Environment

Accommodation & Meals:
On this trip we spend some nights in comfortable hotels and others in traditional style ‘ryokans’ (local inns). These are usually family run and locally staffed, which means we are benefiting the smaller businesses instead of some of the huge, multi-national hotels you can find in Japan. Many also have environmental policies like optional sheet and towel washing in order to save water and energy. Locally sourced ingredients will be used where meals are provided; where not provided clients will be eating at local shops and restaurants under the guidance of their tour leader. There are some incredible eating opportunities like the Miyagawa River morning market. This is a great chance for cultural exchange as you will become acquainted with some really unusual agricultural produce.

UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

Community

Local Craft & Culture:
Having a largely cultural focus, this tour has many opportunities to learn about the crafts of Japan. Visiting Tsumago post town in Nagano and Hida Folk Museum in Takayama may benefit the locals as well as the preservation of their cultural assets because the group have chance to buy products made in the areas as well as learning about traditional methods and structures of production. There is also a small museum in Nagano devoted to Japan’s best known artist, Hokusai Katsushika. Hokusai is famous for his risqué cartoons and traditional woodblock pictures of Mt. Fuji and you will find these reproduced on souvenirs all over the area.

A Fair Deal:
We work closely with our local operator and ensure that all of our guides are local and that in exchange for their expertise on the wildlife, environment and culture that they are paid and treated fairly. The leaders will give a briefing on Responsible Tourism issues to help you understand how you can help reduce your impact and maximise the benefits to the local community from your visit.

Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.