Have you cancelled the trip to Japan?

I'm scheduled to go to Japan on 3/30 - planning to take shinkansen the same day to Kyoto, spend a few days there, then on to Kyushu - where the volcano just erupted again...for a week - Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Yufuin, then back to Tokyo for a couple of days.
I can change my ticket to leave up to May 10 but it's hard to get a seat in my cheap category... ;-) or else a voucher good for a year, no refund.
I have friends in Japan and basically they are saying maybe I should postpone/cancel....I'll think it over a few more days....
Best wishes to everyone in Japan!

@Jack

When we called Continental on Saturday they were only allowing a change of plans for flights through the 15th, now they are allowing a change of plans through the 18th. It seems they are making us wait till the last second. Our flight isn't until April 11th though.

I'm scheduled to travel to Japan for 12 days arriving on the 27th and staying in Saitama. Now i'm staying with a friend so i might be in a different boat to others who have accommodation booked in tourist spots. I spoke with him on the 13th, and haven't had a chance to catch him since, but he seemed fairly relaxed about the idea of me coming at the time.

Obviously things have changed, and "reconsider or travel" warnings have been issued. My feelings are that i will still go, but i've decided i'll just keep monitoring the situation and if it seems like canceling/postponing my trip is the smart move than i'll proceed with that. A lot will depend on my mate though, i don't want to burden him and i don't want to feel like i'm burdening the people of Japan.

The devastation is just heartbreaking to watch and hear about, but whenever i read of a miraculous story of survival, that at least brings some light to a very dark time.

@ by by Sarah G
Yeah, I just got through to a rep at Contenntial. The rep told me they were waiving changes for those traveling through the 13th, but now has been extended to the 18th. Since I fly out on the 22nd this doesn't apply to me. The change fee would be $250 for my case, the travel voucher would be good for up to one yeah and I would be charged/refunded the difference between my previous flight to the changed one. However, the rep stated that it may change depending on the situation in Japan. Have you decided against your trip? Things are complicated since after Japan, I'll be traveling to Hong Kong and the off to Taiwan. All different airlines. Plus most of my friends has messages me back saying that it may be best to push my trip back to later this year, but given the obsticales that I have, it seems I'm stuck in a pretty pickle. I just want to add that I'm just so thankful that my friends are all safe and for the great feed back and information I've found on this site!

Thank you all for responding to my original post.

Finally we have decided to cancel our trip to Japan all together after heard more bad news today. The risk is just way beyond what we dare carry.

Wish all of you the best regardless you chose to go or not.

Couldnt you have travelled South?
Osaka, etc?

I'm scheduled to travel to Tokyo early next month and was planning to spend most of my time in Tokyo and nearby places like Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko. I have just received a message from a friend who's currently living in Tokyo suggesting that I should consider changing my holiday plans to visit another place instead of taking unnecessary risks. He mentioned that even though these areas are relatively safe, it doesn't seem very encouraging to go there for a holiday now, given there are train distruptions and rolling blackouts for the destinations that I'm planning to visit. Since my trip is early next month, I still have a couple of weeks to decide. I'm following the news closely and hope that things will be better soon!

My girlfriend and I have plans to go from Mar 22-Apr 4. We are spending a few days in Tokyo, then heading south to Kyoto/Nara. We are definitely still planning to go. While we are sensitive to the situation, we feel it is important for us and the Japanese people that we NOT cancel our trip, and continue to support them in one way: with our tourist dollars. We are prepared for inconveniences, and the potential for more earthquakes, but that is a risk we already live with in San Francisco. I do not want to be insensitive by going and trying to "have fun", but we also feel that if everybody cancels their trips, many people who are not directly impacted by the disaster will be adversely affected by the loss of business. We do not want to sound selfish, either. When we go, we will be as helpful, respectful, and "out-of-the-way" as possible. I hope that others, depending on their personal adversity to risk, will not cancel their trips and stand with the Japanese people. I have about 7 other friends who are also going around the same time. We spoke last night and everyone agreed that it is best for us to go and give them our business. My heart is with those who lost friends and family. I emailed all of our hotel and ryokan wishing them the best and letting them know we are not going to cancel. Now, easing my parent's worries...that's another story.

~T & L

i'm still considering my trip, i will depart from my country on 31th march and arrive at Narita on 1st april. A friend of mine who is a tour guide in Tokyo told me that I still have time to think about it and he suggest me to relax hahahaha...but he also said that I must put my attention on current situation there. He informed me that Tokyo Disneyland-Disneysea will re-open on 21st march.
I will stay at Shinjuku, so I will spend most of my time there. Beside that, I will visit Shibuya, Harajuku, Tokyo and Ginza..
I will be in Japan for only 4 days. and it will be my 1st time to go to Japan ,well, in limited time.
But I don't think I would cancel it. :) Hoping for the best, though.

levels were recorded Tuesday in a region north of the Japanese capital Tokyo after a blast at a earthquake-hit nuclear power plant, Kyodo News reported.

took more than 10 years trying to go to Japan, and 6 months planning. I even had to break up with my girlfriend.... but radiation is too much for me. I just cancelled my trip.

I read in other post that the best way to help is not to cancel the trip. I believe that if u really want to help u should make a donation, and don't go until the situation returns to normal.
the Japanese ppl have serious problems of electricity, transportation and food, I think that in this moment they don't really need more ppl just walking around and wasting the lack resources.
I'm saying just be cautious and wait a few days for real information. In my case I have no choice because my departure is this week. I will go and help the right time. Go at this moment it's not a help. it's the opposite. well, just my point of view

So we had a night booked in Yokohama on the Tue 5th April. With the current travel problems I'm not sure if I should cancel it and stay an extra night in Nagoya. We're not worried about infrequent trains just worried about not being able to get to our hostel!(3-11-2 Matsukagecho, Naka-ku, Yokohama) And were thinking it would prob be easier just to stay where we were for one extra night in Nagoya before going straight to Tokyo.
What are ppls thoughts?

Radiation Levels Shoot Up In Tokyo, VicinityTOKYO (Kyodo)--Radiation levels shot up in Tokyo and its vicinity Tuesday following the nuclear accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan that was triggered by last week's massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami, local governments said. In Kanagawa Prefecture, the radiation level shot up 10 times higher than usual.

In Saitama, capital of Saitama Prefecture, the amount of radiation reached 1,222 nanosievert per hour -- a figure about 40 times higher than usual.

In Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, the amount of radiation showed a two- to four-fold increase, the Chiba prefectural government said.

The amount of radiation rose to 1.318 micro sievert per hour -- a figure 33 times bigger than usual -- in Tochigi Prefecture's capital of Utsunomiya, the Tochigi prefectural government said.

Not good news, but currently not of concern to the human health. I wish that the article clarified this, as well. Instead, it has the potential to cause panic. Very irresponsible!

I cancelled my trip from 3/14-4/8 yesterday. It is the right thing to do with everything that is going on in Japan right now. I think it would be extremely difficult to enjoy especially for those travelers who do not speak Japanese.

I've not cancelled my trip as well... Scheduled to depart 31st March / Arr Narita 1st Apr... I'll be staying with my friend for about a week in Saitama...

So far I'm just watching closely to news, keeping in touch with my friend in Saitama & only making my decision when it's nearer to my departure date...

Hi Tom, your words are very encouraging for people like us who are not cancelling their trips and sees that we can be of help by spending tourist money

- We dont eat much - maybe a few needed nutrients and we definetly dont waste water - we wont even try to waste electricity at the hotel as much as possible. Our agenda is to shop and bask under the ccherry.

Do keep us informed of your travel to Tokyo - we will be arriving on April 1 and will stay for 12 Days. - You can put the title forum as "Just Landed in Tokyo!"

I pray hard that things don't get worse for Japan - I feel for them and their loss - we have suffered in recent climatic events not as hard as Sendai though, but we know how it feels to have our house submerged in 5-7' water for days - trapped and can't get out - with kids in tow - cars washed on the other block. I really pray for the whole world to be spared of any other Natural disasters.

We are booked for January 2012: we have family in Sendai (currently 5 months pregnant) and Osaka. We still plan on going: CLEARLY depends on what family are doing. If they are still there, then so are we. I REALLY want to continue to contribute to the Japanese tourist economy.

i am still unsure whether to cancel or to stick to my travel plan. i am due to visit tokyo in mid april, which is still one month from now but i really hope that the tourism industry can catch up to help japan economy. the only worry is definitely the radioactive problem. i hope it will not pose too much problem or the economy will definitely be affected.

my current decision is to stick to my plan and see how it progress. hope it will be resolved soon.

�gWhile I agree he may not be completely unbiased towards the use of nuclear energy (which I hate the idea of myself), do you have any reason to think he is lying or trying to mislead people? What would he gain from it?�h

Firstly, you claimed he was a ''non-government, non-power�h source – when in fact he IS a nuclear power industry source. Sira, unless you are completely naïve, you would be aware of the fact that OF COURSE he is going to defend nuclear power. He has nothing to gain personally of course, but it�fs his ideology, same way a Republican will come out and defend Republican policy, irrespective of whether it is actually good policy. Same thing would have happened 25-30 years ago in the tobacco industry – �eohh, nicotine is not addictive, cigarettes don�ft cause cancer, etc etc. �e Yet that was the consensus – for goodness sake you even had doctors promoting the health benefits of cigarettes back in the 50s.
''I firmly believe that we are not in grave danger of widespread nuclear contamination and that if we were, we would be told.''

I know this is a generally friendly forum but if you actually wholeheartedly believe this statement sira, you'd have to be completely naive and unaware of the history of governments lying to their people. Ohh and plus the fact that Japan�fs credibility as a nation long term is at stake. A tsunami and earthquake is one thing, nuclear power is another.

The Government is constantly flip-flopping, contradicting itself etc. - does anyone not see this as a concern?