Job Discussion Forums

suki_monster · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 15

so assuming most people fly to Japan, and also don't want to spend a ridiculous amount of money, can anyone recommend to me a good travel agency, or cheap airfare website that they used? in the process of trying to find a decently priced one-way ticket.

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

Whole-salefares is good if you are coming from america..we bought our tickets from them and they were very cheap.

ElleB · Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 20

In my experience round-trip tickets are cheaper. Also, if you come over on a tourist visa, the authorities will want to see a return ticket.

All the cheap airfare sites I know operate out of Japan. They are: H.I.S. (same as No.1 Travel), GMTravel, Air 1 Travel, Just Travel, and AirNet Travel.

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

When asking that kind of question, it really helps to say where you are coming from.

suki_monster · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 15

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

H.I.S. and No.1 Travel are the same? I had no idea. I thought Hit Travel and No. 1 Travel were the same.

DJames · Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Posts: 11

A buddy of mine bought a return ticket. When he was ready to leave the boss told him the contract required he work the day his year went up. Had to eat the ticket of a one way back to England. How can this be avoided? Has it happened to anyone else?

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

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

While I like Jim Dunlop's response, the question is how can this be AVOIDED?

Easy. Talk with your employer... EARLY. Don't wait until the last minute. Plan for this contingency. That way, you and he can make that trip to immigration and get you an extension on the visa (yes, for a whole year or 3, if need be), and then you work the day needed to fulfill the stupid contract, then leave with bonus in hand.

Didn't the contract have a termination DATE on it? It should have, and if you missed that and figured you would be able to leave ahead of time, it's not the boss's fault.

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367

http://www.jtbusa.com/enhome/

Go with agencies that are tour operators as their airline discounts are deeper usually with airlines etc.

The above's showing good one way rates for travel within the next 2 months of so.

HIS is a crap shoot. They can really swing up and down with their rates AND if you're using one of their agencies in the US, I've seen price differences depending on the office you're speaking with (San Fran offered me a ticket once for 650 while their boston agency was 200 more! ) No excuse except what they thought they could make me pay.

Buying the round trip will mean with high assurity that you'll end up swallowing the return portion. Just budget yourself your return fare before you come over if you are strongly concerned.

But the best advice is to just simply, seriously shop around.

DJames · Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Posts: 11

There are a few questions I have about traveling to Japan.

1. Is an open return the most affordable route? Hours ago a travel agent claimed it is the worst(price wise) way to travel.

2. Is there "any" way you can get into Japan on just a one way?

3. I found a very cheap return ticket that has a max stay of 30 days. Could you use this ticket, then get a proper visa from your school and at the end of the year buy another one way home?

bearcat · Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 367

Quibby84 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 643 Location: Japan

My friend just came from America to Japan with a one way ticket, no one asked him anything. We could have done the same but we wanted to go back home in 6 months. We know someone from New Zealand that said that he had to get a round trip ticket because they wouldnt have let him on the plane in New Zealand to get to Japan. But maybe America is different. We didnt get asked anything, I dont remember anyone asking if we had a round-trip ticket or not...and my friend didnt have problems either.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

In many countries the check-in staff will look at your passport to see if you have a visa that allows you to arrive in Japan on a one-way ticket. If you are going on a tourist visa (i.e. nothing in your passprt yet) they may refuse to let you on the plane unless you can convince them that you are leaving Japan by ferry or something similar.

This is because the airline can be fined if it is discovered that you are trying to enter Japan without a ticket out- the airlines are protecting themselves.

I have heard of people who have managed to travel to Japan on a one-way ticket as a tourist, and I have heard of people stopped before they even got on the plane. It's up to you if you want to take the risk. It may be worth checking with the airline to see what their policy is.