Agents on the Spot: Japan

Last September, 13 agents set off on a one-week educational trip to Japan organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association. They flew with Japan Airlines. The group started in Kyoto and then travelled by train to the resorts of Takayama and Nagoya. Only a few were selling Japan regularly before their trip, but having been, all agreed it was a destination set for growth. We asked three agents to give their impressions before and after the trip.

Before: I had not been to Japan before and went with a very open mind because it was a part of the world I knew little about. In the past we’d had one or two enquiries about Japan and I didn’t really feel I was able to help very much. I felt you would have to be pretty well-travelled and experienced to go there and that it would be extremely different from anywhere else I had been. I was very curious about the place.

After: Japan is an amazing place – I thought it was brilliant. The scenery was wonderful – with its temples and gardens – and it was clean and immaculate. The hotels were of a higher standard than I expected and you couldn’t fault the service and kindness of the people. Kyoto made a good base and you could easily spend five days or a week there. The countryside was very green and dotted with a lot of small villages, rice fields and shanty towns. The local restaurants were diverse and a lot cheaper than the hotels – you can experiment with some very different ways of eating. The Japanese certainly have a different way of life. I enjoyed the ritual bathing in the hot springs – it was quite bizarre in some ways but very relaxing. The country has got a lot going for it and I would really recommend it as somewhere different to go.

Before: My impression was that Japanese people were very stern, set in their ways and not very understanding of western culture. I am primarily a China specialist but the company was considering expansion into Japanese tours and I was very interested to see what was there. I tended to think it was all like the Tokyo you see on the television – neon lighting and high-rise buildings.

After: The places we visited were nothing like the image I had of them. Scenically, they were very beautiful – more like California with running streams and wildlife, or Scandinavia with mountains all around. I was surprised how friendly everyone was. Local people would really go out of their way to help you. The food was good and the whole trip went entirely to plan as it is a very efficient, well-organised place. I would definitely pay to go back again myself and as a company, we are launching a new brochure this month with our first four tours of Japan. It’s a new destination for us but I’m sure it will be a big destination in the future.

Before: I was not looking forward to the trip at all. I have always thought of Japan as a rather strange nation. I have travelled a great deal but have avoided Japan. Perhaps it is a generation thing, but for people my age, there are a lot of memories that put up a barrier there. I sell a great deal of long-haul holidays and felt interest in Japan was growing and the vibes towards the place were much better. Clients are interested, prices have come down and I felt I should go so I could advise them accurately.

After: I had no idea how lovely the countryside would be and I was very impressed. The scenery was fabulous and not as I had expected. I love gardening and the fern and moss gardens were quite different from anything we see. The thing that really struck me was how no piece of land was wasted – every square inch was cultivated in some way. It was interesting to see the different religion and culture. Our hosts dressed us in Kimonos on one occasion – it took 30mins to get into – and it was great fun. Of course, none of the shoes fitted us – our feet were just too big. Language can be a problem because not everyone speaks English but their travel industry is an efficient service industry and the people we met were all charming.