Winter Wonderland IV 2010-2011

Today Shiranai Travel offers you the December 2010 holiday package!
Join us for for 2 weeks of fun in Tokyo and Osaka.
Spend Christmas abroad instead of deciding which family member you have to disappoint by not visiting them this time around.
Please contact Shiranai Travel by e-mail for this holiday.

Maximising your Holiday experience

For the last six years, we have been flying with JAL (Japan Airlines). Since our April holiday, we have been flying with KLM instead of JAL due to them quiting direct service to Japan from Amsterdam. You can only book this holiday with Shiranai Travel.
If you want to join us on our onward journeys, you will have to accept our
terms.

Shiranai Travel :: Terms and Conditions of travel

We will book your journey in your name with an ANVR travel agency for Flights and Japan Rail Pass. These parts of your journey need to be paid in advance and are covered by a bankruptcy insurance Additionally, the Rail Pass is covered by the Japan Rail Pass program).

Apartments or Hotels in Japan will be booked by us and are not insured. However, payment is expected a day prior to departure to the next location or on arrival in Japan for our first location in the local currency and not in advance.

Advance payment must be paid and available on our account on the day mentioned in our communications to you. An e-ticket will be issued within 14 days of payment (If the airline alows us to do this).

Shiranai Travel books for you in your name and can not be held responsible as a travel agency nor can it be held responsible for faults in any other operator's package.

Shiranai Travel will send a representative on holiday with you, who will answer all questions you may have to his or her best ability. The representative will explain to you the following:

How to obtain money in Japan.

How to obtain train or other public transport tickets.

How to obtain food.

Shiranai Travel does not offer you a full guided tour. You are expected to find your own perfect package, making use of the Travel Guidebook provided by Shiranai Travel. This book has been created with the utmost care, however, Shiranai Travel can not accept any responsibility for errors in the book and points out that it is the Traveller’s own distinct duty to verify any and all information given.

Although Shiranai Travel can not supply you with a professional tour guide, the person in charge of the group for Shiranai Travel will be available to answer any question you may have concerning Japan, the journey, or loan you several guidebooks or give you access to a(n)(IP)telephone when needed (against actual cost).

Your representative will be reachable by phone and e-mail when in Japan. (This excludes times when the representative is in places where it is unseemly to answer a telephone call, for instance, temples, onsen and trains).

You will need to state that you understand that you are not going on a Tour-guided holiday.

You will need to be at least 18 years of age or be accompanied by an adult of 18 years or older who will be responsible for you.

You will need to make a €125 deposit for your ticket which will be refundable up to 100 days prior to departure (less €35 administration cost, charged to us by the ticket issuer).

What is Winter Wonderland IV about?

On December 25 we'll depart from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan. We will be arriving there one day later. After arrival, we'll take the bus or Keisei line to our hotel in Tokyo. We'll take residence there for a 3 nights.
Then we'll take the Shinkansen to Osaka for 8 nights or 11 nights. If you choose for 8 nights, for an additional fee of approx. 20.000 yen, you can be at tropical Okinawa or the Venice of Japan, Kagoshima for 3 nights.
Finally, after having spend 3 nights in Naha, Okinawa or your 11th night in Osaka, you'll head back to Osaka Kansai Airport for a flight to Amsterdam with KLM.

Why the title?

Well, December is a weird month in Japan. In some places, snow is stacked up to 6 meters while in other places, the temperature can be up to 20 degrees (Naha). It's also possible to sit in a train and drive through a tunnel and suddenly see a world of snow, where as at the next tunnel, you'll see green pastures.

What's included in this holiday:

Return flights from Amsterdam to Japan. Carrier, KLM (Amsterdam -> Tokyo and Osaka -> Amsterdam)

Optional return to Naha or Kagoshima with a budget carrier.

Accommodation in: Tokyo, Osaka and optionally Naha or Kagoshima

Japan Rail Pass for 2 weeks

Shinkansen and JR Express train use (with the Japan Rail Pass)

A guidebook filled with ideas for days (or 2 days) out

Approachable guides that will help you to the best of their knowledge (We do ask you to actively ask the guides questions, they will not be holding your hand on this holiday).

All our hotels or apartments have rooms with their own bed, their own sit-bath, toilet, shower, air-conditioner, TV, internet connection (bring a laptop and network cable).

Japanese Breakfast (If we stay in an apartment in Osaka, this is not included there).

What is not included?

Food and beverages except for breakfast at the hotels.

A professional guide, following a set program

Endless trips in buses

Staying in a noisy Youth Hostel with curfew or nice litle guest house with shared bathroom for 40 people.

Various fees for entrance to museums, temples or festivals.

Tickets for the subway or private rail roads, when necessary (An ICOCA rechargeable card for the Osaka subway can be loaned for free (Limited to 6 persons).

Transfer fee from and to the airports (This might be (partially)covered with your Japan Rail Pass).

What's optional?

A visit to the Ghibli Museum (approx. 20 Euro for advance tickets).

Tickets for concerts during the stay (At cost, might be inflated rates due to popularity of the performer).

A class upgrade for your flights or Rail Pass.

An ICOCA commuter pass can be loaned to you for free (Limited to 6 people).

Flight to and accommodation in Naha, Okinawa or Kagoshima, Kyushu.

1 SUICA commuter pass for the subway and private trains in Greater Tokyo can be loaned for free.

Guided tours in Okinawa

Guided tours elsewhere in Japan in cooperation with Kintetsu International.

What does it cost?

Our holiday package comes in 3 separate fees:

Flight €800 + ticketing fee (aprrox, ticketing fee unknown at present)

Japan Rail Pass €440 (including fee)

Shiranai Travel Guide costs €0 (Due to less then 20 persons, the guide will be in PDF form and will be free of charge)

Apartment and hotel package to be paid on site in local currency. Approx. 58.000 yen (11 nights Osaka, 3 nights Tokyo, based on 16 persons, the cheapest option)

Please note that fees will increase with a few 1000 yen when other room configurations are chosen or (part) of the group stays in Okinawa or Kagoshima. Hotel fees will be rounded to the nearest 1000 yen, to avoid having to hand over 4 or more kilo's of coins.

Your hotel package will not be insured. Your Flight + Rail Pass package will be insured against bankruptcy through the carrier. Your hotels will need to be paid by you on site, the rail pass in advance. Concrete amount will be reported to you through e-mail. A copy of your passport for every hotel and or apartment we stay at, is needed to speed up check in at the apartments (Minimum of 2 copies, 3 if you want to go to Okinawa too).
Total amount: € 1750 approx (Yen rate of 0.886 euro per 100) excluding Ticketing fee.

This holiday takes place between: 25/12/2010 and 09/01/2011.

This holiday is currently: Accepting 11 more people
For more information or subscription to our holiday packages, please write to: travel(at)shiranai.com

Posted by niels