Booking Conditions

Last Updated: June 2026

Please read these booking conditions carefully. They set out the terms of the contract between you (the client) and us. By submitting an online Booking Form, you agree to be bound by these conditions.

1. Making Your Booking & Deposit

To secure a place on one of our tours, you must submit a completed online Booking Form.

  • If booking more than 60 days before the tour departure: A non-refundable deposit of 20% of the total tour price is required within 7 days of receiving our invoice to secure your reservation.

  • If booking 60 days or fewer before departure: Full payment is required immediately upon confirmation.

Once we receive your deposit, we will issue a formal Booking Confirmation. At this moment, a binding contract comes into effect.

2. Final Payment

The remaining 80% balance of your tour must be received by us no later than 60 days prior to the tour start date. If we do not receive full payment by the due date, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you, in which case your deposit will be forfeited.

3. Cancellation By You

If you or any member of your party needs to cancel a confirmed booking, the party leader must notify us in writing via email. Cancellation charges are calculated based on the date your written notification is received and are expressed as a percentage of the total tour price:

60 days or more - Deposit only (20% of total price)

59 to 30 days - 35% of total tour price

29 to 15 days - 50% of total tour price

14 days or fewer / No Show - 100% of total tour price

Note on Currency: Payments are accepted via international bank transfer, credit card, or debit card. The currency selected for your initial deposit will dictate the currency used for the final balance payment.

4. Itinerary Flexibility & Force Majeure

While we make every effort to operate tours exactly as advertised, travel in the Japanese countryside requires flexibility. We reserve the absolute right to alter routes, accommodations, or transport schedules due to conditions within Japan beyond our control (Force Majeure). This includes, but is not limited to: natural disasters (earthquakes, typhoons, landslides), severe weather, suspension of rail or ferry services, or sudden closure of historical trails. No refunds or compensation will be paid in these circumstances. Though we will do our best to support you an

5. Accommodation & Cultural Customs in Japan

Our tours emphasize authentic immersion. Depending on your itinerary, accommodations will include a mix of Western-style hotels and traditional Japanese inns (Ryokan or Minshuku).

  • Room Configuration: At Western hotels, single supplements guarantee private rooms. However, at traditional Japanese inns, rooms feature tatami mats and futon bedding. At certain points there may be less privacy than you are used to in Western style hotels due to a tradition of sliding doors without lock and key. Though we do our best to give you privacy and mitigate these occurrences. Please understand that such circumstances may occur.

  • Facilities: Many rural Japanese accommodations utilize shared, gender-segregated communal bathing facilities rather than private en-suite bathrooms. Bookings are accepted on the understanding that clients accept and respect these local customs unless specifically stated otherwise.

6. Mandatory Travel Insurance

It is a mandatory condition of booking a tour with us that you hold comprehensive international travel insurance. Your policy must explicitly cover personal accidents, emergency medical expenses, and repatriation costs (including helicopter rescue and air medical evacuation, where applicable for rural walking trails).

7. Health, Fitness & Medical Conditions

Many of our tours involve active walking, hiking, or climbing stairways at shrines and temples. It is your responsibility to ensure you possess a level of physical fitness suitable for your chosen itinerary. You must notify us at the time of booking of any pre-existing medical conditions, mobility restrictions, or severe food allergies. While we make every effort to communicate dietary requests to our local suppliers in Japan, we cannot guarantee that all specialized dietary needs can be safely met in remote rural areas.

8. Local Laws and Guest Behavior

While in Japan, you must strictly comply with all local laws and respect community guidelines. We reserve the right to terminate your tour participation immediately if, in the reasonable opinion of our team, your behavior causes distress, danger, or severe annoyance to other guests, local hosts, or community residents. In such a case, no refunds will be issued.

9. Financial Protection

All customer funds are securely managed to ensure complete financial protection. In the highly unlikely event of our corporate insolvency, arrangements are in place to ensure a full refund of all monies paid to us, or your safe repatriation if your tour has already commenced.

10. Your Contract & Governing Law

This website and our booking services are owned and operated by REALLY RURAL JAPAN LTD, a limited liability company incorporated in England and Wales under company registration number 17261004.

For statutory and legal compliance purposes under the UK Companies Act 2006, our registered legal office is located at: 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom. Please note that this is a corporate registration office only; no customer operations or customer correspondence are accepted at this location.

Your contract is governed by and construed in accordance with English Law, and both parties agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales to settle any legal dispute. Ground fulfillment, local operational logistics, and on-the-ground execution of your tour within Japan are executed in collaboration with our licensed regional operating partner, Kabushikigaisha Yamatsumi (株式会社ヤマツミ), based in Nagiso Town, Japan.