Discount Travel Agencies in Tokyo

AS IF TO OFFSET the high cost of living in Japan, travel costs, in particular overseas travel, can be astonishingly low. In the last few years Japan has received an onslaught of upstart discount travel agencies, commonly referred to as "bucket shops." The person generally credited with this trend Hideki Sawada, founder of H.I.S. Travel (and its subsidiary for non-Japanese, #1 Travel). So successful is Sawada's H.I.S. Travel that the "establishment" (e.g., Japan Travel Bureau) has had to mimic his strategies. Add to that the scores of other discount agencies in and a new era of air travel is born.

Ask the average office worker or salaryman about his or her next vacation plans and the answer will likely involve some form air travel. Whereas as early as a decade ago the renowned railways of Japan were doing brisk business, air travel has now become affordable to nearly everybody. Even if one has to pay for the vacation in one lump sum. One drawback is that most these companies, working on high volume and relatively low margins, do not accept credit cards (which means that, in addition to not being able spread out your payments, you may have to buy travel insurance, normally covered by many credit issuers, separately).

Before you call these agencies, make sure you have planned your trip properly, with alternate dates and an open mind toward selection of an airline. Don't expect to get on the Concorde. The lowest advertised fares are usually for non-holiday travel one of the less-popular airlines. To be fair, there have been many reports that these airlines were just as reliable as any other, and definitely a good value for the price. Then again, for only a small amount more, you should be able to grab a ticket with one of the major American flyers, namely Northwest (which has quite comprehensive within Asia), United and Delta. The most expensive tickets, yet still reasonable through these bucket shops, are on JAL and ANA, Japan's home-based carriers.

Be aware of the peak periods, especially Golden Week in May, when it seems as if the entire country is taking off somewhere. This is probably because of the time-off mentality in Japan. Many workers take the same days off, usually company holidays, and rarely take personal vacation time. Many employees get several weeks of personal holidays but never actually use them, either because they really can't afford the time away from their work or because it leaves a bad impression with their superiors.

Let us know your experiences with these and other agencies in Japan! Happy travels!

For a listing, with links and current bargains, of Tokyo-area discount travel agencies with English-speaking staff, go to the next page...