How We Work
A finished trip, designed around you
Japan is the trip of a lifetime, and it should feel that way from the very first step.
When you travel with Japan360, you are not buying a shelf product or paying for a stack of brochures. You are getting a complete, ready-to-travel plan, with every night, every transfer, and every booking handled and confirmed (international flights aside, which you arrange separately).
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Every journey is designed from scratch around you: where you want to go, how you like to travel, and what you want to come home remembering. No fixed packages and no one-size-fits-all itineraries. Just a trip that fits you, with the polish and certainty of a package and the fit of something made to measure.
This is Japan, your way.
How it works, step by step
Five simple steps take you from first idea to landing in Japan with everything in place.
1. Free initial consultation
We start with a relaxed, no-obligation chat. Tell us who is travelling, roughly when, and the kind of trip you have in mind. We share ideas, talk through what is realistic, and give you a clear sense of what your trip is likely to cost. No charge and no pressure.
2. Itinerary Design Fee, from NZ$350 including GST
If you would like us to design your trip in detail, we ask for an Itinerary Design Fee starting from NZ$350 including GST. This is credited in full to your trip when you book, so for travellers who go ahead there is no extra cost.
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The fee simply lets us dedicate real time to researching, designing, and building a proper itinerary made just for you, rather than a quick quote. The exact fee depends on the length and complexity of your trip, and we confirm it with you before you commit to anything.
3. Your custom itinerary
We design your trip day by day: accommodation, routes, experiences, and the small touches that make a journey feel personal. You review it, and we refine it together until it feels right.
4. Secure your trip
Once you are happy and ready to go ahead, a 30 percent deposit secures your booking, with the Itinerary Design Fee already deducted. We then confirm all the arrangements on your behalf.
5. Final balance and travel
The remaining balance is due 30 days before you depart. After that you travel with everything booked, confirmed, and documented, and with us on hand if anything comes up along the way.
From the moment your trip is confirmed, you also get a digital itinerary with mobile app access, so every booking, time, and detail sits in one place and travels with you. It is a practical way to keep your whole trip clear, organised, and easy to follow, both before you go and while you are in Japan.
Can I make changes along the way?
Yes. Travel plans evolve, and so can your itinerary. You can adjust things as we go, subject to availability and any supplier price changes. The aim is a trip that feels right for you, not a contract you are locked into.
Why a designed trip beats a package
There are good reasons travellers choose a tailored trip over an off-the-shelf one.
It is built around you
Your interests, your pace, and your group. Nothing is filler, and nothing is there just to pad out a brochure.
Local, native knowledge
Chika is Japanese, lives in New Zealand, and knows Japan from the inside. That means places, stays, and experiences you would never find on a booking site.
Everything handled
Accommodation, transport, bookings, and logistics are all taken care of, so the trip feels easy from the moment you arrive.
One clear price
You know what your trip costs upfront. No surprise add-ons and no working out the pieces yourself.
Travelling from outside New Zealand?
Japan360 is based in New Zealand, but we design trips for travellers from all over the world, including a growing number from the United States. Because every trip is land-only, you book your own international flights from wherever you are, which keeps things flexible and often better value. We also support payments in multiple currencies, so you can pay in the currency that suits you. Wherever home is, your trip is designed around you, with the same local, native knowledge of Japan.
Why Japan360, Meet Chika
My name is Chika Fisk. I was born and raised in Japan, and I now live in New Zealand where I married a New Zealander and raised our three children.
Before founding Japan360, I worked for a major travel agency in Japan, and then for a Japanese study abroad agency where I travelled with students to Australia and New Zealand. That background, combined with years of living in both countries, is what makes Japan360 different from any other Japan holiday specialist in NZ.
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I understand Japan from the inside: the language, the culture, the relationships you need to make things happen on the ground. And I understand New Zealand travellers, because I am part of this community. When I build your Japan holiday package, I am not working from a template. I am creating something I would be genuinely proud to put my own family through, and that standard is what every Japan360 trip is held to.
How We Work FAQ
What is included in a custom itinerary?
Your itinerary covers accommodation, internal travel and transfers, experiences and activities, and a day-by-day plan for your whole trip. We handle the bookings and confirmations. International flights to and from Japan are arranged separately by you, which keeps your trip flexible and often better value.
How is this different from a package holiday?
A package is a fixed product that everyone buys the same way. A Japan360 trip is designed from scratch around you, so the destinations, pace, stays, and experiences all fit your group. You still get a complete, ready-to-travel plan with one clear price, it is just built for you rather than pulled off a shelf.
What exactly am I paying for with the Itinerary Design Fee?
You are paying for the time and expertise it takes to research and design a trip made just for you: matching destinations to your interests, choosing the right stays, planning routes, and building a day-by-day itinerary. It is credited in full to your trip when you book, so for travellers who go ahead it is not an extra cost.
How much is the Itinerary Design Fee?
The Itinerary Design Fee starts from NZ$350 including GST, depending on the length and complexity of your trip. It is credited in full to your trip cost when you book, so if you go ahead there is no extra cost.
Is the Itinerary Design Fee credited if I book?
Yes. The full Itinerary Design Fee comes straight off your trip cost when you go ahead, so you pay no more than you would have anyway.
Can I make changes after the itinerary is designed?
Yes. Your itinerary can be adjusted as we go, subject to availability and any supplier price changes. We want the trip to feel right for you.
Do you book international flights?
We focus on everything inside Japan, so your trip is designed land-only. You arrange your international flights separately, which keeps things flexible and often saves you money. We are happy to advise on timing and the best airports to fly into.
How far in advance should I start planning?
The earlier the better, especially for busy periods like cherry blossom season, the ski season, and autumn. Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most trips, but get in touch whenever, and we will tell you honestly what is realistic.
Can I book with Japan360 if I live outside New Zealand?
Yes. We are based in New Zealand but design trips for travellers around the world, including many from the United States. Your trip is land-only, so you book your international flights from wherever you are, and we support payments in multiple currencies so you can pay in the one that suits you. The service, and the local knowledge behind it, is the same wherever you live.
What happens at the free consultation?
It is a friendly, no-obligation conversation about the trip you have in mind. We share ideas, answer your questions, and give you a clear sense of what your trip might involve and cost. There is no charge and no commitment to go further.
