Decision regarding Japan tours for October 2022
My husband and I are scheduled to take the Essence of Japan trip in October 2022. We know that all Japan trips have been cancelled through September 30, 2022. Does anyone know when the decision will be made for the tours scheduled in October?
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Tauck usually make decisions before you make your final payment. It’s pretty clear Japan will not be opening up any time soon. If it was me, I would cancel now and hope to get onto a 2023 date before it fills up. We are going to Japan with another tour company in September 2023, we never even thought about booking for 2022, Japan doesn’t need tourists, they are in no hurry. We are just hoping they open in 2023, we have been trying to go since 2020.
I disagree with the self-appointed health minister of Japan who posted above me.
Japan reopened to group tours in June. If Tauck doesn't cancel very soon, the tour is a go. The only reason I'd cancel or reschedule is if there's a specific site on your wish list and it hasn't reopened.
I'm scheduled for this trip in Apr 2023, after being cancelled and rescheduled 3 times.
Read the small print. It’s open, but you still have to quarantine for three days on arrival.
I did. You're wrong.
See https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html
The US is in "Group Blue"
Yes, confusing
You win, but I still think the September tours will be canceled. The tour company we are using canceled their September tour months ago.
Now cancelled through Oct 13th. We are scheduled for the 17th. We wish they’d cancel ours already so we could make alternative plans. We are waiting for them to cancel, as they may provide a small credit for the inconvenience as they did last time they cancelled. Question: If they cancel, are we able to get the Tauck insurance refunded, or is that cost gone unless we transfer to another tour? Also if we have additional costs due to air that we booked ourselves, does the insurance cover those costs (eg redeposit fees)?
Tauck cannot refund insurance amounts but will save it for a future trip. Insurance covers airline changes
For anyone going to the Tokyo area of Japan, I have two temples to recommend to you:
Yasukuni Shrine - This shrine is dedicated as a resting place for soldiers killed in war, especially WWII. It's controversial because the ashes of several Japanese war criminals are interred there. Whenever a high Japanese politician goes there to honor the war dead, there's a major blowback, especially from Korea (since Korea was occupied by Japan in WWII). I recommend it because when you hear the blowback you'll know what the temple is. It's interesting in its own right and has a museum. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasukuni_Shrine
Sengakuji Temple - This temple is where the 47 Ronin are buried. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3000.html. You can get to this temple via the subway. The Sengakuji subway station is not far from this temple, Google says 240 meters.
The story of the 47 Ronin is very important in understanding Japan. If you don't know it, a short version is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty-seven_rōnin
NHK has been reporting on its overburdened healthcare system, given increased caseload. If Tauck does go this fall, I hope everyone chooses to mask up. When in Japan, do as the Japanese do.
Well, no surprise since other companies had already done so...Tauck has canceled Japan for rest of 2022. Disappointing for those waiting for so long.
I think the decision was made to ensure that BKMD is on the first tour welcomed to Japan in years when he visits next Spring. Well, maybe not. I hope they open up early next year.
Won't be the first (hopefully). Scheduled early April, 2023. Looks like there are tours starting almost every day around that time!
Some potential promising news:
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-weighs-lifting-pre-departure-covid-tests-travellers-media-2022-08-23/
Something we agree on😀. Now all we need is flights to come down in price.
Prices of some flights I'm following for the future have dropped about 10% in the last week or two.
Updated info says no COVID testing for vaccinated travelers as of September 7th
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-pm-kishida-brief-about-new-measures-handling-covid-kyodo-2022-08-24/
Looks like Japan is going to open up on October 11. https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/09/22/japan-reinstates-visa-free-travel-removes-daily-arrivals-cap-on-october-11-2022/
Here's another story about the same thing - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/japan-loosen-covid-travel-restrictions-grant-entry-independent-tourist-rcna49066
Yay. thanks Mike. I expected it to come soon. Hopefully no setbacks when tourist season resumes there next Spring.
There was a tour director on our just finished tour who was training for the Kingdoms and Dragons tour. He usually leads the Japan tours, has lived in Japan for a while. He is a sweet young man who has lots of tour leading experience. He told us Tauck plans to start tours in Japan next March. His name is Trent.
I'm interested to know if your tour was cancelled. We were scheduled for Oct. 24 and decided to change it to 2023.