Reiki trip to Japan 2024

Question: I am not interested in all activities offered. Do I get a refund when not participating?

Answer: You can exclude the retreat, will not be charged or refunded the participation amount but will have to pay the pro rata costs of the seminar room rent. As people here grow together as a group, I recommend to join. You can exclude the Zazen workshop, the Shakyo/Calligraphy workshop, the participation of the Koryu-kai meeting with Japanese Reiki Practitioners and/or the participation of the Shinto blessing ceremony but will have to pay the pro rata costs in case I cannot cancel bookings done or change prices of shared third-party costs when based on participation of all travel mates. You can exclude trips to Taniai, Mt. Koya and/or Mt. Yoshino but will have to pay the full pro rata costs as our price calculation of shared third-party costs is based on participation of all travel mates. You can exclude the day trips to Mt. Kurama or Arashiyama in Kyoto but I cannot refund prepaid traffic means costs.

Question: Could I make a reservation a couple of weeks before until it is sure that I get free days from the company?

Answer: Please understand that we are happy to receive bookings but cannot accept reservations. We experienced in the past that it´s not good to reject other people´s bookings and hold reservations that finally don´t always lead to bookings while the others have in the meantime decided to spend their time somewhere else. Worst case finally not all places are booked and before bookings have been rejected. It´s just too much work and advertisement costs to risk that.

Question: I wonder if I am young enough to do a trip with pilgrimage character, what do you think?

Answer: Age is not the criteria to join our group. Just take care to have luggage size and weight, that you are able to carry yourself from the bus to the hotel and the other way round. Keep in mind, that suitcases with rolls makes it much easier. Visiting mountains mean a bit of walking, but Mt. Kurama is a visit to explore in your own speed and the routs from the parking slots to the sightseeing spots on Mt. Yoshino and Mt. Koya are relatively flat.

Question: Some years ago I have been to Tokio and as a hotel guest I received a mobile which I could use inside and outside for calls and mobile internet. It was easy to use the Google maps, to browse and I could download my whatsapp account or whatever social media account. Public Wi-Fi leaves a lot to be desired in Tokio but the mobile internet on the handy worked well. As far as I know it is a common and free service at a lot of hotels in the cities. If that is the case in the hotels you are going to book then there is no need to buy a sim card, right?

Answer: Due to my experience that is not standard and you shouldn´t count on it during our trip. Most hotels have Wi-Fi. So, if you are happy with time-to-time-access to the internet there or in restaurants or local public spots, you really don´t have to care for a sim card. Finally it´s your choice. I personally would prefer if everyone would have a sim card, so that in the unlikely event that someone might get lost, we could easily stay in contact. As an alternative, consider an e-Sim app that does not require a physical card anymore.

Question: Could I have a single room accepting additional costs?

Answer: We now offer this for the first time for this trip. In the 2019 trip we had small hotels with limited rooms in small locations between Tokio and the southern area. After the covid break, in the 2023 trip, already staying in the Osaka-Nara-Kyoto area, we found enough hotels with sufficient room capacity. In fact the hotels don´t have single rooms and the offers are double rooms with single occupation. You can book a single room upgrade for 13 nights.

A single room for the one overnight stay at Enryakuji Kaikan at Mt. Hiei is not included in the single room upgrade. For this we offer an individual room upgrade that you can book as single or as couple occupation as far as available. The rooms at this location are not only the most expensive of the whole trip but space is very had to get. Last time we had quad rooms for the one overnight stay, luckily just enough rooms available to have triple occupation.

Question: Could I come earlier and/or leave later and does it make sense to stay at the same hotel?

Answer: Of course, you can. If you like to stay in the same hotel where we start and end with the trip, you can book yourself in at Odysis Suites Kansai Airport hotel. If you prefer not to check out in the morning in the room you booked, leave the luggage at the reception and check in at the afternoon at the room that I booked for you, I can also book for you and charge the extra nights.

Concerning the second part of the question, same hotel or different one:

If you want it the easy way or just think about one day or two days earlier or later, I recommend the same hotel. It´s just one train stop from the airport away and this is much appreciated by most people after or before a long flight home. Nearby the hotel you can walk to Marble beach, have a drink at a beach restaurant or visit the large Premium outlet centre. You have a huge choice of restaurants in walking distance. If you like to make a day trip to Osaka or even Kyoto, you can do this by train from Rinku town station next to the hotel or from the airport main station one train stop away.

If you are not afraid of traveling on your own or taking a train a couple of hours after or before arriving the airport, yes there are nice downtown located hotels in Osaka or Kyoto for example. Concerning sightseeing or night life this will definitely give you more options.

Question: We have a dog. Are there any limitations on bringing one along?

Answer: Unfortunately, you cannot bring your dog for the following reasons:

• We are staying in different hotels. During the trip organization I often and even last-minute cancel reservations after having found better hotels that before cancelation of others have not been detectable. So first, I am not sure if all the hotels where we are staying would accept dogs. Second, replacing hotels that would be a new and additional criteria. There are already several criteria to choose a hotel from rooms, service to location. To accept dogs could be a limitation factor to the amount of hotel to choose from.
• Due to the actual planning, we are using a lot of public means like buses, metro, cable cars and trains. I am not sure if all those in all different cities that we are going to accept dogs. People at the hotel receptions speak English and normally give answers to questions. I doubt asked employees of all companies of public means in all those cities would first give an answer and second give a positive answer. Not considering the challenge to find out whom to ask.
• We are visiting Kurama mountain and Mt. Hiei which are not public but private property. I am not sure if that communities of faith as owners accept dogs on a place where visitors look for retirement and silence.
• We are visiting public places including temples and shrines where I am not sure dogs can be brought with you.
• If I would investigate all this and all would tell me to be fine with a dog´s accompany and on-site they wouldn´t. Having told you before it wouldn´t be a problem then it would turn out to be my problem to find a solution. So, I could never say, yes no problem. It would always stay your risk not to join the group at a certain point anymore and find your own way back to where we came from or going next.
• We are having a three-day Reiki workshop, a zazen workshop and a calligraphy workshop and I am not sure all travel mates are happy about the idea to have a dog with us during those times. As travel organizer I have to make my best that all can feel most comfortable at all time. I would have to ask the other participants if they would feel good with it and what if even one does not?
• We are a lot of people who travel together. You might not be the only one having a dog at home. Telling you it would be okay to bring your dog I would have to tell the same to all other dog keepers. More people bringing their dogs could make all the mentions points not even easier.
• another and most convincing argument for my not accepting answer is that sadly I had to give away my own dog because of my heavy dog allergy. Around one year ago I begun a hypersensitisation that takes three to five years to cure that and allow me to have another dog again one day as I love them so much. On the way to and back from Usui sensei´s birth town we would be in a closed bus for hours. During the three different workshops we would be in closed rooms for days. With my allergicaly reaction on eyes, throat and respiration I could not stay with you any longer.
• so please understand that this is not about pet keepers’ discrimination. I have been working fifteen years for the pet supplying industry and loved it. For mentioned travel organizational reasons, comfortability of all travel mates and my personal health issues it is regrettably not possibly. I am so sorry!

Question: What will the total price will be about?

Answer: The journey price based on shared double rooms is 3,490 Euro including the retreat price of 360 Euro. The third parties’ costs for chartered busses are around 350 Euros, for long distance train rides around 70 Euros and for local traffic means like train, metro, taxi, cable car rides around 45 Euros. The optional Koryu-kai, Shinto blessing ceremony, Zazen and Shakyo workshop sum up to around 120 Euros. For 15 days meals I had around 600 Euros last time. To this you have to add personal costs for flight ticket, costs for travel insurance and personal expenses.

Question: Are international bank transferal costs on my behalf?

Answer: I am sorry that with Holistika being located in Germany, bookings from outside Europe result in international bank transferral costs. These vary from every country and every bank. The Holistika prices are not considering this, means the fair price calculation is based on the expectation to receive even from persons from foreign countries the same incoming amount as from local people. Just 25 Euros less, which wouldn´t look much at first view, finally mean 25 Euros less for the deposit payment, 25 Euros less for the final payment, and sum up with 20 travellers to 1,000 Euros already. This is why all customers from outside Europa are kindly asked to cover ALL international bank transferal cost. So, transferring the amounts of the deposit and the final payment please make sure that Holistika doesn´t have any costs of your transfer.

Question: Do you know if PayPal might be the cheaper alternative?

Answer: The International bank transfer costs that you have to add on your payment amount are depending from bank to bank and country to country so that you have to check. In case you want to pay with PayPal there are fix percentages that Holistika adds on your payment amount.

If you are located in Germany this is 2,49% PayPal fee, so national bank transfer without charge is better for you. If you are located in an EU member country this is 2,49% PayPal fee + your border passing PayPal fee (+1,8% or +2,0% or +3,0%) depending on the group to that your country belongs, see list below. As international bank transfer within the EU member countries is free of charge, that is better for you. If you are located in a non EU member country, this is 2,49% PayPal fee + your border passing PayPal fee (+2,0% or +3,3%) depending on the group to that your country belongs, see list below. So if 4,49% or 5,79% PayPal are lower than the international bank transfer costs from your bank, you have to check please.

PayPal Country List:

Country group North Europe (2,49%+1,8%): Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Åland), Iceland, Norway, Sweden.

Country group Europe I (2,49%+2,0%): Belgium, Germany, Estonia, France (including French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Mayotte, Martinique, Réunion), Gibraltar, Greece, Great Britain (including Channel Islands and Isle of Man), Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Vatican City, Cyprus.

Country group North America (2,49%+3,0%): Canada, United States of America.

Country group Europe II (2,49%+3,0%): Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kosovo, Croatia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Serbia, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary.

Country group Latin America (2,49%+3,3%): Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Cuba, Honduras, Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Dutch Antilles, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Turks and Caicos Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Country group APAC (2,49%+3,3%): Australia, Bangladesh, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Federated States of Micronesia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Cambodia, Kingdom of Bhutan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of China (Taiwan), Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Vietnam, People's Republic of China.

Country group Other countries (2,49%+3,3%): All countries that cannot be found in any other group.

Question: What might the prices for meals not included in the journey price will be like?

Answer: Menu cards have choices from cheap to expensive. Breakfast last time has between 10 to 15 Euros each person a day. As well for dinner and in case we make stops for lunch you have to consider costs. After the last journey I have realized to have had average costs of 6,000 Yen / 40 Euros for all meals per day for myself.

Question: As we travel as a group, do we enjoy the meals together too?

Answer: Only exceptional. Breakfast is optional. So, you can book it at the hotel when checking in. Or if available you can have it at locations nearby. Lunch stops in restaurants we don´t have every day. The first problem is that the restaurant capacities are most of the time smaller than our group size. The second, that we are losing so much time. The third, that most restaurants don´t accept lunch reservations. So, we pick something up on the way. Or you have a time slot to split up in small groups or go with your roommate if you like. Dinner, same story. But yes, at some places we have meals as a group. For all other days, joining our closed facebook group you get lots of food place recommendations, time scheduled appearing one or two days before reaching next spots. Nearby all our hotels there are plenty of options.

Question: What do the common meals look like?

Answer: Please have a look at the following descriptions.

We will have common breakfast two times.

• One time, common breakfast is offered at the first hotel in Osaka Kansai: Good Asian and Western style self-service buffet.

• Second time, breakfast is reserved at Enryakuji Kaikan Mt. Hiei: Shojin-ryori, an experience with Buddhist kitchen.

Lunch as a group as well we have two times.

• One time, it is scheduled for the day arriving Nara: Restaurant with great international choice.

• Second, the day visiting Usui´s birth town: Great choice of Japanese style self-service buffet.

Common dinner we have three times.

• First time, the day participating in koryu-kai: Tasty choice of Western and Japanese style food already places on the table.

• Second time, day staying overnight at Mt. Hiei: Big Shojin-ryori menu of Buddhist kitchen from soup, many different small plates and desert.

• Third time, returning from Mt. Yoshino: Japanese self-service buffet with grill on the table with great choice also of vegetarian offers and Sushi and Maki rolls.

If you like to see photos, please see on our facebook page posted on February, 10th in 2024.

Question: What might the prices for common meals will be like?

Answer: I will list up the single prices as follows:

• Breakfast at the first hotel in Osaka Kansai (Good Asian and Western style self-service buffet) is free for you. In general breakfast is not included. For that first day it´s a paid welcome gift from my site. So, 0 Euros. Tea or coffee included.

• Breakfast at Enryakuji Kaikan Mt. Hiei (Shojin-ryori, an experience with Buddhist kitchen) you will be charged with the third party costs in advance: 2,200 ¥, corresponing 15 €. Tea included.

• Lunch on the day arriving Nara (restaurant with great international choice). Depending on your choice from the menu card: Individualy paid.

• Lunch on the way back from Usui´s birth town (Great choice Japanese style self-service buffet) you will be charged with the third party costs in advance: 3,500 ¥, corresponing 25 €. Tea and water included.

• Dinner after koryu-kai (tasty choice of Japanese style food already places on the table) you will be charged with the third party costs in advance: 4,400 ¥, corresponing 30 €. Drinks included.

• Dinner at Enryakuji Kaikan Mt. Hiei (big Shojin-ryori menu of Buddhist kitchen from soup, many different small plates and desert. Downtown Kyoto you would pay the double price and wouldn´t properly come close to the quality.) you will be charged with the third party costs in advance: 3,300 ¥, corresponing 22 €. Tea included.

• Dinner returning from Mt. Yoshino (Japanese self-service buffet with grill on the table with great choice also of vegetarian offers and Sushi and Maki rolls) you will be charged with the third party costs in advance: 4,400 ¥, corresponing 30 €. Softdrinks included, alcoholic drinks to be paid seperatly.

Question: Do I have a chance to take myself out from common meals?

Anwer:

• Breakfast at the first hotel in Osaka Kansai (Good Asian and Western choice self-service buffet): If you don´t want to join, you don´t have to. No refund, as this a free gift from my site.

• Breakfast at Enryakuji Kaikan Mt. Hiei (Shojin-ryori, an experience with Buddhist kitchen): In case you don´t want to join, please advice before as entry is only for the assembled group. No refund, as this is obligatory for overnight stay booking at this accomodation.

• Lunch on the day arriving Nara (Restaurant with great international choice): If we take lunch on the way from the hotel to the sightseeing spots, you could just have a drink inside. You pay individually what you ordered. If we take lunch on the way back from the sightseeing spots to the hotel, you could already return to the hotel by yourself.

• Lunch on the way back from Usui´s birth town (Great choice Japanese style self-service buffet): This is after the daytrip to the birth town on the way back with chartered bus. After lunch we have a Reiki exchange meeting on the building´s second floor before we continue our way to the hotel. The bus driver is invited, so there´s no option to stay in the bus. For taking lunch there is a time slot of aorund one hour. Just having a drink there, is no alternative as it is a buffet restaurant. Waiting outside I wouldn´t recommend but in case you really want, full refund of the in advance charged costs.

• Dinner after koryu-kai (Tasty choice of Japanese style food already places on the table). This is after our koryu-kai meeting on another floor of the same building before we take the train back to our hotel. Dinner takes around 3 1/2 hours. If you don´t want to join, you don´t have to. You can take the train back to the hotel already by yourself. Just having a drink there, is no alternative. In case your are not participating, full refund of the in advance charged costs.

• Dinner at Enryakuji Kaikan Mt. Hiei (Big Shojin-ryori menu of Buddhist kitchen from soup, many different small plates and desert): In case you don´t want to join, please advice before as entry is only for the assembled group. No refund, as this is obligatory for overnight stay booking at this accomodation.

• Dinner returning from Mt. Yoshino (Japanese self-service buffet with grill on the table with great choice also of vegetarian offers and Sushi and Maki rolls). This is after the daytrip from Mt. Yoshino on the way back with chartered bus. The bus driver is invited, so there´s no option to stay in the bus. For taking dinner there is a time slot of 2 hours. Just having a drink there, is no alternative as it is a buffet restaurant. Waiting outside I wouldn´t recommend but in case you really want, full refund of the in advance charged costs.

Question: Could you make sure that I always get vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or dairy free diet and do you care for allergy-related restrictions?

Answer: With the meals not included, you have it in your own hands. There are so many food options always around our hotels or on our ways. You can choose a type of restaurant or a type of meal you get along with.

Concerning the meals included, there are most of the time options like Western or Eastern style, vegetarian or fish/meat including ones. In case of doubts, please look at the question above, about how common dinner looks like.

Question: Should I change money before and are there ATMs?

Answer: My personal experience is that the exchange in the country is the best rate. The first ATMs you find at the airport. In big cities ATMs are easy to find. Just consider that on the one hand you might have maximum limitations for each day depending on your bank, on the other site maximum limitations for each day depending on the local ATM like 20,000 Yen / 180 USD or even lower.

Question: Do you have own made or travellers made experiences that might be helpful to consider for myself?

Answer: Experiences are always individual but I would like to give some examples ...

• One traveller had problems with his camera battery, so it is good to have a second one and of course not to forget the camera charging equipment.
• Once a SD-card stopped working, so it is good to have a replacement SD-card.
• One lady had problems with her smartphone battery, so a power bank for charging on the way is good to have. Beside the smartphone charging cable anyway.
• In Japan they have 100 Volt, in Tokyo and Osaka 50 Hz, in Kyoto and Nagoya 60 Hz. So, I recommend to have a least one travel adapter. Depending on your need maybe more or you take a small plug board to connect with you.
• It´s advantageous to remember to carry the insurances documents and make sure that the passport validity is at least six months longer than return date.
• Useful are sun cream, sun glasses, possibly sleeping mask and depending on your roommate earplugs.
• One time a lady had neither an alarm clock nor a smartphone for waking up and the group was not so glowing to wait for her every single day.
• Once a traveller lost his smartphone in a taxi and wished he would have had a sim card inside to call the driver with one of our group phones to come back.
• Frustrating for the whole group could be if one traveller had no Japan Rail Pass (But no worries, for the 2024 too we move by chartered busses so that you don´t need that). You don´t get that Pass in Japan and need to order before. In case of not having the whole group could not quickly enter a local train or Metro but would have to wait for one single person to buy it. That could be a challenge, first to find the ticket machine, then to understand how to run it and possibly wait in a line with dozens of Japanese people in front and others in hurry behind. I unfortunately couldn´t assist in that time as I have to make sure that the group takes the right train in the right direction from the right platform and have the right information where to change into what connection train.
• Depending on season and region there could be really annoying mosquitos / sand-flies. The foreign anti-insect cream in most cases is not helpful at all, so better to buy local products.

Question: After having send my booking form, could I already book my flights?

Answer: Please don´t book your flight before the minimum quantity of travelling persons is achieved and only after you have got your confirmation/invoice.

Question: Does an automatic sending confirmation of a booking form from your homepage mean we have a contract?

Answer: There often is a big misunderstanding. A contract as most know means two correlating declarations of intention, so called offer and acceptance. Some people think the advertisement for a trip for an example is the offer and sending the booking form is the acceptance so that this would mean to have a contract. From commercial and juridical view, it is different. The advertisement is not an offer, it is the suggestion to the public to give an offer. The booking then is the offer. The acceptance, necessary for a valid contract, is the confirmation/invoice send by Holistika to the person that has send the booking form. The auto responder is just to confirm successful sending of the booking form.

Question: Covid seems to be over. But any rules for what happens in case of?

Answer: Well, first of all, Holistika refrains from rules, regulations, exclusion from participation and forced isolation and relies on voluntary cooperation of risk minimization and respect for other group participants. This of course does not exempt from the implementation of country-specific, official requirements. If Japan would require vaccinations or tests as entry rules (what fortunately is not the case), you would have to consider this. So, our Corona policy are more recommendations, advices and requests.

Recommendation to bring preventive and curative aids with you: It is difficult to acquire preventive, testing or curative aids in Japan during the trip and in the vicinity of the hotels. Holistika strongly recommends that you bring a sufficient number of tests (for every second or third day), masks, disinfectant sprays or fluids and medicines for covid illnesses and side effects from your home country for your own use.

Advice for possible restrictions: Precautionary measures such as wearing a mask, distance and hygiene rules as well as other possible corona measures, requirements and regulations can lead to considerable restrictions. Unwanted waiting times or impossibility to carry out planned activities may occur. You must be aware of this and cannot claim damages or refunds from the tour operator due to our general business terms.

Request for self-commitments: You are requested to minimize the risk of contracting Covid through hygiene measures such as sufficient hand washing and the use of disinfectant solutions as well as behavioural measures such as avoiding touching surfaces or touching eyes, nose and mouth. You are also requested to test yourself for Covid before departure and at regular intervals during the trip and to report any positive results to the tour operator immediately. In the event of covid infection, Holistika welcomes the voluntary choice of self-isolation for three days or for the number of days deemed necessary to minimize the unnecessary risk of infecting other group members. Where time and staffing permit, Holistika will make every effort to obtain drinking water and food during the period of your self-isolation. If properly assessed, Holistika will make every effort to request emergency assistance from medical professionals. Otherwise, Holistika requests the voluntary wearing of a mask and the observance of hygiene and behavioural rules for the protection of other group members.

Although there are no obligations from Holistika´s site, two possible consequences cannot be left uncommented. First, joining activities and using the chartered bus. You might have become already aware, that the chartered buses as well as the Zazen and Shakyo workshop participation are under the prerequisite that we have a native Japanese translator with us. No translator, no bus. So, if someone of us would have Covid and if in this case our translator would reject entering the bus or the bus driver would reject driving the vehicle ... the continuation of the itinerary for the group has priority. That means worst case, not being able to join certain activities or participate in transportation. Second, concerning shared rooms in case your roommate would be tested Covid positive. Covid is no longer a reason for a pandemic exceptional situation. A claim to a single room towards the travel organizer is just as unjustified as for a roommate with a gastrointestinal illness.