Job Discussion Forums

kevinyam · Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 31

just wondering if HIS or JBA offer english service as well? Anyone know of some good travel agencies for gaijin??

moot point · Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Posts: 441

http://www.hittravel.co.jp/index.php?lang=ENG

http://www.no1-travel.com/

johanne · Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 189

Almost any travel agency in Japan will be able to provide service in English, especially any one that advertises in one of the English daily newspapers.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

parrothead · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 342 Location: Japan

HIS offices generally have someone on hand who speaks English. If not, just say the city you want to travel to with a Katakana pronunciation, point to a day on a calendar and they'll understand.

jesszilla · Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 35

I used HIT Travel to plan my trip to Thailand last summer...Moot Point posted their link above. They were very helpful. Just be aware that you will be required to confirm, re-confirm, and re-re-confirm your reservation via e-mail, fax, and telephone...I think they're a bit insecure about communication problems.

freddie's friend daniel · Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 84 Location: Osaka-fu

H.I.S is the same thing as No1 Travel. I booked my Christmas flights with them and, frankly, never again. PM me if you want the details 'cause I don't want to go through the whole thing here. Just make sure you get the final price of the tickets in black and white before you confirm the flights and do any visa legwork yourself.

freddie's friend daniel · Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 84 Location: Osaka-fu

Forgot to add...if you are in Kansai, check the back of Kansai Time Out magazine. There are a lot of English-capable travel agencies listed there. They tend not to have a great internet presence but you can book over the phone or in person.

mrjohndub · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 198 Location: Saitama, Japan

I'd like to plan a short ski excursion within a not-to-long train ride to Gunma, Niigata, Nagano...for one or two days of skiing and one night in a hotel. I live in Kanto.

Which is a good agency or service to use to arrange this? I've been told that you can get a good deal on a package with train, accomodation, lift tickets and perhaps gear altogether. My Japanese is pathetic, so I'd need English service.

may be going · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 129 Location: australia

www.statravel.co.jp

i have used them for all my trips and i think, from my experience, everyone speaks english there.

relatively hassle free to pay your fare too. you just need to deposit the money into their account and it's all done (although i needed help at the atm with kanji etc)

i live in chiba and dealt with tokyo. not sure if they have offices elsewhere.

bornslippy1981 · Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 271

Don't worry, I've searched for http://www.statravel.co.jp/english/travel/air/index.html and read what 2 or 3 people had to say.

Just wondering if there is anything more recent than what the search turned up that somebody could add.

Enjoy,

b

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

As with ANY product or service, the Laws of Work apply...

You can have it:

a) fast
b) cheap
c) good

But you may only choose two of these three.

But having said that, I refuse to give HIS or No.1 ANY business until they: 1. issue an apology for fixing higher prices to foreigners that Japanese nationals could get for less (an illegal practice, BTW), and 2. show/guarantee that they have ceased their racist practice, 3. guarantee travel insurance to non-Japanese at the same price and coverage as Japanese nationals.

Out of a matter of principle, I tend to avoid businesses where they believe that the money that comes out of a nihon-jin's pocket is bluer (or browner) than the money that comes out of mine. I've gotten AMAZING service from travel agents in Japan -- where I was NOT discriminated against, and the service was in English to boot. Our trip to Thailand (end of this month) was booked (believe it or not) through JTB. They actually had the lowest price. Our trip to Canada in the winter was through an unknown agent, but they were super-helpful and friendly, but it was ALL in Japanese. JTB usually has English-speaking staff.

seastarr · Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 76

I booked a flight back to Canada with NO. 1/HIS..while the price was the best I could find, it changed 3 times in the month before my departure, always to my disadvantage of course. I booked a few vacations through HIS and didnt have any real problems, but I didnt like hearing about the price fixing. That is really dirty.

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

I was surprised to hear that too, but unfortunately it just adds more fuel to my fire for a book I hope to be writing, maybe with a title like 'Who wants to ride in sub-economy class?' Razz

.

My wife and I book through HIS and we have never had that kind of problem, but she's Japanese so I'll give you 3 guesses who does the booking. And at that agency, I have yet to meet anyone who uses English (though someone may be hiding in the back office with an apology about ripping off my' fellow' foreigners Rolling Eyes

).

seastarr · Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 76

At the agency in my city, there were several people that spoke English...one lady was fantastic! We always dealt with her. She always seemed very apologetic if they didnt offer what we were looking for or if the price was too high..she also called constantly for tiny minute details that I have never heard of a travel adgent caring about. Come to think about it, she may have been practicing her English.