Cancellation Policy
Our tours are small and private, which means a cancelled booking cannot usually be resold. The schedule below explains exactly what happens at each point, so there are no surprises either way.
1. If you cancel
| When you cancel | Refund |
|---|---|
| 8 or more days before the tour | 100% |
| 7 to 4 days before | 50% |
| 3 days before, up to the day before | 20% |
| On the day of the tour, or no-show | No refund |
All timing is measured against the scheduled tour start time in Japan Standard Time (JST).
See section 3 — you get a full refund up to 24 hours before, regardless of the schedule above.
2. If we cancel
If we cancel the tour ourselves — guide illness, a safety concern, or not reaching the minimum group size — you receive a 100% refund of everything you paid. Wherever we can, we will also offer you an alternative date.
3. Bad weather
Tours run rain or shine. Kanazawa gets a lot of rain, and a wet morning at the market is still a good morning at the market — we carry umbrellas and shift to taxis or covered arcades where it helps.
That said, it is your holiday. If you would rather not go out in the rain, tell us at least 24 hours before the start time and you get a full refund — this overrides the schedule in section 1. Inside 24 hours, section 1 applies.
If the weather is severe enough that we call it off for safety reasons, that is section 2: full refund.
4. Disasters and travel disruption
If an earthquake, typhoon, or a major suspension of public transport makes the tour impossible to run, section 2 applies and you are refunded in full.
If the disruption is on your side — your flight is delayed or cancelled, for instance — section 1 applies by default. However, if you can show us documentation from your airline, we waive the cancellation fee and move you to another date rather than refunding. A refund under section 1 is offered only when rescheduling is not possible.
If you are travelling from overseas, we strongly recommend travel insurance that includes trip cancellation and interruption cover.
5. Changing the number of people
- Fewer people: free up to 8 days before. We adjust the price for the remaining party and refund the difference. From 7 days out, section 1 applies to the people who dropped out.
- More people: subject to availability — guide capacity, vehicle and venue limits. The additional people are charged at the rate in effect when the increase is confirmed.
6. Running late
Your guide will wait about 20 minutes past the meeting time. If you arrive after that, we may need to shorten the itinerary, and the shortened portion is not refunded. If we have heard nothing from you 60 minutes after the meeting time, it is treated as a no-show and no refund is issued. If you are running late, message us — we will almost always find a way to make it work.
7. How refunds are paid
- Credit card: refunded through the card network. Depending on your issuer, it can take 5–10 business days to appear.
- PayPal: refunded via PayPal. For partial refunds under section 1, the PayPal fee is deducted from the refunded amount.
- Bank transfer: the transfer fee is deducted from the refund. International wire fees can be high, so card or PayPal is usually better.
- For full refunds under section 2, section 3 (weather), or section 4, we absorb all processing and transfer fees and return the full amount.
8. How to cancel
Reply to your booking confirmation email, or use the contact form on the top page. Your cancellation takes effect from the time your message reaches us, so please write to us rather than waiting to speak to someone.