Japan Trip Oct 2024

Last Updated:

01 February 2024

Do NOT book flights or accommodations without discussion with Chief Instructor.

Introduction:

On this trip we will visit Osaka and Kobe for karate and jujutsu practice, and also Kyoto for sightseeing. Please make payment in the BOOKING DEADLINE event page before you RSVP here. Anyone not booked by the deadline will be removed from the RSVP list.

See cost estimates and other important factors to consider below.

Trip Dates:

Sat 19th Oct - Sat 2nd Nov, 2024. This is 2 weeks long, but keep in mind the school half-term break is only 1 week long as follows.

School Half-Term Dates:

Waltham Forest autumn half term runs from from Sat 19th Oct - Sun 27th Oct 2024. However the full trip will last an extra week, until Sat 2nd November. You can confirm the Waltham Forest school term dates here..

Flights & Relevant Dates:

For the full experience you should aim to arrive in Tokyo city centre by 12 noon, Saturday 19th Oct, 2024. The intention is to meet in Shibuya and travel to accommodations in the city of Osaka using the bullet train by the Sunday afternoon. If you are finding it difficult to arrive on this weekend, you may opt to arrive a few days later, or a few days earlier. Just keep in mind the following proposed Core Dates (subject to availability of our host dojos).

Core Dates:

• Karate keiko, Week 1 in Kobe: Jujutsu-ka are welcome
• Tokyo Demo weekend, TBA: Everyone invited to jujutsu demo in the famous Yasukuni Shrine.
• Jujutsu keiko, Week 2, Osaka: Karate-ka are welcome
• Kyoto Adventure, Week 2. All members.

You are invited to this training trip as a GROUP event. You are free to have your own agenda, and tourism plans, but we ask that you try to schedule this around the core dates above, as its good for group morale and simplifies the task of booking activities in advance, such as tours, restaurants, dojo rental etc.

Training Costs:

TBC - Budget approximately £250 for training and our group translator. This must be paid in advance on the BOOKING DEADLINE event page here.. A deadline and payment link will be provided in the coming weeks.

Personal Expenses and Travel Costs:

TBC - After flights you can estimate roughly £1500 - £3000 per person for a 2 week trip in Japan. A detailed breakdown of anticipated expenses will be given in the coming months. However, rest assured, event planners will be looking for the most cost effective options for this trip.

Accommodations:

TBC - Accommodations will be booked after the booking deadline. Venues and locations will be discussed and you will be given the choice to book accommodations with the group (recommended), or independently. 

The primary choice for the group accommodation will be a Backpacker Hostels or Guest Houses (almost the same) within 45 minutes of the dojos, possibly much closer. In these accommodations around Sakura, you can expect private dorms, £22 -£35 per night, per person, for our group. These accommodations also have private rooms, £45 - £70 per night. The standards are typically very high in Japan, and we'll only be booking accommodations with top reviews! Backpacker hostels and guest houses tend to be very clean and hospitable, and are usually far more social environments than hotels. 

If you still feel disatisfied with this option, you can attempt to independently book your own accommodations, but being away from the group could lead to serious logistical challenges when planning activities, especially with travel. If you really want to book your own accommodations separately, then it would help if you were find somewhere near to where the group will be staying.

Itinerary:

Please pay close attention to the trip itinerary/schedule on this page (below) and check back regularly for updates!