Thank you so much for making this detailed review. I didn't even consider bringing additional luggage solely for souvenirs, so I'll definitely do that since I'm a huge Pokémon/anime fan. I'm planning to go either this October or next March/April. I might try and go this year since I'm in my early 30s and the max age limit is 35.
Thank you for making this video! At first, I was gung-ho about only having a backpack with a messenger bag, and fanny pack, but I might just pack a duffel bag to store extra souviners in. Did you have to declare any of the Japanese snacks you brought back? I am doing the Tokyo Experience this October, and next year, I will be on the Japan and Beyond trip (which seems like the forgotten cousin between the two, lol).
Hi! I'm going on this same trip in November and super excited after watching :) thank you for making this! Question - how were your flights? I've seen a couple of people online saying that the flights EF gave them (not sure for which trips) had multiple layovers and were super long and strenuous. The price difference in the trip for booking flights with them vs without is around $1800, which is more than it would cost to just book the flights myself, but I know there are protections involved with having them book them. Do you have any thoughts/recommendations?
A lot of my friends book their own flights! If you can find flights for cheaper and still get there the same days I say go for it! Just get protection with the airline in case anything happens on their end! I always book flights with EF. Cuz I just don’t want the hassle doing it myself. But yeah they’re not like crazy crazy layovers like but usually it’s a multi stop trip. So I say if you find something good book your own!!
I’m going in December of this year for 9 days. My questions; are the first “2 days” throwaway days? As in you don’t do anything besides travel? And did you get a rail pass or a portable WiFi when you arrived? And you said that most of the EF activities were in the morning so is the Hakone excursion only in the morning too?
He hakone baseball game that our TD set up was at night. Stuff EF sets up that’s on the website itinerary is typically in the mornings/afternoons. Your first day is a travel day and then usually you arrive late and have the welcome dinner or arrive late and have a tour day then the welcome dinner next day. It’s like 1.5 day of travel. I always suggest if you’re going on a long flight to extend the trip or arrive a day early if you’re booking your own flights. They take care of transportation! We got suico cards for all the metros and such. Some people bought a portable wifi from the US to use. I just add an international plan to my phone plan for the time I’m there and it’s not too expensive. And there’s always wifi at the hotels.
The bus transports it! There were a few times where we had to take some stuff on a backpack or in a smaller carry-on, because our bigger suitcases were being transported to another city, but it was really super easy and super functional. They are super organized in Japan and nothing ever got lost.I also brought an extra suitcase for souvenirs
@@exelynnn thank you for your response, I appreciate it! A follow up was the transporting of luggage part of the EF package or did you have to pay/set up yourself?
Make sure to Google their weather! And see what season it is during that month :) but always bring a light jacket and I wore shorts the entire time while I was there in late April
@@smiley00 with the meals that are included you usually choose your options ahead of time. The TD will coordinate with you on this and they also ask if anybody has any allergies before hand to accommodate
So when you first get to japan how to you get to the hotel? (Because considering it’s not like you meet up in the states i doubt the tour guide is there to pick everyone up)
Pretty nice! :) We did stay at the monastery for a night idk if that changed but it was interesting! The other hotels were regular good ones :) also Japan is the cleanest country I’ve ever been to so everything was clean!!
Hi! Do you know if you have to be american to book a trip with EF? Also im thinking of doing the japan trip too; did you need to bring cash out for the trip or can you just use a debit card? im new to travelling so im sorry if thats a dumb question haha! it looks like you had an amazing time
It was a great time!! You don’t have to be an American to book with EF but they only will book flights from the US so you’d have to fly from the US or book your own flights :) I always use my Visa card and it works majority of the time! But I also take out a few hundred in cash when I’m in the country at the ATM for the best exchange rates :)
@@gracie3363 like I said in the video just make sure you plan your own stuff too :) to get the full experience. I don’t eat seafood so there were sometimes where I wanted to just find some fast food in the smaller cities but nothing too bad. :)
I went on the 9 day trip to japan and I would just recommend at least having 4-5 days in tokyo, 3 in kyoto, and 2 in osaka
I'm thinking about doing this for my 35th bday. Before I'm too old lol. Thanks for the review.
I saw your posts on their website I’ve literally been trying to find your socials! I would love to visit Tokyo Disneyland on the free days
Thank you so much for making this detailed review. I didn't even consider bringing additional luggage solely for souvenirs, so I'll definitely do that since I'm a huge Pokémon/anime fan. I'm planning to go either this October or next March/April. I might try and go this year since I'm in my early 30s and the max age limit is 35.
Intrepid is all ages fyi.
Thank you for making this video! At first, I was gung-ho about only having a backpack with a messenger bag, and fanny pack, but I might just pack a duffel bag to store extra souviners in. Did you have to declare any of the Japanese snacks you brought back? I am doing the Tokyo Experience this October, and next year, I will be on the Japan and Beyond trip (which seems like the forgotten cousin between the two, lol).
I didn’t declare it! The snacks I brought back where like small and didn’t. I also put those in my checked bag :) and yay!! So fun!!
Hi! I'm going on this same trip in November and super excited after watching :) thank you for making this! Question - how were your flights? I've seen a couple of people online saying that the flights EF gave them (not sure for which trips) had multiple layovers and were super long and strenuous. The price difference in the trip for booking flights with them vs without is around $1800, which is more than it would cost to just book the flights myself, but I know there are protections involved with having them book them. Do you have any thoughts/recommendations?
A lot of my friends book their own flights! If you can find flights for cheaper and still get there the same days I say go for it! Just get protection with the airline in case anything happens on their end! I always book flights with EF. Cuz I just don’t want the hassle doing it myself. But yeah they’re not like crazy crazy layovers like but usually it’s a multi stop trip. So I say if you find something good book your own!!
This was helpful!!! Thank youuuuuu
Hey @exelynnn! I was wondering if you did the optional Nara excursion and if so was it worth it?
I’m going in December of this year for 9 days. My questions; are the first “2 days” throwaway days? As in you don’t do anything besides travel? And did you get a rail pass or a portable WiFi when you arrived? And you said that most of the EF activities were in the morning so is the Hakone excursion only in the morning too?
He hakone baseball game that our TD set up was at night. Stuff EF sets up that’s on the website itinerary is typically in the mornings/afternoons.
Your first day is a travel day and then usually you arrive late and have the welcome dinner or arrive late and have a tour day then the welcome dinner next day. It’s like 1.5 day of travel. I always suggest if you’re going on a long flight to extend the trip or arrive a day early if you’re booking your own flights.
They take care of transportation! We got suico cards for all the metros and such.
Some people bought a portable wifi from the US to use. I just add an international plan to my phone plan for the time I’m there and it’s not too expensive. And there’s always wifi at the hotels.
loved your video! And did ef help you get your JR pass for transportation?
yes they did! they helped get our little cards for all the public transportation
What was it like sharing a room with a stranger? Should I upgrade to a single room?
Thank you for sharing! I was wondering about your experience with carrying your luggage from city to city?
The bus transports it! There were a few times where we had to take some stuff on a backpack or in a smaller carry-on, because our bigger suitcases were being transported to another city, but it was really super easy and super functional. They are super organized in Japan and nothing ever got lost.I also brought an extra suitcase for souvenirs
@@exelynnn thank you for your response, I appreciate it! A follow up was the transporting of luggage part of the EF package or did you have to pay/set up yourself?
@@nicegmo it’s part of!
Hello, I'm going this summer, June 29. Should I take a sweeter and shorts?
Make sure to Google their weather! And see what season it is during that month :) but always bring a light jacket and I wore shorts the entire time while I was there in late April
Im going end of October this year. Im from Maryland. How would you say the flight was for you?
I’m use to long hauls by now so it can be rough if someone isn’t accustomed to flying so definitely bring things to entertain you!!
@@exelynnn did you have a lot of layovers?
@@ivorycooper8535 I flew from Utah to Denver and Denver to Tokyo
@@exelynnn that seems pretty good. Length isn't what worries me it's just like the layovers being crazy that worries me
Do you know how EF handles food allergies?
@@smiley00 with the meals that are included you usually choose your options ahead of time. The TD will coordinate with you on this and they also ask if anybody has any allergies before hand to accommodate
Haha not me watching while in japan with ef
@@Yxxyn._ 😊
Hoping someone would talk about the Tokyo and Beyond Trip mostly bc thats the only trip my job ill allow me to take LOL has anyone done that one?
same.
So when you first get to japan how to you get to the hotel? (Because considering it’s not like you meet up in the states i doubt the tour guide is there to pick everyone up)
They are!! There’s transfers scheduled
how were the hotels on this trip?
Pretty nice! :)
We did stay at the monastery for a night idk if that changed but it was interesting! The other hotels were regular good ones :) also Japan is the cleanest country I’ve ever been to so everything was clean!!
Hi! Do you know if you have to be american to book a trip with EF? Also im thinking of doing the japan trip too; did you need to bring cash out for the trip or can you just use a debit card? im new to travelling so im sorry if thats a dumb question haha! it looks like you had an amazing time
It was a great time!! You don’t have to be an American to book with EF but they only will book flights from the US so you’d have to fly from the US or book your own flights :)
I always use my Visa card and it works majority of the time! But I also take out a few hundred in cash when I’m in the country at the ATM for the best exchange rates :)
@@exelynnn Okay cool thank you so much for your response
@@gracie3363 like I said in the video just make sure you plan your own stuff too :) to get the full experience. I don’t eat seafood so there were sometimes where I wanted to just find some fast food in the smaller cities but nothing too bad. :)
Kind of confused is this a group trip or just an all inclusive thing?
A group trip! It includes everything that I listed though, flights, hotels, transportation, activities, breakfast, some dinners, etc
How much walking did you do in a day?
I was averaging between 10,000-16,000 steps a day! But its doable :)
for the highlights of japan, how many people are usually in a group?
I’ve seen groups range anywhere from 25-41. In my group there was around 20 of us!
okay thanks! And did you notice it was a lot of solo travelers? I’m nervous to travel by myself
And lastly, how does rooming work do they pair women w/ women? Thank you!:)
@@madisons4349 it’s always mainly solo travelers :)
@@madisons4349 I have an entire video reviewing EF as a whole that answers all these questions :) yes girls and girls unless you request someone