Still Going?

I cancelled because they're still trying to get control of the power nuclear power plant and it's not improving. If things get worse and you never know when that might happen I wouldn't want to be stuck at Narita airport for days or fight my way to another airport with thousands of other people. Tokyo and other cities can be down wind and red flags are everywhere, radiaton detected in the food, water, air and the ocean. It's not worth the risk and I'll pay any cancellation fees. I'll try again next year when conditions are better!

I also very sadly just canceled my trip from 3/30 to 4/13 - even though I was mainly going to Kyoto and Kyushu I have a friend in Kyoto who really is worried about the nuclear situation. She feels it's too unstable at this time and even though I felt she might be over-reacting I decided to cancel. I am sad not just for myself, of course, but for all the people in Japan and all they are going through....
So I will make my sixth trip to Japan another time - maybe the fall or else next spring.

As it turns out, you can't get a flight out of Tokyo this late. You can't get a flight into Osaka either...

So it's back to Plan A and I'm flying in a week.

Are you still planning on going: YES!
Original travel dates 08/07 - 23/07
Have you had to reschedule & to when: Nope, all reservations remain as planed.
What areas: Tokyo and Kyoto
Concerns you have/had: None.
Benefits of still going: First time in Japan, also can't get refund for plane tickets.
Other key decision factors: My friend with whom I am going is 100% into doing it.

Flying tomorrow!!

Are you still planning on going: YES!
Original travel dates: April 21st - May 1st
Have you had to reschedule & to when: Nope
What areas: Tokyo
Concerns you have/had: concerned over electricity (will restaurants be open?) and the ongoing situation at Fukushima.
Benefits of still going: getting to experience Tokyo during an atypical time. Showing people that Tokyo is still a great place to visit. I also ended up upgrading my hotel due to some great deals that have come up based on their being so many cancellations
Other key decision factors: My girlfriend is still excited, this will be her first trip, and some friends and acquaintances in Tokyo have told me that life is more or less back to normal there.

Hey Jack

I just booked a new hotel in Tokyo - I had prevously booked across the road from Disneyland but do not think it will be open by 13th - so have moved.

Soooooo - I certainly did not find any cheaper hotels. The hotels I am already booked into cost way more to book for 13 and 14 April at short notice - so I am going to a different hotel that was cheaper - but not cheap.

Where are you booked into?

Deb

Deb,

I used Hotels.com to book Keio Plaza for $134 per night. I've stayed at the Keio before, it's an outstanding hotel which usually goes for $240 or so (even worse with the current exchange rate), so when this came up i jumped at the chance.

Because sites like Hotels.com and others buy the rooms ahead of time, they're desperate to get someone to take them right now, there are deals all over the city.

Are you still planning on going: Yes, but not original travel dates.
Original travel dates: 4th April - 14th April.
Have you had to reschedule & to when: Cancelled the original dates, will reschedule as soon as Japan is properly back on its feet.
What areas: Tokyo and Kyoto
Concerns you have/had: Family worrying, transport, not full experience of Japan, radiation ect.
Benefits of still going: First time in Japan, cherry blossom season, trip of a life time ect.
Other key decision factors: We had a full refund for cancelling, so have the money ready for when we re-book with different dates.

As promised, me and hubster would decide by today about our April 13-26 trip-- and still a go!

Althou we fall under United's travel waiver, at the point we are at we can only either go ahead as scheduled, or cancel and wait 3-4 yrs to try again (while also losing about $200 in nonrefundable fees.)

I don't see any reason to switch around my time between Tokyo and Osaka. So I'm still spending my 1st 3 days in Tokyo, then onto Osaka/Nara area for a week, and then last 3 days back in Tokyo. :)

Are you still planning on going:No
Original travel dates: July-August 2011
Have you had to reschedule & to when: Hopefully reschedule to October, but unsure
What areas: Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka
Concerns you have/had:Radiation, structure stability, contamination, electricity (ac in the summer!)
Benefits of still going: Life-long dream.
Other key decision factors: tourist sensibility, concerned family, unstable situation in Fukushima

Where will you be updating us of your time, if at all: Right here, and I will probably start a new question thread closer to when I will actually go (hopefully this Fall)

Mostly canceling/postponing because of worried family. Too much to worry about for me and my family if I go too soon. Also, there are too many uncertainties- don't want wait until the last minute to decide, so will cancel now.

Are you still planning on going:Yes
Original travel dates: 15/4-28/4
Have you had to reschedule & to when: No.
What areas: Tokyo, Nikko, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima & Osaka.
Concerns you have/had:Radiation, structure stability, contamination, electricity Benefits of still going: Life-long dream, can not go next year, because planning a pregnancy
Other key decision factors: tourist sensibility, concerned family, unstable situation in Fukushima

Brief update, as I'm on borrowed wifi (none in my hotel)

Landed perfectly, so glad I didn't cancel, no strange occurrences - all is well so far.

Some things are closed and Narita express was shut down, but other that that, m not statving, Im not in the midst of an earthquake, I'm not growing Any additional limbs, and everyone has been more tha. Welcoming to a first time solo traveler (all of which friends and family warned me of before leaving).

Hope those of you who still decided to go are having just as much fun as I am, and those of you who are post poning, can't wait to hear your tales.

Typos resulting from extreme tiredness and fat-tendencies (eating)

Thanks for the update, I will be following you in about 9 days (solo traveller too)! Have fun and keep us posted here!

Are you still planning on going: YES!
Original travel dates 1/5 - 16/5
Have you had to reschedule & to when: I waited for book my flight, but not reschedule, original plan was for may.
What areas: Tokyo until Osaka
Concerns you have/had: some obvious concerns
Benefits of still going: First time in Japan, don't know when i can have another chance. Visit Japan in a transition time, help economy and more morally with the travelers presence.
Other key decision factors: Some people from Japan say me to go anyway, i am strongly excited to see their country, uses and all the culture.
Some one be there at my same travel time?

Are you still planning on going: Yes!

Original travel dates: 4/14 - 4/28

Have you had to reschedule & to when: No, these are our original travel plans.

What areas: Tokyo, Nikko, Hakone, Yokohama, Kyoto

Concerns you have/had: Many onver the past 2 weeks... radiation, safety, power outages, stores & places not yet re-opened (Yunessun, Zoorasia).

Benefits of still going: Seeing Japan for the first time! We have been planning this trip for about a year, have the time off from work, plane/hotel tickets, Rail Pass... everything is in place and I see no reason not to go. We may not get a chance to go for a long time.

Other key decision factors: Our hotel is in central Tokyo, so it is not affected by the mandatory blackouts. Nor is many of the areas we will be visiting within Tokyo (though they will be conserving power). Kyoto seems pretty much unaffected. Reading reports and updates on this site has been comforting as well.

Where will you be updating us of your time, if at all: We are setting up a travel blog that we will try to update every day in Japan. We'll post a link here before we leave :)

Are you still planning on going: Yes
Original travel dates: April 1 to August 7
Have you had to reschedule & to when: No
What areas: Nagoya and Tokyo (?) and probably Kyoto
Concerns you have/had: radiation and insecurity towards Japanese people about coming at the wrong time. My school also doesn't support me going to Japan.
Benefits of still going: Going on exchange, deepening my work, getting to know the culture, project for honoursprogram was based on going to Japan, desire to experience and learn new things etc etc.
Other key decision factors: financial things and probability of study delay when not going.
If you're undecided, when will you decide: Decided
Where will you be updating us of your time, if at all: don't know yet, probably a blog.

Are you still planning on going: Yes
Original travel dates: 22 June - 15 July
Have you had to reschedule & to when: NA
What areas: Tokyo - Hokkaido (2 weeks) - Tokyo - Mt Fuji
Concerns you have/had: Only minor concerns about the power plant.
Benefits of still going: Hiking in Hokkaido and Mt Fuji!
Other key decision factors: Plenty of time for recovery, had enough trouble organising parts of this trip already not going to cancel!
If you're undecided, when will you decide: NA

Are you still planning on going: Yes
Original travel dates: April 11 - 27
Have you had to reschedule & to when: Not reschedule, but omit and replace. We have omitted Tokyo, although may still go there if Australian government warnings are downgraded from"Do Not Travel" (our main concern with Tokyo was voiding our travel insurance, either just while in Tokyo or for the remainder of our stay post-Tokyo). We are now flying into / out of Kansai rather than Narita.
What areas: Tokyo (omitted), Osaka, Kyoto, Koyasan, Takayama.
Concerns you have/had: Being respectful of having a holiday in a disaster-affected country was one concern I had, but our accommodation providers have urged us to still come as the disaster is affecting their business, and they need customers more than they need us respectfully staying away. Our main concern is travel insurance, and if we are covered for Takayama and in what circumstances (very slightly north of Tokyo, but closer to the east coast - however the travel advisory is a blanket "Do Not Travel" to any area north of Tokyo). Sure Save have not been very helpful in clarifying their position, and have evaded our specific questions.
Also slightly concerned about changes to transport timetables.

Benefits of still going: Keeping the tourism industry in Japan going economically, having a much-anticipated holiday

Fiona - just to let you know what we did.....

We have taken out another insurance for the Do Not Travel areas. We wont go without cover so a new policy with Covermore will allow us to leave as planned on April 1.

The extra $200 for the 15 day extra policy we think - is worth it.......
Deb