If you’d like a Japan expert to help plan your Japan trip or answer your questions about Japan, contact Japan Travel Consulting (JTC). JTC is a team of Japan travel experts who can assist you by email, Skype, phone or FaceTime.
About Japan Travel Consulting (JTC)
Japan Travel Consulting (JTC) is a team of Japan travel journalists, long-term Japan residents and travel consultants. JTC is operated by Chris Rowthorn, a 20-year resident of Kyoto and author of 19 Japan guidebooks for Lonely Planet, as well as the co-founder of the Inside Kyoto, Truly Tokyo and Inside Osaka websites. The JTC team consists of four Lonely Planet Japan authors, the leading foreign expert on Japan hiking, and a Kyoto-based photographer and guide.
How It Works
We offer voice (Skype/Facetime), email and full trip planning services.
Voice consulting is great for high-level planning. We help you choose your destinations within Japan, your mode of travel, the places you’ll stay and your activities. We don’t produce a full, detailed itinerary, but we send you a list of links and place names following the conversation.
Email consulting is like voice consulting, but it’s via email. It’s a good choice if you don’t have time to speak. Like voice consulting, it’s great for high-level planning. We help you choose your destinations within Japan, your mode of travel, the places you’ll stay and your activities. We don’t produce a full, detailed itinerary, but we send you a list of links and place names following the conversation.
Full trip planning usually starts with a voice consultation. Then, we work with you by email to produce a full itinerary, with accommodation recommendations, daily itineraries, transport information and, in some cases, restaurant recommendations. This usually comes in the form of a Word document or a PDF, and it might include Google maps, where necessary.
Rates
All types of consulting are US$190 per hour.
Please Note:
JTC is not a travel agent. JTC does not sell or book travel, hotels or transport. Rather, JTC gives you the information you need to book the best hotels, ryokan, transport options and guides etc at the best rates.
How To Book A Consultation
Please fill in the form below with as much detail as possible about your requirements. You'll then be matched up with a travel expert to provide you with the planning you need.
Payment
Payment is via PayPal (you do not need a PayPal account to make a payment).
Payment is in advance for voice and email consulting.
For full trip planning, we require a deposit of ¥15,000 (about US$133 or €113) to start the consultation and this covers your first hour of consulting. Thereafter we bill for every two hours we spend. Payment is as you go and full details of how we spend our time are provided. There will be no surprises. We can provide an estimate before we start. As a guideline, a typical 1-week trip in Japan takes about 7 hours to plan (but this can vary widely).
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Please note we are only able to respond to genuine enquiries seeking to hire our travel experts.
Tokyo Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Tokyo guide
- Check Tokyo accommodation availability and pricing on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Tokyo
- You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Kyoto, Tokyo to Osaka and Tokyo to Hiroshima
- You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a Japan SIM card online for collection on arrival at Tokyo Narita or Haneda airports. Or rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- Compare airline flight prices and timings for the best Japan flight deals. Check my guides to arriving at Narita Airport and at Haneda Airport.
- If you're visiting more than one city, you might save money with a Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- A prepaid Welcome Suica card makes travelling around Tokyo much easier - here's how
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help
