Temple
• Hakone - Cruise on Lake Ashi with views of Mt Fuji
• Kawaguchiko - Experience a traditional hot-spring onsen guesthouse
• Mt Fuji - Gaze at Mount Fuji‘s from the 5th Station
• Shirakawago - View World Heritage site with 114 Gassho-style houses
• Takayama - Explore Takayama’s Old Town with Edo period houses
• Kanazawa - Visit Kenrokuen Garden – one of Japan’s top three landscape gardens
• Kyoto - Enjoy a full free day to explore at your own pace
• Kyoto - Visit Kinkakuji - the Golden Pavilion
• Nara - Wander through Nara park with over 1,200 Sika deer
• Nara - Discover the Todaji Temple and its great Buddha
• Osaka - View the Umeda Sky Building Floating Observatory
• Osaka - Wander the Namba-Shinsaibashi shopping district
• Himeji - Visit Himeji Castle
• Kurashiki - Explore the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
• Hiroshima - Visit the moving Atomic Bomb Dome
• Hiroshima - Pay homage to the victims at the Peace Memorial and Museum
• Hiroshima - Travel to the spiritual island of Miyajima

Inspiring Vacations has been globally recognised and awarded for its handling of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The safety and wellbeing of our guests is our highest concern during this time of uncertainty, and we are continuously monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation.

We have adopted the advice of the WHO to ensure all customers can travel with the knowledge of how to travel safely and with confidence.

Australian owned and operated with 100% Australian Customer Service support

We are proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, with our head office located in Melbourne, Victoria. When you make your booking, you will receive dedicated and ongoing support from our team of travel professionals throughout your booking, up until you are due to depart.

Cooling off period

If you change your mind within 7 days of making your booking online, you can request a refund of your initial deposit payment as part of our cooling off period. Once your purchase date falls outside of the 7 day period, our standard terms and conditions will apply.

Please ensure that any request to cancel your booking is received via email to support@inspiringvacations.com, including the reason for cancellation.

• Full payment due at the time of the booking.
• Please select this option at the payment page prior to finalizing your booking

• Book now and secure your package with only a $99.00 deposit per person.
• Pay a 2nd installment of $3,749.00 per person within 28 days.
• You will then be invoiced for final payment 120 days prior to departure.

Booking Process

• Select the purple 'Reserve Your Seat' tab to begin your booking (you must 'Sign Up' first by entering your email and creating a password)
• Then select the purple 'Book now' tab of the tour you have selected
• Select your Departure Date, Departure City, Number of Passengers, Room Configuration, any Upgrade Options, and enter any Special Requests
• Click the purple ‘Proceed to Secure Checkout' tab
• Enter your credit card or PayPal details to secure your deposit/payment
• Once your order is complete, you will be prompted to complete a Booking Form so that we can fulfill your booking
• Your booking is confirmed once your Booking Form is submitted and you can begin the countdown to your Inspiring Vacation!

Booking On Request

• Your Inspiring Vacations package is made up of multiple components and travel partners. Once your booking is made and passenger details form submitted, we will begin to confirm all of your arrangements. Please note, this process can take several business days to complete
• Once all elements have been confirmed we will send you an email confirmation, if we are unable to confirm we will provide you with alternative dates or offer a full refund of your deposit or re-credit your account if a travel credit was used
• Please DO NOT book any additional services, such as flights, until we have confirmed your Inspiring Vacations package in writing. Inspiring Vacations will not be liable for any fees or charges incurred to change or cancel components not booked by Inspiring Vacations should your selected package be unavailable

Please refer to conditions below, which are agreed to at time of purchase. 

Can I extend my stay pre- and/or post-tour?

This depends on the package you are booking. 

Where available, extensions must be added at time of purchase and cannot be added post-purchase unless inside the 7-day cooling off period.

We can assist in arranging your airfares to accommodate an extension; however, you must also book the additional nights’ accommodation through us at time of booking (where available as an add-on):

• At check-out, please ensure you add the numbers of extra nights you would like pre- and/or post-tour (where available as an add-on). This can only be done at time of booking and cannot be added after purchase.
• Some packages may only offer the opportunity to book one (1) extra night pre and/or post. If you want more nights’ than what is available to book you must choose Land Only (refer below).
• If there is no option to add additional nights’ accommodation to your booking, then extending your stay with Inspiring Vacations is not an option and you can instead choose to change your booking to Land Only so you can arrange both your airfares and additional accommodation independently. 

When adding additional nights to your booking, the cost of the extra nights’ accommodation will be reflected on your invoice and payable with the final balance. 

Airfare surcharges may apply if extending due to airfare seasonal changes and possible fare differences. These are payable at the time of selecting your desired airfare. 

The second installment of your booking must be made before airfares can be booked. 

Outside of extending your stay you must select Land Only if:

• You would like to stopover
• You would like to upgrade your cabin class
• You would like a specific airline booked 
• You would like to extend longer than what is available within the package 
• You intend to book additional accommodation independently
• You would like to arrive and/or depart from another city or airport or; 
• Your preferred domestic departure city point (ie Perth, Australia) is not an option 

If you are interested in one of the above options, please select LAND ONLY at time of check-out and you will need to arrange your own airfares. Inspiring Vacations will not be accountable for flight delays or missed tour components due to late arrival or airline changes.

Conditions of flights for this package bookable by Inspiring Vacations:

• Flight Offer valid from select departure cities within the purchase path only
• Flights will be booked with the best available airline/s with luggage included. Low-cost carriers may be booked in conjunction with a full-service airline. Depending on the carrier, entertainment and meals may not be included but payable at an extra cost on-board. We cannot specify or guarantee the airline booked. If you would like a specific airline, please select land only. 
• Flights may not be direct and may include multiple connections
• Due to disrupted airline schedules globally with the pandemic, stopovers/transit times may be longer than usual (up to 12 hours in duration in some circumstances).
• Once ticketed, flights are non-refundable; any changes will be subject to the airline rules and change fees. 
• Full names as per passport (including all middle names) are required at the time of submitting your traveller booking form. Any error in the names submitted will be subject to fees to amend with the airline or the ticket may be non-refundable with the purchase of a new ticket required. 
• Depending on departure date and time of booking, the required booking class for airfare offer may be too far in advance to book with the appropriate airline.
• If the required booking class is unavailable at time of booking, surcharges may apply. Total cost is final only at time of ticketing. Once issued, air tickets are subject to amendment and cancellation fees or may be non-refundable
• Any airline schedule changes or cancellations are beyond our control and it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure they are familiar with the most up to date airline schedule prior to departure
• After booking, the price payable may be subject to change as a result of factors beyond the control of Inspiring Vacations. Inspiring Vacations reserves the right to increase the price payable and this will be reflected on the customer's invoice. Increases may be in relation to, but not limited to, currency fluctuations, airline taxes, airfare increases and fuel surcharges.
• Internal airfares (where applicable and included in the itinerary) will be using a local carrier and may include low-cost carriers without meals or entertainment. Checked baggage will still be included for each passenger. Any additional baggage required is payable at time of check-in. 
• If you are travelling with another party on a separate booking, we cannot guarantee that the same flights will be booked for all parties, as this strictly depends on availability. 
• All tickets will include 20 kilos checked baggage per person, along with 7 kilos of hand luggage to restrictions with internal flights (where applicable), as well as coach and train transportation.
• You will be responsible for handling your luggage at all times as the services of porters are not included. If travelling over the recommended amount, you will be liable for any excess baggage fees enforced by the airline, payable directly.

Seat Selection & Frequent Flyer Points

Inspiring Vacations do not arrange seat selection. It is important to highlight that some airlines do not allow pre-selected seats or they may charge a fee to do so. We strongly suggest you contact the airline directly with seating allocation requirements and or arrive at the airport earlier to arrange your seating. While we do not add frequent flyer member details to bookings, you can do this directly with the airline once you have your flight information.

Online check-in 

Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.

Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.

As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.

This particular tour is categorised as a “3”:

3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.

Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences however any changes are beyond our control.

Twin Share Bedding Configuration
At any time, bedding configuration is subject to confirmation by the hotel and based on availability. While you have the option to select either twin or double bedding at time of booking, our recommendation when travelling to Japan is to choose twin bedding, as the rooms are often bigger than those that have a double bed. If insisting on double bedding, please note that the rooms will be smaller and more narrow. As a general expectation, we cannot always guarantee bedding at all hotel stays.

Single Supplement
Single supplement is $2,999.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.

Please note when choosing Single Supplement for this deal that you will receive a single room, which is smaller in size than a twin/double room. Unfortunately this is typical for Japan, as the cost to solely occupy a double/twin size room is incredibly high. We appreciate your understanding.

Triple Share
Not available

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while travelling.

Visa & Passport information
It is the travellers responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from your intended date of return to Australia or New Zealand.

Australian and NZ passport holders do not need a visa to travel to Japan, for stays less than 90 days.

Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://www.safetravel.govt.nz  for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.

Tour Documentation
Final documentation including e-tickets and hotel details will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.

Group Size
20-40 people

Trip Style - Group Tour
Our Group Tours offer unparalleled value for money and are the perfect style of travel for those on a budget, though still eager to pack as much in to their itinerary as possible. These tours tick all the boxes with an abundance of inclusions such as sightseeing highlights, expert tour guides, quality accommodation, transfers, coach transportation, some meals and more. Please note that the maximum group size will vary between deals and will be mentioned within the Fine Print of each deal page.

Children
Children must be 5 years old or over and share a room with parents at all times. Children are the same price as adults.

Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent in flight and is subject to change depending on the flight schedule, please refer to the day by day itinerary for the time spent on land.

To enhance your journey, we're offering the following optional tours that you can participate in on your free days:

• Calligraphy Class in Tokyo (Day 9) - $139pp
• Sushi Making in Tokyo (Day 9) - $219pp
• Izakaya Night Tour - Tokyo (Day 9) - $220pp
• Kimono Fitting in Takayama (Day 12) - $109pp
• Tea Ceremony in Kyoto (Day 15) - $143pp
• Flower Arranging in Kyoto (Day 15) - $126pp
• Izakaya Night tour in Kyoto (Day 15) - $220pp

Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. 

Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 70 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability and prices may vary as you will be paying in local currency. We appreciate your understanding.

Please note that transportation to and from each optional tour is not included in the price. You will be required to make your own way to the starting point of the optional tour, as well as back to your hotel. Your tour guide can provide you with the direction and guidance needed to make your own way.

Additional nights are unable to be booked on this package, should you wish to stay longer in Japan you will need to make your own arrangements.

For more information on the weather in Japan, click HERE.

• Airport transfers
• Visas
• Travel insurance (compulsory)
• Tipping
• Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
• Optional activities
• Personal expenses