Business details & terms
The business
Vincents Japan Tour is run by Vincent Rodin, a private guide based in Tokyo, Japan. The tours are private full-day guided tours sold directly by me – no travel agency is involved. I sell the guiding service by the day only. I do not sell flights, accommodation or package holidays, so this is not a package tour under EU package travel rules.
Contact details
Email: vincent@vincentsjapantour.com Replies normally within 24 hours.
Prices, currency and payment
The price is a fixed price for the whole party per guided day – not per person – and is set by the size of your group. If you book several days, the daily price is multiplied by the number of days, and the total is always shown before you pay. Checkout in English is charged in Japanese yen (JPY) and Swedish-language checkout in Swedish kronor (SEK), in both cases including Japanese consumption tax. Your bank or card issuer may add its own currency conversion or foreign transaction fee, which is outside my control. Payment is made in advance through Stripe by card. Your card details are encrypted and handled solely by Stripe – I never see or store them.
What is included – and what is not
Included: my time as your private guide for the whole day, planning of the itinerary before you arrive, assistance with reservations and time slots where needed, and my own local transport and entrance costs during the day. Not included: the cost of your own entrance fees, tickets, local transport, food and drink, and the ticket cost for any experiences that must be reserved in advance. You pay for these yourself, at cost – I never add a markup and earn nothing on reservations. If a pre-booked ticket has to be paid in advance, we agree on it in writing before I book it, and that cost follows the provider's own cancellation rules, not mine. Guiding in other regions: for tours in Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Himeji, Nara, etc., a one-time surcharge applies – ¥35,000 for the round-trip train from Tokyo, always included in the total and shown before you pay. For day trips from Tokyo to Hakone, Nikko, or Kamakura, this surcharge does not apply; instead, you cover the guide's actual train fare from Tokyo. If you book several days in another region, my accommodation is handled separately – I will send a payment link for ¥20,000 per night after your booking is confirmed.
Hours and how the day works
A full-day tour covers nine hours, including breaks and travel time between stops. We agree on the start time and meeting point by email before the tour. The itinerary is always a plan, not a minute-by-minute promise: opening hours, queues, weather and traffic may mean a stop is swapped for an equivalent one. If you arrive more than 30 minutes late at the meeting point without letting me know, the day is shortened accordingly with no reduction in price. If you do not show up at all, no refund is given.
Group size and children
The price is set by the number of participants: 1 person, 2 people, 3–6 people, or 7+ people. If more people join than you paid for, contact me in advance so the difference can be settled – otherwise I may have to turn the extra participants away. If fewer people come, the price is not adjusted afterwards. Children count as participants. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, who is responsible for them during the day. For groups of roughly 15 people or more the format may need adjusting – please get in touch in advance.
Booking and cancellation terms
A booking is binding once payment is completed, and you then receive a confirmation by email. The following applies to cancellations, without exception and regardless of reason: • At least 14 days before the tour: full refund. • 7–13 days before the tour: 50 percent of the amount is refunded. • Fewer than 7 days (0–6 days) before the tour, and for no-shows: no refund. What counts is the time your cancellation email reaches me, measured against the tour start date in Japanese time. Rescheduling to a new date is treated as a cancellation under the rules above followed by a new booking, but always get in touch first – if the date is free I will do my best to work it out. The only exception is if I have to cancel, see below. Tickets and admissions that I have booked and paid for in advance on your behalf – for example the Ghibli Museum or sumo tournaments – cannot be refunded if you cancel, as they are tied to a specific date and name. The organizer's own rules apply to them.
Pricing and corrections
All prices are shown including tax and are the total price for your entire group, not per person. I do my best to ensure all prices are correct. If a price nevertheless turns out to be incorrect due to a technical error or an obvious typo – and the error is so clear that it could not reasonably be considered intended – I reserve the right to correct the price before the tour takes place. In that case, you may choose to complete the booking at the corrected price or have the full amount paid refunded. The price in effect when you booked always applies to your booking, even if the price list changes afterwards.
How to cancel
Email vincent@vincentsjapantour.com with your name and dates. I confirm the cancellation and any refund within 24 hours. Refunds are always made to the same payment method used for the purchase and normally take 5–10 business days to appear in your account.
Refund fees
When a refund is issued, I always refund the amount you paid for the tour. Any fees incurred during the original payment – such as card and currency conversion fees charged by Stripe or your bank – are not refunded, as those fees are not retained by me. This means the amount returned to your account may be slightly lower than what you originally paid, depending on your card and bank.
Right of withdrawal
The tour is a leisure service performed on a specific date. Such services are exempt from the 14-day right of withdrawal that otherwise applies to distance purchases under EU consumer law. The cancellation terms above apply instead, and they are written to be clear and fair.
If I have to cancel
Should unforeseen circumstances – illness, a typhoon or a natural disaster – prevent me from carrying out your tour, you are always offered a full refund or a new date of your choice. I cannot, however, reimburse surrounding costs such as flights, hotels or tickets.
Weather and force majeure
Typhoons, extreme weather, disruptions to public transport, official restrictions or other events beyond my control may require changes to the itinerary. In that case I adapt the day together with you – safety always comes first. If such events make the day impossible to carry out at all, you are offered a new date or a full refund.
Safety and conduct
You follow my instructions regarding safety and local rules. I may end the day without a refund in case of heavy intoxication, threatening or illegal behavior, or conduct that puts your or anyone else's safety at risk. A full day involves a fair amount of walking – if you have reduced mobility, allergies or other needs, tell me in advance and I will adapt the day.
Photos during the tour
I am happy to take photos of you and your group during the day and send them to you afterwards. I never publish photos in which you can be identified on the website or on social media without first asking and receiving your permission.
Insurance
I am responsible for planning and running the tour in a professional manner. For your peace of mind, I recommend that all guests have their own travel insurance covering illness, accidents, liability and cancellation. You participate at your own risk with regard to personal injury and loss of belongings during the day.
Limitation of liability
I am not responsible for delays or canceled services from third parties – such as restaurants, museums, providers or public transport – or for events beyond my control. In any event my liability is limited to the amount you paid for the tour concerned, except in cases of intent or gross negligence. Nothing in these terms limits the rights you have under mandatory consumer law.
Privacy
Personal data provided when booking or contacting me (name, email address, and booking details) is used solely to administer and carry out your booking and for statutory bookkeeping. It is never shared with third parties for commercial purposes, and you may at any time request a copy of your data or its deletion by contacting me. Payments are handled by Stripe; card details are encrypted by Stripe and never stored by me.
Complaints and disputes
If something did not work as expected, I genuinely want to know as soon as possible – ideally during the day itself, or within 14 days afterwards – so I can put it right. Email vincent@vincentsjapantour.com. If we cannot reach an agreement, we will work it out together – and if that is not possible, Japanese law applies, since the business is based in Japan.
© 2026 Vincents Japan Tour. All rights reserved.