SOUTHERN JAPAN
Jun 25 – Jul 8, 2024
PRICE
$3,850
DURATION
14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS
GROUP MAX
8 PEOPLE
PHYSICAL
Easy
WEATHER
Summertime, humid, 80's
TOUR OVERVIEW
This trip will make you feel like you’ve visited two countries, not one! Explore the secluded wonders in Kyushu, Japan’s southern island shrouded in legend & mystery with its active volcanoes, beaches and natural hot springs. Pay your respects at Nagasaki’s Atomic Bomb Museum and enjoy a sand bath in Kagoshima. Midway through the tour, fly over to Okinawa, formerly the land of the Ryukyuan Kingdom. Visit the Shuri Castle, a UNESCO Heritage Center. Lastly, fly to Ishigaki, an island far to the south near Taiwan, to see their unique architecture, as well as riding a cart pulled by a water buffalo!
TOUR LEADER
Martin Dale-Hench
TOUR PRICE
$3,850
SOLD OUT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
Meet at Fukuoka Airport. Rest and dine at hotel. Stay in Fukoka City for 2 nights.
Day 2…
Sightsee the Fukuoka City and Dazaifu, the historic administrative center for the entire island of Kyushu. Eat Fukuoka’s famous yatai ramen on the broadwalk.
Day 3…
Travel to Nagasaki by train. Visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. Go up the Mt. Inasayama to see the million-dollar view at nighttime. Stay in Nagasaki for 2 nights.
Day 4…
Walk around Nagasaki, visiting the Urakami Cathedral which partially survived the bombing. Stop by Glover Garden and Dejima Island to see where and how the first foreigners in Japan lived.
Day 5…
Travel to Kagoshima by bullet train. Meet deaf locals over some local liqueur made from potatoes, ‘shochu.’ Learn about the legendary hero of feudal Japan, Saigo Takamori. Stay in Kagoshima for 2 nights.
Day 6…
Day trip to the warm Ibusuki Peninsula to sweat in a sand onsen, where you will be covered by sand up to your necks! Visit the Chiran Museum to see the kamikaze planes used in World War II. Eat some local soba in a unique way.
Day 7…
Fly to Naha, Okinawa, an island that used to be its own country. Visit the Shuri Castle, a UNESCO Heritage Center to learn a bit about the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom that reigned in this island country before Japan took over. Stay in Naha for 2 nights.
Day 8…
Visit the Himeyuri Peace Museum south of Naha, to see how native Okinawans suffered during the WW2. Visit the Sefa Utaki, a mystical place for the ancient Okinawans. Enjoy sightseeing the beaches on the way.
Day 9…
Go to the northern part of the island, the wild Yanbaru region. If you’re lucky, you might be able to spot the rare flightless bird only found in this region, the Yanbaru Kuina (Okinawa rail). Take a short hike up the rocky Daisekirinzan for majestic views. Sleep in a resort hotel near the beach. Stay in Yanbaru for 2 nights.
Day 10…
Sightseeing around the central part of Okinawa, do some shopping for ceramics, and meet a Deaf potter and learn how to make a ceramic shishi, a traditional Okinawan mythical creature.
Day 11…
Fly to Ishigaki, an island far to the south, near Taiwan. Take a trip around the island and see their unique architecture, as well as riding a cart pulled by a water buffalo! Stay in Ishigaki for 2 nights.
Day 12…
Enjoy the last full day in Okinawa by swimming, shopping and dining in Ishigaki.
Day 13…
Fly to Fukuoka. Do some last-minute sightseeing and shopping in Fukuoka. Stay in Fukuoka for 1 night.
Day 14…
Departure day.
- 13 nights in 3-star accommodations.
- 15 meals: Breakfast (13), Dinner (2)
- Services of a deaf Tour Leader on call 24 hours a day.
- Services of local deaf and/or hearing guides.
- All transportation expenses.
- All admission fees for attractions and museums mentioned in the itinerary.
- Most tips, except for your Tour Leader.
- Informative travel preparation packet.
- $100 discount per person on your next regular tour.
- Domestic and/or international airfares.
- 3 domestic flights (approximate total of $400)
- All other meals not mentioned in the itinerary and personal expenses.
- Travel Insurance.
- Any COVID-19 related tests.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MoreTOUR LEADER
Martin Dale-Hench
TOUR PRICE
$3,850
SOLD OUT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MorePRICE
$3,850
DURATION
14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS
GROUP MAX
8 PEOPLE
PHYSICAL
Easy
WEATHER
Summertime, humid, 80's
GALLERY
Got a Question?
First, please scroll through our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have further questions or need help with a specific topic, feel free to contact us! Thank you.
RESERVATION
Spots are based on a first come, first serve basis. A $500 deposit per person is required to reserve your space and can be paid with a debit or credit card. Alternative payment options include personal check or wire transfer. After registration, you will receive an automatic email response with further instructions. Full payment is due 90 days before the start of your tour.
Absolutely yes! You can contact us by clicking this link and fill out the form and we will get back to you. Above all, we want to make your tour a memorable one for your group.
HOT is proud of the three distinct reasons that allow it to be different from other tour companies: they use sign language exclusively, travel in small groups which provide an intimate experience while also having more flexibility on their schedule, and spend time visiting places they love versus wasting time at places where there wasn’t much interest..
Generally, all tours will provide accommodations in double rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast, transportation expenses including lunch and dinner (depending on the itinerary), museum entrance fees along with a $100 credit towards your next full tour. In addition we provide you with information about each specific tour so that you can be fully aware of what is included.
We will be happy to assist you with a custom-designed tour, tailored towards your preferences. If not, stay up to date by joining our mailing list in order for us to provide you with any future tours that we may have availability for.
Did you know that we have travel consultants who can assist you? You can go to our Travel Consulting page for more information. The best way to accomplish this would be to seek out friends and/or family members (usually in order of 6 people) so they will lower the costs significantly, or advertise open spots on your tour publicly. We also have discounts, and some other advantages! What’s more- we are able to lower the level of accommodations as well as remove extras all together which make it feasible for a low cost.
It is often easier for us to permit single travelers when it comes time to sign up for our tours. If you are unable to find a partner and need assistance, please contact us as we may have singles available on the list- pending your approval first. There are some tours that allow exceptions for those seeking not only with partners but also without them too!
If somebody backs out, please register on our wait list or contact us directly so that we can put you on the wait list for a similar tour. We will also keep your name up to date with our latest tours and alerts about similar upcoming trips in order to give you a chance at joining them.
TRAVEL PROTECTION
Hands On Travel recommends that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. Travel protection plans include coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay, Baggage Delay and more. To learn more about how to help protect you and your trip investment, visit the following link: TRAVEL PROTECTION
Don’t hesitate. We will stay in touch with you from the date of deposit until your arrival at the starting point of your tour, to make sure that all is well before departure. You can contact us via phone or e-mail any time for questions and we will remain in communication throughout your trip!
BILLING
No, we do not charge any extra fees or fuel surcharges. The listed price is the price you pay. Including tax.
You can find this under our Terms & Conditions. If you find it necessary to cancel your confirmed tour reservation, you must notify HOT about it by e-mail. You may transfer your space to another suitable person or request us to seek replacements. If your replacement is found, HOT will, at its discretion depending on the time frame, refund your deposits/payments or apply it towards a future Hands on Travel tour that is to be taken no more than 3 years after the dates of the original tour. If your replacement is not found, the cancellation of your reservation will become effective and the following charges will apply: (a) if cancelled more than 90 days before the first day of the tour, all installment or additional payments will be refunded to you minus the non-refundable deposit of US $500 per person and any non-refundable payments that HOT has made to suppliers. (b) if cancelled less than 90 days before the first day of the tour, no refunds will be made.
Since tour prices are quoted as a package, no partial refunds can be made for the unused portion of any tour including lodging, meals, or any other items that are included in the tour price. This does not apply to those who wish to participate in only a portion of a tour. In this case, we can pro-rate costs for the unused days.
After registration, you will receive an automatic email reply with further instructions. A $500 per person booking deposit is required to reserve your spot on the trip and can be paid by personal check, credit card and/or wire transfer. Full payment is due no less than 90 days before the start of the trip.
If you need to cancel or postpone your trip 3 or more months before the start, all monies paid will be refunded minus the $500 non-refundable deposit. You can also transfer the entire amount of your deposit to be used for a later trip if we are able to find replacements.
DURING THE TOUR
Big coach buses separate us from local people. We fail to experience or understand the “hands on” lives of locals.
We started out as a walking tour company. Walking offers close-up experiences with local people and hidden gems to discover.
It’s much easier to communicate full to everyone in semi-circle and make sign language 100% accessible. No more missing what is being said.
We’d be able to dine in smaller, cozier and unique restaurants that would offer a local culinary experience unlike large, tourist-oriented restaurants. And, we’d be able to stay at smaller accommodations in prime locations unlike large chain hotels outside the city limits.
We strive to include local guides for certain days to promote maximum cultural experience as well as exchange deaf-related insights.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
