The events and tours featured on this website are operated by the partners of Japan Awaits and offered by Journey Japan (the Company). The following conditions, together with the relevant information set out on this website, will form part of your contract with the Company. Please read them carefully before you book.
1. BOOKING YOUR EVENT
(a) Our aim is to provide the right event or booking to suit your requirements. You can contact us at info@japanawaits.com (for inquiries) and booking@japanawaits.com (for existing bookings). In order to maintain our customer services standards and to assist with the on-going training of our staff, we may record or monitor our telephone conversations or emails with you.
(b) To secure your booking we require a deposit of 100%, or full payment, of the total holiday cost per person – or as advised by the Company. Payment can be made by major credit cards in favor of the Company. If for any reason we do not accept your booking, your deposit will be returned. We may also request full payment in cash (currency in Japanese yen) at a certain point before or during your booking event time.
(c) Special requests, such as diet, special needs of guests or a particular facility which are important factors in the choice of booking, should be indicated in writing at the time of booking. We will pass your request on to the venue but cannot guarantee that it will be accommodated. The Company will try to arrange for special requests to be met, but cannot guarantee that they will be, nor will the Company be liable if any special request is not met. The provision of any special request does not constitute a term of your contract with us unless we have confirmed in writing that your requirement will be met.
(d) On receipt of your correct amount of full payment, we will book your arrangements and issue a Confirmation Invoice. A contract will come into existence on the date on which we issue a Confirmation Invoice. When you make a booking, you are confirming that you are at least 18 years of age and that you understand our booking conditions and have accepted them on behalf of yourself and all members of your party. All contracts with the Company are subject to these booking conditions.
(e) It is important for you to check the details on the Confirmation Invoice as soon as you get it. In the event of any discrepancy please contact us immediately. If you arrange your holiday directly with the Company, all correspondence and other communications will be sent to the address of the person who made the initial payment unless you specify otherwise. If you request correspondence through a business address, a residential address will also be required for emergency and security reasons.
(f) If your booking is made through a travel agent, the Company will address all communications to that travel agent, who will act as an agent for you in regard to all communications from us to you. All monies paid by you to a travel agent under or in contemplation of this contract will be held by the travel agent for the Company until such monies are forwarded to the Company.
(g) The balance is due 30 days before the event, or otherwise specified. If it is not paid in time, we reserve the right to cancel your booking arrangements.
2. AMENDMENTS & CANCELLATION
(a) Amendments by you
The Company will make every effort to assist you if you wish to alter your arrangements, but it may not always be possible. Requests for an amendment must be in writing, signed by the person who made the initial payment. We will do our best to make amendments if possible, but if we cannot, the booking will be subject to forfeiture (the customer may lose up to 100% of the booking cost and may not receive a refund).
If you are unavoidably prevented from taking your holiday or attending your arranged event, by reason of, for example, illness, jury service, redundancy, unavoidable work commitments or the death or serious illness of a close family member, it may be possible to transfer your booking to a person acceptable to the Company (but it should be noted that some suppliers may consider any change of name as a cancellation, thereby attracting cancellation fees of up to the full value of the service), provided that:
(i) if you request a transfer in writing, you must allow reasonable time for the changes to be communicated to, and accepted by, the supplier.
(ii) your request is accompanied by documentary proof of the reason for the transfer, any tickets or vouchers received from the Company, full detail of the person who will replace you, any balance due for the booking and the appropriate administration fee (see below).
(iii) your replacement agrees to be bound by these booking conditions (with administration fees up to $50 per person). You, as transferor of the event, and the transferee shall be jointly and severally liable to the Company for payment of the balance due, together with all additional charges of whatever sort imposed by the suppliers providing the component parts of your holiday charges.
(b) Cancellation by you
All cancellations must be advised in writing, signed by the person who made the initial payment and sent to the Company at email: booking@japanawaits.com. Cancellations are effective on the day they are received by the Company. Recorded delivery is strongly recommended. Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel or booking arrangements, the following cancellation charges (or an otherwise specified cancellation policy displayed on the checkout page may be applied) will be payable, depending upon the number of days prior to departure the Company receives your notice of cancellation.
Written Advice of Cancellation Received
Days prior to Departure Date % of Total Holiday Cost
More than 30 days, no charge
30 – 15 days, 25% of total booking cost
14 – 8 days, 50% of total booking cost
7 – 1 days, 100% of total booking cost
Please note that at certain times of year, peak season, or for certain experiences, stricter cancellation conditions may apply.
Prior to the scheduled tour or experience date, it is essential to obtain sufficient travel insurance, which is expected to encompass coverage, under specific conditions, for potential loss of deposit or cancellation fees, at the point of reservation.
(c) Re-booking following a cancellation
Should you wish to cancel a booking and re-book an alternative this will be subject to the cancellation terms within these booking conditions. The Company may use their absolute discretion however to transfer some or all of any monies already paid by you to the alternative booking. If the alternative booking requires a greater deposit than has already been paid then the balance between what is required as a deposit and any deposits already paid becomes due.
(d) Accuracy of information
We check the information which we provide about our holidays and booking very carefully. However, tour or excursion itineraries may change as a result of local conditions. Circumstances such as these, or weather conditions, may cause some of the amenities we have described to be unavailable or different from those advertised. When we are told of any significant or long term changes we will always attempt to advise you prior to your departure.
(e) Amendments by the Company
Great care is taken to ensure that the description and prices given in our brochures and on our website are accurate at the time of publication. However, changes can occur, and the Company reserves the right to change any of the details in company literature, including prices, in which case the Company will advise you of any such change before accepting your booking. After a Confirmation Invoice has been issued, the Company makes every effort to operate all holidays and bookings as advertised. We plan arrangements a long time in advance of your booking using independent suppliers, over whom we have no direct control. In very rare circumstances, the Company may have to modify a booking, event, tour or other arrangement before you depart. Most of these changes are minor. However, if we consider them a material change we will notify you or your travel/ booking agent as soon as reasonably practicable. A material change includes a change of destination or a change to a lower standard venue or accommodation, and/or price. In the case of a material change before your departure we will provide you with one to three alternatives, in which you may choose one.
Force majeure means unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the Company’s control or the control of our suppliers, the consequence of which neither the Company nor its suppliers could avoid even with all due care, including, but not limited to, war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity (actual or threatened), industrial dispute, unavoidable technical problems with transport, machinery or equipment, power failure, changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation from venue or partners, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, flood, drought, adverse weather conditions, epidemics or outbreaks of illness and level of water in rivers. The travel insurance obtained prior to the scheduled tour or experience date is expected to cover the potential loss of the experience cost or cancellation fees under these specific conditions.
‘Low bookings’ means that an insufficient number of people have booked the arrangements to make their operation financially viable in the advertised form. If there is a minor change before your event or booking (that is, any change not included in the definition of a material change set out above), the Company will try to notify you, although it is not obliged to pay any compensation. lf the Company becomes unable to provide a significant proportion of your holiday or booking after it has commenced, every effort will be made to provide suitable alternative arrangements, which will be made for you at no extra charge to you (save in the case of force majeure) or, alternatively, you will be returned to your point of departure and the company will, where appropriate, pay compensation. No compensation is payable in the case of force majeure.
(f) Cancellation by the Company
We reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your holiday for any reason (such as not enough people joining a group event or if a venue becomes unavailable). However, we will not cancel your arrangement less than 10 days before your event booking date, except for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance. If you fail to pay the balance of the booking price at least 30 days before the event or booking, the Company will treat your booking as cancelled and levy the cancellation charges set out in clause 2(b). If the Company is obliged to cancel your engagement in any other circumstances before the engagement date, the Company will use its best endeavors to offer alternative arrangements of equivalent or very closely similar standard and price, if available; travel or booking arrangements of a lower standard and a refund of the difference in price; or will give you a full and prompt refund of all monies paid. In addition, unless the cancellation has been caused by force majeure or low bookings, the Company will pay you compensation as set out in clause 2(e).
3. THE COMPANY'S PRICE POLICY
(a) All prices are based upon exchange rates to the USD ($) or JPY (¥) as shown in the Financial Times on 1st December 2018.
(b) The Company is under no obligation to give a breakdown of the costs involved in a holiday or event.
(c) The Company reserves the right to notify you of an increase in the brochure or advertised price before accepting your booking and prices may go up or down.
(d) The financial commitments offered by the Company mean that the Company is not able to reduce holiday prices should the value of the USD ($) strengthen.
4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMPANY
(a) The Company applies all reasonable checks to ensure that those involved in the preparation and provision of your booking maintain the appropriate standards.
(b) The descriptions, information and opinions given in our brochures or on the website by the Company in respect of our suppliers whose services are used are given in good faith, based on the latest information available at the time of printing. The Company accepts liability for any loss you may suffer if due to fault on our part, or that of our agents or suppliers, any part of the holiday arrangements you book with the Company before your departure is not as described in our brochure, on our website, or itinerary or not of a reasonable standard. The Company limits its liability in respect of these claims to a maximum of one event cost.
(c) Our suppliers (such as accommodation or transport providers) have their own booking conditions or conditions of carriage, and these conditions are binding between you and the supplier. Some of these conditions may limit or remove the relevant transport provider’s or other supplier’s liability to you. You can get copies of such conditions from our offices, or the offices of the relevant supplier.
(d) If we make any payment to you or any member of your party for any loss you may suffer if due to fault on our part, you must cooperate fully with us in seeking recovery of any payment we make.
(e) Operational decisions may be taken by suppliers resulting in delays, diversions or rescheduling. The Company has no control over such decisions, and is therefore unable to accept responsibility for them. Where, as a result of circumstances beyond our control we are obliged to change or end your event after it begins, but before the event’s ending, we will not pay compensation or reimburse you for expenses incurred. We strongly recommend you have adequate insurance for your holiday and should claim via your insurance company for any loss or damage. In the event that any claim is made directly with us, our liability to pay compensation and/or the amount of compensation will be limited in accordance with the conventions referred to in (b, c) above.
(f) The Company is not responsible for death, injury or illness during your holiday or event. We strongly recommend you have adequate travel and health insurance for your holiday and booking and should claim via your insurance company in case of any accidents.
5. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
(a) US residents who are planning a holiday or event with us should be aware that the US State Department issues a travel warning when, based on all relevant information, it determines that Americans should avoid travel to or within a certain nation. The State Department maintains a list of nations under a travel warning on its website at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html. American travelers are advised to check this before making a booking and understand the risks of visiting any country with a travel advisory.
For UK residents, before making a booking, we advise you to check advice issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on your preferred destination by accessing the website: www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas or by calling the Foreign Office Travel Advice Unit on 0845 850 2829.
All other nationalities should check advisories based on their country origin.
(b) In the event of active Foreign Office Travel or US State Department Travel advice and warnings against travel to a specific destination or location(s) of a trip, should the traveler still choose to travel, notwithstanding such travel advisory or warning, the traveler assumes all risks of loss, personal injury, death or property damage from any event that may arise out of or associated with the travel advice or warnings given.
(c) It is important that you check the details on your Confirmation Invoice when you receive it. In the event of any discrepancy, you should contact the Company or your travel agent.
(d) If you lose any personal items whilst on holiday or at an event or tour operated by the Company, please obtain a written report from the police, to help with any insurance claim upon your return.
(e) You are responsible for the costs of any damage to the venue and/or any extra charges incurred with our suppliers during your booking. Should you fail to make such payment at the time the charges and/or costs are incurred, you will be liable to reimburse us for these and you authorize the Company to automatically debit your credit card to the value instructed by the supplier for any such costs and/or charges.
6. INSURANCE
It is required that you and all members of your party have comprehensive travel insurance cover and that it is adequate for your needs. Your policy of insurance should provide cover for personal injury, death, medical and repatriation costs in the countries which you intend to visit, together with cover for loss of valuables, personal liability, delay, cancellation, curtailment, and legal expenses. If you suffer from a disability or medical condition you should disclose this to insurers. For those who participate in sports and activities whilst on holiday that have been organized and arranged independently of us, it should be understood that participation is at the individual’s own risk and it is your responsibility to obtain the relevant insurance. Please keep your insurance details with you whilst on holiday.
7. EXCURSIONS
Please note that when you book an excursion locally you contract with the local company providing that excursion and not the Company. The Company has no legal liability for anything that goes wrong on such an excursion and any claim which you might have arising out of the excursion will be against the relevant local company and subject to the local company’s terms and conditions.
8. DATA PROTECTION ACT
(a) In order to process your booking and to ensure that your arrangements run smoothly and meet your requirements, we need to use the information you provide such as your name, and address, any special needs/dietary requirements etc. We take full responsibility for ensuring that proper security measures are in place to protect your information. We must pass the information on to the relevant suppliers of your booking arrangements such as venues, hotels, transport companies and so on. The information may also be provided to security or credit checking companies, public authorities such as customs and immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Additionally, where your holiday is outside the United States of America, controls on data protection in your destination may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. However, we will not pass any information to any person that is not responsible for part of your booking arrangements. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary/religious requirements. If, however, we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the US/ EEA or not, we cannot accept your booking. In making a booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. Please note that where information is also held by your travel agent, this is subject to your agents own data protection policy. You are entitled to a copy of your information held by us. If you would like to see this please contact the Company during normal working hours (we make a small charge for providing this to you).
(b) The information you are required to provide may include debit/credit card details. As set out above, we take responsibility for ensuring that proper security measures are in place to protect this information. In accordance with applicable legal, regulatory and business requirements, this information will be securely deleted as soon as it is no longer required. However, it is necessary for the Company to retain your debit/credit card details for a reasonable period of time after the conclusion of you holiday, and you consent to such retention, in the event that any costs referred to in clause 5(i) above are incurred and you fail to settle these directly with the supplier, in order that the Company can debit your card for the relevant amount. This will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that the information is not kept longer than is strictly necessary for the purposes set out above.
9. ILLNESS AND DISABILITY
If you or any member of your party suffer from a disability or other medical condition please tell us before you book. The Company is happy to give you advice and to try to assist you in choosing an event that will meet your requirements. However, certain establishments may lack even the simplest facilities for disabled guests such as ramps for wheelchairs, lifts and so on. In order to assist you, we must be provided prior to booking with full written details regarding your medical condition and any special requirements. For any medical concerns prior to an event, you should consult your doctor for advice before you book and in good time before you’re the event.
10. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM
If you are unhappy with any aspect of the Company’s arrangements during your booking, you must address your complaint immediately to the Company’s local representative (or, if none, to the Company) and to the management of the supplier whose services are involved. They will do their best to rectify the situation. It is unreasonable to take no action whilst on location, but then to write a letter of complaint upon return. If the problem cannot be resolved locally and you wish to complain, full details must be sent to the Company in writing to arrive within 30 days of return to your home country, using the email: info@JapanAwaits.com. We will do our best to investigate and reply to you within 30 days of receipt of your letter. Failure to take either of these steps will deny the Company the opportunity to resolve the problem immediately and/or investigate it properly. In consequence, this may affect your rights under this contract.
11. GOVERNING LAW
This contract and any matters arising from it are governed by the laws of the United States and Japan and are subject to the jurisdiction of the Courts of the United States of America and Japan.
12. DESCRIPTIONS
Every effort is made to ensure that the details, description and prices contained in company literature are correct, based on inspections, and information passed to the Company by its suppliers. However, changes do occur, sometimes at short notice and, therefore, the Company will advise you at the time of booking, or if after booking as soon as possible of any such changes to our published information. It is not always possible for the Company to control all elements of the holiday whereby advertised facilities can sometimes become unavailable at short notice due to inclement weather conditions, lack of demand, emergency repair works, etc.
13. PRICING POLICY
The prices shown in company literature are per person in US Dollars ($) or Japanese Yen (¥).