Northern Japan: Ancient History and Scenic Beauty

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

- Visitors will need to provide proof of their vaccination status. Please bring your original vaccination card as well as a digital copy (a scan or a photograph). Visitors must have been vaccinated with an approved vaccine. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/border_vaccine.html - For participants using C-PAPs, please note that they are allowed into Japan, but you will need to apply for and receive a Certificate of Import (Yakkan Shoumei) in order to do so. The process and paperwork is free of charge and not that difficult, but it does take some time (up to two weeks). For more details, including the application form and contact information, please visit the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare web site at the following link: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/dl/qa2.pdf The application can be submitted via post, e-mail, or fax. After you have received the Yakkan Shoumei, please be sure to show it to customs when arriving in Japan.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

Health Concerns: We want you to arrive healthy, stay healthy, and return home healthy! The full schedule is demanding and can be tiring, especially in unfamiliar surroundings. It is important to arrive well rested and free from illness to take full advantage of our time together. While we take appropriate health and safety precautions on all programs, we urge you to be informed and to share in the responsibility for your well-being. If you have specific concerns regarding your participation in this program, please consult your physician and feel free to contact us with your questions. Important Covid information for visiting Japan: - Passengers travelling to Japan should have insurance that covers Covid as they will be responsible for all medical bills if they test positive for Covid. We strongly recommend Road Scholar's optional Trip Protection Plan, which provides financial protection in the event that you test positive while abroad. If you do not purchase this plan, you will need to have other insurance that covers Covid. - As of the current date (December 2023), the Japanese government encourages people who test positive for Covid to isolate for five days (asymptomatic) to seven days (symptomatic), but it is not required. Medications Pack a supply of all medications you take regularly. Japanese law allows for a 30 day supply of prescription medications. It is recommended to bring copies of your prescription and, if you have an unusual prescription, carry a letter from your physician explaining your need for the drug. Carry the generic names of your medications with you because pharmaceutical companies overseas may use different names from those used in the States. Medicines classified as “psychotropics” (including Klonopin, Ativan, Xanax, Valium, Ritalin, Concerta, and Lexomil) are subject to limitations. If you are bringing more than the allowed quantity, you will need to secure a “Yunyu Kakuninsho” (Certificate of Import) prior to the start of your program. If your prescription is under the allowed quantity, there is no need for this certificate. For detailed list of the controlled medicines and their import limitations, please check this link: https://www.ncd.mhlw.go.jp/dl_data/keitai/total.pdf For more details on bringing medicines with you into Japan, please refer to the following Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare websites: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html https://www.ncd.mhlw.go.jp/en/application.html If you are unsure, please contact and consult your local Japanese consulate for assistance.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on May 18, 2026

Meet the group at Hotel Kazusaya in Tokyo

Start of Trip:  Hotel check-in from 2:00 p.m.; 6:45 p.m. meet in lobby, 7:00 p.m. Orientation followed by Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: For participants that have flights included through Road Scholar, transportation by bus/train will be provided to the hotel in Tokyo on the program's official arrival date (Day 2) in Japan. For independent arrivals, there are regular Narita Express Trains (approx 55 min journey) from Narita Airport to JR Tokyo Station. One-way tickets cost approximately 3,070 Yen. Hotel Kazusaya is located near the Nihonbashi Area, just a one minute walk from the Sobu Express Line Shin-Nihonbashi station, and a five minute walk from the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Mitsukoshi-mae Station. However, we recommend using a taxi to the hotel after arriving at Tokyo Station (five minute ride). If you are arriving at Haneda, you can use either the Keikyu line or Tokyo Monorail. Both will require a transfer (at Shinagawa for the Keikyu Line or Hamamatsucho for the Monorail), using the JR Yamanote Line to Tokyo. From Tokyo Station, it is a short taxi ride to the hotel.

Getting to the site by train or bus: For independent arrivals, there are regular Narita Express Trains (approx 55 min journey) from Narita Airport to JR Tokyo Station. One-way tickets cost approximately 3,070 Yen. The Hotel is a short five minute cab ride from Tokyo Station.

Your trip ends on: Saturday, May 30, 2026 in Tokyo at Hotel Kazusaya

End of Trip: 10:00 a.m. after breakfast followed by transfer to Narita International Airport.

Getting to the airport: The program ends on Day 14 at the hotel after breakfast. For participants that have flights included through Road Scholar, transportation by bus/train will be provided to Narita Airport. Program Only Option participants will be responsible for their own transfers.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.