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My small travel agency also offers a concierge service and receives a lot of requests.
I can’t talk about the specific wishes of my clients, but I am happy to advise them on their purchases in Japan.
Some tourists come to Japan without inquiring beforehand because they think that in Japan you have easy access to everything you want For most things it’s not a problem, but it becomes more difficult when you want to buy something specific.
The time you will spend in Japan is limited. It is better to inform yourself in advance.
Special care should be taken if you want to buy antiques or works of art.
This is because some goods require documents issued by the Japanese government and are subject to customs inspection when leaving Japan.
Naturally, the documentation process takes time.
You also need to be careful with electrical appliances.
Electricity voltage may differ between Japan and other countries. Please note that in such cases, electrical appliances purchased in Japan cannot be used at home.
Some large electrical stores carry appliances that can be used worldwide. Ask the shopkeeper before you buy.
Tax-free shopping is not possible everywhere. Most small stores do not offer it. The current system in Japan is that the stores take care of the VAT refund. Customers pay the tax-exempt amount. No tax refund procedure is required for airport customs.
However, the system is currently being revised to allow travelers to make the VAT refund themselves at the airport. The exact date of the change is not yet known.
My small travel agency will be happy to assist you with your purchases.
Travel Concierge
A customer of mine who had traveled to Japan asked me why the Japanese don’t speak English.
He probably thinks the Japanese are a superior people with a high-quality education.
I am very flattered by this misunderstanding. But unfortunately his perception and the reality are different.
It is estimated that only around 10% of Japanese people speak English.
In larger cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, the proportion is much higher, but in rural areas, English-speaking Japanese are very rare.
While some people can communicate with a translation app, others refuse to do so.
Japanese learn English in junior and senior high school.
Some children go to an English tutoring school when they are in elementary school.
However, many Japanese do not speak English.
So my client asked me why the Japanese don’t speak English.
Japanese people only speak Japanese on a daily basis and therefore do not feel obliged .
There is no situation where a foreign language has to be spoken.
I think that’s the reason why the Japanese don’t speak English.
If there were books that could only be read in English and movies that could only be watched in English, the Japanese would speak English better.
But conveniently, various things of interest to Japanese people have been translated into Japanese.
This may be inconvenient for foreign travelers.
Even in hospitals, English is often not spoken.
Doctors read medical articles in English. They understand English, but many cannot communicate well in English.
It is therefore advisable to check whether interpreting services are included in the travel insurance.
It is advisable to learn basic Japanese before entering Japan.
In particular, it is useful to learn the Japanese words you will need in an emergency.
Japan is a country prone to natural disasters. Initial information will naturally be provided in Japanese.
Obtaining information in English takes more time.
Many Japanese do not speak English, so it depends on luck whether someone can translate for you.
My small travel agency can also offer simple Japanese courses before the trip via ZOOM or Skype.
In addition, the concierge service provides advice in emergencies.
I’ve been a tech enthusiast for a long time. From the days of dial-up connections, I’ve been carrying around small computers all over the world. Do any of you remember a device called a “modem coupler”?
Nowadays, with the development of Wi-Fi, things have become incredibly convenient. Moreover, you can easily connect to the internet using just a smartphone, without the need for a computer. Thinking back to the days of struggling with dial-up connections, it feels like a dream.
By the way, what do you do when you travel abroad? Do you rely on each mobile carrier’s roaming services or swap out SIM cards to use your smartphone in foreign countries?
Recently, something called “eSIM” has emerged. While you still switch out SIM cards, it’s done online, and there’s no need to physically replace the tiny SIM card inside your smartphone. Everything is done on your smartphone. However, since it’s still a relatively new technology, eSIM-compatible devices are limited. Nevertheless, more and more devices are becoming compatible, so if you’ve recently upgraded your smartphone, why not check it out? Your next trip could be even more comfortable.
Here’s a link for more information about eSIM:
You can get a small discount through this link.
Also, before making a purchase, be sure to confirm that your smartphone is eSIM compatible.
As a small travel agency in Tokyo, we offer you special assistance to truly enjoy Japan. Our concierge service aims to make your trip to Japan an exceptional experience.
We guide you to Japan’s hidden treasures.
We take you to hidden and spectacular places, as well as local tourist attractions that have remained undiscovered by foreign tourists. We provide you with truly fascinating information that you won’t find in every guidebook.
Experience the local culture.
We offer you information on how to navigate local areas, attend local events, and enjoy festivals. We want to help you immerse yourself in traditional Japanese culture to create deeper travel memories.
Discover delicious food.
From restaurant recommendations to exquisite gourmet offerings from all over Japan, we assist you in selecting and reserving culinary experiences that match your taste and preferences.
Suggestions for comfortable accommodations.
We provide you with information about hotels and inns. By selecting accommodations that suit your style, we ensure your stay is comfortable. Many accommodations only accept bookings in Japanese, but we can also open up these options for you.
Adaptation to Japanese etiquette.
We provide you with information about Japanese manners and customs. Our goal is to support you in interacting with locals and ensuring you feel comfortable during your stay in Japan.
Emergency support.
We assist you in emergencies during your trip to and within Japan. We are always here for you, allowing you to enjoy your journey without worries.
Convenient travel itineraries.
We create efficient and fulfilling travel itineraries. Our aim is to propose a plan that optimizes your limited time and allows you to fully enjoy the charm of Japan.
Seamless travel with Japanese lessons.
We offer basic Japanese courses tailored for traveling in Japan, helping you communicate better.
We are here to provide you with an exceptional travel experience in Japan. We offer customized support tailored to your preferences and interests. Let’s create an unforgettable journey together.
Why are we establishing this concierge service?
We advise our customers on a variety of matters.
These are complex questions that a regular travel agency cannot answer.
Compared to the past, it has become much easier for customers to book hotels and flight tickets online by themselves.
Additionally, there is a community of travelers exchanging information.
Unfortunately, this has led many travel agencies to become mere booking agents.
This wouldn’t suffice for travelers who have many questions.
The role of a travel agency is to professionally address customers’ desires.
Our concierge service is what a travel agency should be.
Our task is to ensure our customers have a safe and enjoyable journey.
Each customer has their own travel wishes. We help them realize those wishes.
The best time to travel to Japan is a frequently asked question. I will be happy to give you all the information you need on this.
The New Year period, Obon (mid-August) and Golden Week (a consecutive holiday period in late April to early May) are vacation periods when Japanese people travel, so I can’t recommend it because it is very crowded everywhere, both on trains and planes.
Also, late July to mid-September gets very hot, and the risk of heat stroke increases. In addition, August and September is also typhoon season.
Flight and train delays, as well as cancellations, are more frequent, and in areas with strong typhoon effects, it can even be dangerous.
If you plan to travel during this time, always keep an eye on current weather and traffic conditions.
In general, spring and autumn are considered good times to travel to Japan. There are no objections there.
Before the rainy season begins, the climate is pleasant, and in late November to early December you can also enjoy the autumn foliage color.
In winter, depending on the destination you choose, you can travel without any problems, and there are fewer tourists, so you can make your stay pleasant.
You can also enjoy a quiet trip during the rainy season if you choose to stay in a particular region.
Staying in an onsen (hot spring)-ryokan(Hotel) is also a recommended idea. By the way, there is no rainy season on Hokkaido Island, so you don’t have to worry so much about rain.
I hope this information can help you plan your trip.
Japan has its own charm in every season, and you will be able to enjoy it no matter what time you come.
Take good care of yourself and enjoy your wonderful trip in Japan!
I would like to give you basic information about Japan that is often asked by our customers.
By May 1, 2023, the population of Japan is about 124.5 million people.
The area of Japan is about 377,972 square kilometers. Japan is an elongated country with a north-south extension of about 3,000 kilometers and an east-west extension of about 400 kilometers.
Germany is said to have a population of about 83.4 million people and an area of about 357,022 square kilometers, while Switzerland has a population of about 8.8 million people and an area of about 41,290 square kilometers. Austria has a population of about 8.91 million people and an area of about 83,879 square kilometers.
Don’t you think Japan is a pretty big country? Japanese people themselves often think that Japan is a small country, but in fact it is not so small.
Besides, many people have the image of a metropolis like Tokyo in their minds, so they tend to think that Japan does not have much nature.
The forest area of Japan is about 25,125,000 hectares, which is about 68% of the land area of Japan.
Japan has a long coastline due to its island location. The length of this is about 35,000 kilometers.
This is about 87.3% of the distance one would travel from Berlin to orbit the earth.
By the way, if you are considering a trip to Hokkaido, you should know that the area of Hokkaido is about 78,000 square kilometers.
The Czech Republic has an area of about 78,866 square kilometers. So Hokkaido is slightly smaller than the Czech Republic.
I recommend you to consider the size of Hokkaido before planning your trip.
There are even Japanese travelers who do not know the size of Hokkaido and travel there without awareness, which often causes astonishment among people in Hokkaido.
Japanese people say “Itadakimasu” by clenching their hands before eating. This is part of etiquette and is taught from childhood.
“Itadakimasu” means something like “I am about to receive my meal,” but has Buddhist validity.
Since ancient times, the Japanese have valued the life of plants and animals as if they were their equals.
Therefore, before each meal, people join their hands to the life of the rice, wheat, vegetables, fish, meat, etc. that they will eat.
It means, “From now on, I will live through them”.
We thanks to the life of the animals and other things.
This is the Japanese way of thinking.
That’s why children are scolded severely if they leave food or don’t like their favorite foods anymore. Because it is an action that wastes the life of someone or something.
The Japanese love to eat.
In Japan, there are many restaurants with Michelin stars. However, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat well.
Perhaps it is because people have always been told to eat everything with enjoyment and gratitude.
Many travelers may want to use a rental car to explore the Japanese countryside.
First, you will need a driver’s license, but not every international driver’s license is valid in Japan. There are several types of international driver’s licenses. The one that is valid in Japan is an international driver’s license based on the Convention on Road Traffic.
Austria, for example, issues a Geneva-style international driver’s license that allows you to drive in Japan. But Serbia and Bulgaria, in turn, do not issue them, so people from those countries are not allowed to drive in Japan.
There is another unique experiment.
Driver’s license holders from countries whose driver’s license systems are recognized as equivalent to Japan’s have valid driver’s licenses in Japan.This means that you can drive in Japan with the license you normally use in your home country.
These countries are the Swiss Confederation, the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Principality of Monaco and Taiwan.
However, a Japanese translation of this driver’s license is required, which is issued by a Japanese official.
The original of this document must be carried, copies are invalid.
Of course, the original driver’s license from the home country must also be carried.
My small travel agency can assist in obtaining translation documents for the driver’s license.
I can also arrange rental cars and suggest deals depending on the season they are available.
** Addendum to September 12 → Even now(20.SEP) there is still no new information about it.
Today we have received more news.
The lifting of the cap on the number of visitors per day to Japan, the lifting of the ban on individual travel, and the visa waiver for visitors to Japan are being considered.
But don’t panic, because all kinds of backlash can be expected. Please wait for official information.
************
!! Please do not be misled by the Fake News about Individual Travel without a tour guide. !!
As of September 7, the following Japanese government guidelines are in effect.
1 A travel agency licensed in Japan will create an itinerary that takes into account the prevention of corona infection. It is not possible to change the itinerary on the spot according to the traveler’s will.
2 A licensed Japanese travel agency or their partner travel agency in the home country will arrange round-trip tickets and arrange accommodations in advance.
3 Travel agencies will inform travelers in advance of the thoroughness of infection control measures and the purchase of private travel insurance and obtain their consent.
4 You must always maintain contact between the travel agent and travelers and keep them informed of your movements.
5 If a traveler is infected with Corona, the travel agency should inform the travelers of the correct behavior and take them to a medical facility for consultation if necessary.
Travelers coming to Japan must book not only hotels but also airline tickets through travel agencies.
The travel agency then issues a document called an ERFS, and the traveler goes to the Japanese Embassy with this document and their passport.
This is best done a month before the trip. It would have to be at least two weeks. Embassy work takes time. Please also note that currently embassies can only be visited by appointment.
!! This information was added on the latest!!!
It is possible for a licensed foreign travel agency and a licensed Japanese travel agency to work together.
But not everything can be arranged by a foreign travel agency.
In simple terms, a foreign travel agency arranges airline tickets and Japan Rail Passes.
Japanese travel agencies then arrange hotels, guides and restaurants.
And both travel agencies always share information about their customers to help them travel safely.
Travelers cannot book hotels or even airline tickets themselves. They cannot book directly with airlines or through OTAs (such as Opodo, Expedia, etc.). Entry into Japan may otherwise be denied.
The guidelines may change in the future.
Dear Japan lovers, please do not panic.
Please get the right information.
I am working with my business partner in Vienna, Japan Plus Touristik.
We hope that everyone who loves Japan will feel comfortable here.
Japan is always waiting for you.
Mag.Mariko SUGIE
Kaguya Travel Agency LLC
For all who are planning a trip to Japan.
Japanese group travel has resumed.
Only travel agencies registered with the Japanese Government Quarantine System (ERFS) are allowed to receive foreign visitors.
It is also mandatory to be accompanied by a tour guide during the trip.
Wearing a mask and purchasing travel insurance are also mandatory.
First of all, only approved Japanese travel agencies can register with ERFS.
My small travel agency is one of them.
And the tour guide to accompany the trip does not have to be a qualified Japanese tour guide.
However, they must speak perfect Japanese and be able to contact the authorities.
Of course, I can also arrange for a tour guide.
Last week, my small travel agency registered with the ERFS system.
I can issue an “acceptance certificate” for you and your clients.
Those who receive the certificate will be processed individually for a visa.
It takes 5 business days (or longer) to issue a visa.
Group tours can take place with a minimum of one person. Since a tour guide is required, this would be expensive but good for sightseeing trips, etc.
I can plan trips for you to all areas of Japan, including places that are not so well known as destinations. Because of the Corona pandemic, some things have changed in Japan regarding tourism, but you don’t have to worry. I can personally see the situation in the various travel areas and give you the best possible advice.
Mag.Mariko SUGIE
Kaguya Reisebüro LLC
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