Not canceling

We are will be visiting Japan 3/16-3/26. We will fly into Narita and then proceed to kyoto, fukuoka, kagashima, hiroshima and end in Tokyo. We have 4 children with one in a wheelchair going. We cannot reschedule and have been planning this for a year. I wanted my kids to see their heritage and while this is tragic and devasting, I felt by going shows support to their economy. I am scared about the transportation from Tokyo to Narita at the end of our trip but will just plan on heading to the airport super early.

I would strongly urge you cancel this trip. It is not the right time to travel with all the confusion esp. with kids or elderly. I speak and read Japanese but even with that I knew it would be extremely hard to maneuver and decided to cancel my trip.

I strongly disagree with Rinshin. As many others have stated, things are in the rest of the county are still somewhat normal (relative to what happened last week). As you mentioned, traveling from Tokyo to Narita may be a challenge but at the same time, for a trip that you've planned for so long, I commend your decision to keep your trip on despite the happenings of the last week.

My trip is scheduled for 20 March and I just cancelled it :( it was a very tough decision, but I just feel I would be in the way of the local population and that the overall mood will not be very happy... I was also thinking about ''support'', but then decided that it would be best to donate, instead of going... and this is what I will do... My thoughts and prayers are with Japan...
It's your decision, of course, but I would consider thinking it over as you are responsible for the children and the situation is hard to predict... (

I, myself, am still going as of now. The main concerns in Tokyo it appears are blackout/brown outs, some train schedules being reduced, and some foods not being available. The radiation doesn't appear to be something that affects Tokyo, nor the Volcano way down south on the Island.

And then I've heard Kyoto and those cities are good to go.

As so far as the 'mood,' I think the mood would drop further, finding your full booked hostel, hotel, ryokan, etc, suddenly being emptied due to fear or insensitivity to the fact they still have to make a living through all this tragedy. Some of those places are privately owned and it's a big blow to have a normally very busy and prosperous time, be blown down not only by horrible happenings, but also people backing out of their bookings suddenly.

Also honestly Japanese people are not ones to mope, but to mobilize and help one another. Even the blackouts were postponed because everyone worked together to conserve energy! They are doing amazingly well for only a few days after such a huge tragedy. Gambatte! That's what I say. And I hope that I can also donate blood at red cross when I get there.

I would hit up Osaka first and maybe save Tokyo last ?

I am due to go on the 27th march and fly into narita on the 28th 9pm i was supposed to stay with a friend first 4 nighs but she might be going out of coutry and taking some early holidays. i am in two minds to go or not my original plan was to stay in tokyo 4 nights kyoto 7 nights then go back to tokyo for 9 nights i can always extend my time in kyoto and maybe goto osaka or hiroshima instead of tokyo i have been planning this trip for 2 years and really wanted to go. if there is any major issues with nuclear i think i wont go but at moment not a factor .

also i'm in a sad mood
because i also planned this trip since long time ago i'm not rich to make this kind of trip last year i bought my ticket and this year i've been booking hotels and also i bought the japan rail pass

is really selfish to go but when i try to remember why i want to go, right now is not going to be the same even when is more "safe" the south of japan and things are working

the problem is that we really don't know what is comming even when japan is a wonderfull country and is going to return to be the same but is imposible to think that in three or five weeks everything is going to be the same that would take more time


is better to wait until last minute or at least wait to see if the airline gives options no change or go two or three months after without charges

i hope we will have good news as soon as possible because since last week it has been very stressing and also depressing because of all of these news that are focus on the worst scenary