Embark on a wonderous adventure like no other with our expert travel curation services.
Our team is passionate about crafting unforgettable experiences.
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Our process
TOKI specializes in connecting guests with authentic Japanese culture through interactions with artisans and masters of traditional arts and crafts - hidden gems that are difficult even for the local Japanese to tap into without an invitation. By sharing Japanese philosophies during interactive sessions, which we call "experiences," we aim to transmit the essence of Japanese aesthetics and inspire our guests on a deeper level which is sometimes even life-changing. Our corporate clients reflect the learning in their design and creative planning, store development, and marketing and utilize an understanding of business philosophies from a different perspective.
We curate and design itineraries based on the client's objective/making arrangements for hotels, cars, guides, restaurants, etc., producing events at unique venues, implementing workshops, and anything based on the client's requests. Our process goes as follows:
| Process steps | TOKI | Guest |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Receive order | Fill out the basic inquiry form. | |
| 2. Service explanation | Send a preliminary itinerary on given info from the form and arrange a curation call. | Confirm or provide feedback about the proposal. |
| 3. Curation fee | Send an invoice and necessary information. | Pay Curation fee. |
| 4. Card authorization | Send a secure credit card link. | Put down a credit card for authorization. |
| 5. Curation process and availability checking | Work on creating the itinerary as a collaborative process with the client. Pre-bookings and availability checkings of suppliers and artisans. | Provide feedback on the itinerary and quotation. |
| 6. Payment | Finalize quotation and send invoice. (We may send invoices prior to this depending on the cancellation polices of our suppliers.) | Confirm the quotation and make payment. |
| 7. Finalize experience | Finalize bookings and itinerary details. | Confirm the itinerary and await for your experience. |
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Itinerary and Quotation
Our itineraries and quotations generally include the following services and amenities. Please refer to your quotation to confirm the exact inclusions.
Personalized trip planning, handling, and operational charges before and during the trip.
Private sightseeing with guides in major languages, including English, Chinese, French, Spanish, German, and Russian.
Privately chartered & chauffeured vehicles.
Guest rooms in hotels and ryokan accommodations, including hotel taxes and charges.
Internal flights and regional surface transportation, including airport transfers.
Meals as indicated in your detailed itinerary.
Admission fees for places included in your personalized itinerary.
Reservations at restaurants, spas, cultural events, and performances.
Access to private gardens, artists and art collections, and special-interest lectures (if requested).
We charge 15-20% handling charge depending on the group size and standard consumption tax. For more detail, please refer to our policies document.
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Curation Fee
Our curation fee includes the creation and design of a personalized itinerary, research based on your individual preferences, securing bookings for restaurants, tickets, logistics, and much more. You'll also receive a custom-designed digital itinerary of your trip that serves as the perfect guide for your journey.
Once you pay the curation fee, we will provide you with a quotation that is tailored to your requirements and preferences. Our cancellation policies only apply after the booking is confirmed, ensuring you have the flexibility to plan your trip with ease.
Once you authorize payment via a secure link with Stripe, we will assign you one of our talented Travel Curators, our experts on travel in Japan, who will work with you to plan and book your itinerary.
Our specially curated trips and day-trips come with a small curation fee on top of the booking fares:
30,000 JPY / day
50,000 + JPY / day - If the trip is within 21 days of contact or larger groups.*
* See our policies document above for more information on how many persons (pax) is considered a large group.
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Artisan partner availability
At TOKI, we prioritize the relationships we have built with our artisan partners. To respect their time and practice, we only proceed with securing booking times once we know that you are committed to working with us. Our partners are not always available, as they only open their workspace when there is a request from our guests. This means that experiences are tailored for private groups and individuals, allowing guests to freely interact with the artisan in an uninterrupted and intimate setting.
We kindly ask that guests keep their preferred dates open until we respond with our partners' availability status. If the partner is available, the booking is confirmed automatically, and we will send an invoice along with a receipt. If the guests cancel while we are checking/negotiating with our partners, a cancellation fee will incur. We will not charge guests if there is no availability matching the requested dates and times.
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Guides and drivers
During your travel with us, you will be accompanied by one of our company's exceptional travel guides.
Our guides are handpicked through a 3-step selection process and have gone through our training to provide you with the best experience and insights into Japanese culture. With our curated guides, we strive to provide you with an immersive and authentic experience in every destination you explore. Whether you're seeking the hidden gems of a bustling metropolis, the tranquil serenity of nature's wonders, or the rich cultural heritage of historical sites.
In addition, we understand that navigating unfamiliar territories are not easy, especially in bustling cities like Tokyo or when you are traveling to remote rural locations. To ease your journey, we offer private transportation services, ensuring your comfort and convenience. We maintain a rigorous selection process for our transportation providers, whether they're chauffeurs, helicopter services, or yacht companies, checking safety regulations and the quality of the drivers and vehicles.
With a wide variety of transportation options tailored to your preferences, we can take you to your desired location in the most seamless way.
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Refund/Cancellation
After confirmation of your reservation and payment, you are eligible for a partial refund if you notify us with a one-week notice for our offered experiences and tours and a two-week notice for events before the starting date of your quotation. Please be aware that no cancellations can be accepted after business hours (10:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m JST. except Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays). Cancellations made after business hours will be handled on the following day. Also note that there may be a considerable time difference between Japan and the country in which your company is located. The date of cancellation is deemed to be the date on which TOKI receives written notice of cancellation based on the Japan standard time.
For more detailed information about our refund rates, please see our cancellation policy below
TOKI will not provide a refund for hotels/ excursions if the client simply "does not like it" or if it wasn't "up to their standard", however in case of professional negligence we will discuss how to handle each situation accordingly. TOKI can not take full responsibility and will discuss with our suppliers directly if any issues occur.