Escorted & Package Tours

Escorted Tours

If you're the kind of traveler who doesn't like arranging all the details of a trip, consider joining an escorted tour of Japan. Escorted tours are structured group tours, with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation. Many people derive a certain ease and security from escorted trips; whether made by bus, motorcoach, train, or boat, they let you sit back and enjoy your trip without having to spend lots of time worrying about details. You know your costs upfront, and there are few surprises. Escorted tours can take you to the maximum number of sights in the minimum amount of time with the least amount of hassle -- you don't have to sweat over the plotting and planning of a vacation schedule. On the downside, an escorted tour often requires a big deposit upfront, and lodging and dining choices are predetermined. You'll get fewer opportunities for serendipitous interaction with locals. Tours often focus on the heavily touristed sights, so you miss out on the lesser-known gems.

That said, lots of tour companies offer group trips that include a stop in Tokyo, including General Tours (tel. 800/221-2216; www.generaltours.com), which offers tours to major tourist destinations in Japan. JTB USA (tel. 800/235-3523; www.jtbusa.com) offers tours that may highlight anything from Japanese cuisine to art; while Esprit Travel (tel. 800/377-7481; www.esprittravel.com) specializes in small-group walking trips, hiking trips, and cultural trips that cover such interests as textile arts, Japanese gardens, and the old Tokaido Road. If you want someone else to take care of logistics but don't like group tours, Artisans of Leisure (tel. 800/214-8144; www.artisansofleisure.com) provides luxury tours with private guides that are tailored to your interests. For more information on escorted tours departing North America, go to www.japantravelinfo.com.

Package Tours

Before searching for the lowest airfare, consider booking your flight as part of a travel package. Package tours are not the same as escorted tours. They are ways to buy the airfare, accommodations, and other elements of your trip (such as airport transfers and day tours) at the same time and often at discounted prices -- kind of like one-stop shopping. For destinations like Japan, they're a smart way to go since they may save you money (packages are sold in bulk to tour operators, who then resell them to the public at a cost that usually undercuts standard rates).

Packages vary widely. Some offer a better class of hotels than others, the same hotels for lower prices, or a range of hotel choices at different prices. Flights may be on scheduled airlines; others book charters. Some allow you to add excursions or day trips (at lower prices than you could find yourself).

Frommers.com regularly covers the latest package deals for destinations all over the world, with new listings posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Travel packages are also listed in the travel section of Sunday newspapers. Or check ads in national travel magazines like Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine, Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, and Condé Nast Traveler.

Companies offering independent packages to Japan include JTB USA (tel. 800/235-3523; www.jtbusa.com). Many more are listed at www.japantravelinfo.com, the North American website for JNTO.

Finally, another great resource is the airlines themselves, which often package their flights with accommodations. Japan Airlines, Japan's flagship carrier, operates JALPAK (www.jalpak.com), with airfare and hotel packages to Japan, plus optional escorted day trips. American Airlines (tel. 800/949-3556; www.aa.com) offers hotels in Tokyo in addition to its flights. Northwest Airlines World Vacations (tel. 800/800-1504; www.nwaworldvacations.com) also offers flight-and-hotel packages to Tokyo.