- What kind of clothes should I bring on the trip?
- What clothes should we bring for the various seasons?
- What amenities can we expect with our accommodations?
- How are the hotel rooms equipped?
- What specific items or clothing would you recommend for the trip?
- What advice can you give for health maintenance during the trip?
- How much luggage will tour members be allowed?
- How much spending money should we bring?
- Where is the best place for currency exchange?
- Do you recommend cash or travelers checks?
- Can we use major credit or ATM cards in America?
- Do hotel employees understand and/or speak Japanese?
- How strenuous are Tabi Tours?
- Who do we contact in case of an emergency while in America?
- What is the dress for hot spas and saunas?
- Do you prohibit any activities while on your tours?
- What is the Jurisdiction for any legal issues that may arise?
- How do I arrange travel insurance for my trip?
What kind of clothes should I bring on the trip?
- No formal wear
- Casual wear suitable for layering
- Walking shoes
- Usually it is not the custom to remove shoes when going indoors. However, it is permissible.
What clothes should we bring for the various seasons?
Season(s) |
Weather |
Clothing |
Spring |
Weather is mild with occasional showers. |
Casual clothing (long pants) with wind breaker and comfortable easy to take off and put on walking shoes. |
| Summer | Sunny, warm and humid. | Short sleeve shirts and shorts and comfortable easy to take off and put on walking shoes. |
| Fall | Weather is mild with occasional showers. | Casual clothing (long pants) with wind breaker and comfortable easy to take off and put on walking shoes. |
| Winter | Cold and rainy. And snow in Yosemite Valley and Reno, Nevada. | Layered clothing, jacket or windbreaker, scarf and gloves, and comfortable easy to take off and put on walking shoes. |
What amenities can we expect with our accommodations?
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Body and hand soap
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Bathrobe
- Towels and wash clothes
How are the hotel rooms equipped?
- TV
- Alarm clock
- Hair dryer
- Usually a mini bar for an additional charge
- Coffee and electric coffee pot, but usually no tea.
What specific items or clothing would you recommend for the trip?
- Back pack for every day shopping or miscellaneous items
- Umbrella because they are not generally supplied by american hotels
What health maintenance advice can you give for the trip?
- Wash your hands regularly and especially before meals, and try to avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes with your hands.
- Bring a couple small pocket size hand sanitizers for use before meals and after using public restrooms.
- Argonne Laboratory Jet Lag Programs are available.
How much luggage will tour members be allowed?
Because airlines constantly update their bag weight, size and number of allowed bags we have provided the following links to find out this information:
How much spending money should I bring?
The costs of meals not included in the respective itineraries (see sample Itinerary) Link to PDF File are your responsibility. Use the following table to establish a budget for you’re out of pocket expenses for your trip:
Cost Item |
*Average Cost (US dollars) |
Times number of Days |
Equals Total Item Cost for your tour |
Breakfast |
8 to 10 |
||
Lunch |
10 to 15 |
||
Dinner |
15 to 20 |
||
Transportation, admission and snacks |
100 to 200 |
||
Craft and souvenir purchases |
Your estimate |
||
| Subtotal | |||
| Contingency (10% of Subtotal) optional | |||
| Total Costs | |||
*Meal costs do not include alcoholic beverages.
Where is the best place for currency exchange?
- Exchange rates are usually more favorable to you in America at the airport of entry.
- Traveler checks usually yield a better exchange rate over cash when exchanging currency.
- Our tours usually do not schedule time for accessing banks for currency exchange.
Do you recommend cash or travelers checks?
- Traveler checks are, of course, safer than cash and are generally accepted anywhere in America.
- Most Americans use credit or debit cards.
Can we use major credit or ATM cards in America?
- Almost all stores, banks, and business establishments in America take major credit cards.
- ATM machines can be found in local banks, grocery stores, and small and regional shopping centers.
TIP: Credit cards are the most desirable way to make purchases because the current exchange rate is charged to your account at the time of purchase.
Do hotel employees understand and/or speak Japanese?
No. However, there are a number of American Japanese and Japanese tourests visiting and staying in America and it is not uncommon that Japanese-speaking people are available for assistance if our tour guide is not available.
How strenuous are Tabi Tours?
Most tours include walking approximately 1 to 3 miles every day. We will be walking on paved streets and concrete sidewalks (narrow and wide). Occasionally we will walk up modest slopes and ramps. Though not usually the case, you must have the ability and confidence to be able to walk up stairways of three story buildings.
Who do we contact in case of an emergency while in America?
Japanese Consulate General in San Francisco
50 Fremont Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 777-3533
911 is the emergency telephone number for local police
What is the dress for hot spas and saunas?
Hotels generally require proper bathing attire because men and women share the facilities. Any mud spas that we tour are usually nude because men and women are separated. Private family mud spas are available. Tabi Tours will arrange for private family spas upon special request and additional cost.
Do you prohibit any activities while on your tours?
Yes, we prohibit participation in, but not necessarily limited to, the following activities:
- Scuba diving
- Bungee jumping
- Motorcycle riding
- Paragliding
- Snowmobiles
What is the Jurisdiction for any legal issues that may arise?
The jurisdiction for any and all legal issues associated with Tabi Tours is the State of California, USA.
How do I arrange for travel insurance for my trip?
We encourage our tour members to purchase their own travel protection plan(s) and/or policies. Here are links and telephone numbers to a couple companies that offer travel protection plans:
Company |
URL |
Telephone |
Travelex |
1-800-228-9792 |
|