polite way to respond to a generous offer?

Hello!

I am heading to Japan with my family of three next week and my husband's distant relatives have stated that they intend to meet us at the airport and see us to our accommodations. Where this is an extremely kind and generous offer, and is really out of the way for them, it is unnecessary as we are capable of managing on our own (and do plan to visit them while we are in Tokyo, but are going on other business).

How does one respond to such an offer politely in Japanese? I understand that it would be rude to decline the offer, so How should I explain that it is a generous of them and I understand they will be going out of their way and that I gratefully accept?

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

I understand that it would be rude to decline the offer

No, it would be rude to accept the offer - they expect you to politely decline. Anyway, after a long international flight you want to relax in your limousine bus or Narita Express train for ninety minutes, not be crammed into the back seat of a car, making small talk with people you don't know.

Tell them thanks but you've already made other arrangements, and you look forward to seeing them in Tokyo. Tell them in English.

Agree with the above.
They don't expect you to take them up on it.

If you are going to be meeting them, bring a nice gift.

I agree with above. The intricacies of etiquette are complex. In this case the right thing to do would be to refuse in a 'That's so kind of you to offer but we had already made other arrangements, however we are very much looking forward to seeing you later in the trip as arranged' kind of way. That's probably the last you'll hear of it. That fulfils their sense of duty and your expected response.

I guess this is like that:
relatives live in different places in Japan, as some live in Tokyo and some live in Osaka. they come together to the airport to see you. this is also the good opportunity to meet together for them. relatives may reserve a ryokan (hotel) to stay together and have a relative party at night.
what they say is they will pay that day's accommodation (and party) expense.
I think they do not intend to pay your whole accommodations in Japan.

Ken,

I don't think that that is the case. The OP's relatives are only offering a ride from the airport to the OP's hotel. They are not going to pay for the OP's accomodation.

By the way, I also think it's right to decline the offer by saying you alreadly have arrangements.

トピ主さんのご親戚は、トピ主さんを空港で出迎えて宿泊先まで送ってあげると言っているだけです。田舎でも都会でも、よくある申し出ですよね。宿泊費を出すと言っているのではないと思います。

@Uco,
I made a mistake to read it.

why do the other posters decline the proposal ?
I think it is a convenient and time-saving way to meet each other. Don't you think ?

Thank you all for your responses!

In any other situation I would think it best to politely decline, but was confused because my Japanese friend said that they were probably really excited to see us and that we should be sure to bring a nice gift for them. I also didn't want to insult them by declining because they had told my husband's grandmother that they were excited about meeting us and she seemed to think we should just accept. I am also wondering if declining would be insulting because when the daughter studied in the US we helped her out a bit and when they last came to the US we took them to a nice restaurant. Could this be a way for them to repay a favor? And if so, is it still polite to decline?

akaifishy,

Are you not meeting them at all? I think you should indeed meet them, but it doesn't necessarily have to be at the airport.

Also, most posters seem to have the impression that you are coming to Narita airport and staying at a hotel in central Tokyo. Things can be a bit different if you were coming to Haneda airport and staying in Tokyo, or coming to Narita and staying closer to the airport.

Either way, for example, a long drive from Narita to Tokyo can be a good opportunity to have a casual chat with the relatives, while if you were to have a meal with them it can be time consuming for you. And like Ken says, it will save you the transportation fee.

But at the same time, it totally make sense to decline the favor by saying you have your transportation arranged (I wouldn't really say that they are "expecting" you to decline, and I don't understand why as many as three posters need to insist on the same thing).

All in all, if you want to say no thank you just say so along with the excuse that you have arrangements made. But try to find time to at least have coffee with them.

Ken san,

上にも書きましたが、他のコメントにもあるように、迎えに来てもらったら、それはそれで気を使うし、「手配済み」を理由に断るのは大いにアリだと私は思います。ただ、３人もの人が「断るのが当たり前」と言うべきほどのものではなないとは私も思いますが。

I think it is quite normal.
if my relative comes from a far away place, I will go to the nearest station to catch him/her, because he/she is a stranger in my place, and it is an easy and trouble-less way.
for your case, the airport is the right place to catch you easily. they may come by car, because the grandmother comes together. if so, they will offer to drive you to your hotel. Next,they may offer to eat together. then, you may decline their offer. you may say "We are tired because of jet lag. We need a rest". it is not impolite, because it is true.

It depends on where they live and where you are going. If you are going to central Tokyo, it's likely to be expensive and troublesome to find convenient parking - if they are driving.
Without information about where they live & where you are going, it's difficult to guage the inconvenience of it.
If it's the daughter who will be meeting you, that's a bit different.

I would thank them very much, tell them you're fine to get to the hotel but that you're really looking forward to seeing them for a meal.

They will almost certainly pay if they owe you favours for looking after their daughter so come armed with a thoughtful present.

Thank you all for your thoughts!

We are staying in central Tokyo, and they love about 20 minutes by train from where we are staying. I have thanked them and apologized for the inconvieneces, but have agreed to meet them at the airport and am bringing some omiyage.