Tours, guides and experiences
Take advance bookings from visitors in other countries and time zones. Explore suggested settings for 20 types of business, including appointment lengths, time between bookings, payments and considerations for operating in Japan.
Tour guides#
Half-day and full-day tours booked weeks ahead by visitors in another country, who often book and pay before arriving in Japan.
| Duration | Half day (4 hours) and full day (8 hours) as two event types |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 72 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 365 days, because people book with their flights |
| Max bookings per day | One tour a day |
| Location | In person, meeting point and a map link in the description |
| Payment | Paid online in yen before the tour is confirmed |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 7 days before, 50% inside 72 hours, none inside 24 |
Suggested booking questions: How many people and their ages · Which country are you visiting from? · Where are you staying? · Any mobility needs or dietary restrictions?
Your customer is reading in English at 23:00 in another time zone and sees your times converted to theirs automatically. Put the meeting point, what to wear and whether transport is included in the confirmation message, because it is repeated in every reminder.
Walking tours#
Fixed departure times with a group, run rain or shine, where the meeting point is the whole logistical problem.
| Duration | 150 minutes |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 24 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 180 days |
| Location | In person, exact meeting point in the description |
| Payment | Paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 48 hours before |
Business Box books one party per time slot, so a departure cannot be shared between several separate bookings. It fits private and small-group tours sold to one party at a time, where the party books once for everybody. Group booking limitations
Food tours#
Restaurants are reserved on the guest count, so numbers and dietary needs have to be right at the time of booking.
| Duration | 180 minutes |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 72 hours, so the restaurants can be booked |
| How far ahead customers can book | 180 days |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 7 days before, none inside 72 hours — the seats are reserved |
Suggested booking questions: How many people? · Allergies and dietary restrictions · Does everyone drink alcohol?
Business Box books one party per time slot, so a departure cannot be shared between several separate bookings. It fits private and small-group tours sold to one party at a time, where the party books once for everybody. Group booking limitations
Bar and izakaya crawls#
Evening departures, booked the same day by people already in the city.
| Duration | 180 minutes |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 4 hours |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 24 hours before |
Suggested booking questions: How many people? · Everyone over 20? · Any allergies?
Business Box books one party per time slot, so a departure cannot be shared between several separate bookings. It fits private and small-group tours sold to one party at a time, where the party books once for everybody. Group booking limitations
Cycling tours#
Bikes have to be sized to the riders, so heights and abilities are needed before the day, not on it.
| Duration | Half day |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 72 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 180 days |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 7 days before; weather cancellations refunded in full |
Suggested booking questions: Number of riders and their heights · Riding ability · Any children needing a child seat?
Business Box books one party per time slot, so a departure cannot be shared between several separate bookings. It fits private and small-group tours sold to one party at a time, where the party books once for everybody. Group booking limitations
Hiking guides#
Full days starting before dawn, weather-dependent, with a real duty of care that starts at the booking form.
| Duration | Full day |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 72 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 270 days |
| Max bookings per day | One group a day |
| Location | In person, at the trailhead or a station |
| Payment | Paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 7 days before; weather cancellations refunded in full |
Suggested booking questions: Fitness and hiking experience · Ages of the group · Do you have boots and wet-weather gear?
Mt Fuji climbing guides#
A climbing season of about ten weeks, booked a year ahead, with huts reserved on the guest count.
| Duration | Two days, as an overnight event type |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 14 days, for hut reservations |
| How far ahead customers can book | 365 days |
| Max bookings per day | One group per date |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Paid online in yen |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 30 days before, 50% inside 14 days |
The official season runs July to early September and the trails close outside it. Use date overrides to shut the rest of the year rather than leaving an empty calendar that looks like a fault.
Ski and backcountry guides#
Avalanche conditions decide the morning, so the cancellation policy has to be honest about it before anyone pays.
| Duration | Full day |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 72 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 365 days |
| Max bookings per day | One group per guide |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 7 days before; conditions cancellations refunded in full |
Suggested booking questions: Ability level · Have you used a transceiver before? · Do you need to hire touring gear?
Fishing charters#
The boat goes out or it does not, and the tide sets the departure time rather than the schedule.
| Duration | Half day, at tide-driven start times |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 48 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 180 days |
| Max bookings per day | By boat capacity |
| Location | In person, at the harbour |
| Payment | Deposit paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 7 days before; weather cancellations refunded in full |
Boat charters#
The whole vessel is hired for a block, so one booking takes the day and there is nothing to share.
| Duration | Half day or full day |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 7 days |
| How far ahead customers can book | 270 days |
| Max bookings per day | One per vessel per day |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Deposit paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 14 days before, 50% inside 7 |
Private chefs#
You cook at the client’s address, so the booking has to collect the kitchen’s limitations as well as the date.
| Duration | 4 hours including setup and clearing |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 7 days, for shopping |
| Max bookings per day | One dinner a night |
| Location | In person, at the client’s address |
| Payment | Deposit paid online |
| Cancellation policy | No refund inside 72 hours — the shopping is done |
Suggested booking questions: How many guests? · Allergies and dietary requirements · Address and kitchen equipment · Do you have enough plates and glasses?
Omakase and chef’s table#
Fixed seatings with a fixed number of seats, where a no-show is a plated menu thrown away.
| Duration | 120 minutes at fixed seating times |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 48 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 90 days |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Paid online — the menu is bought for the people who booked |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 7 days before, none inside 48 hours |
Suggested booking questions: How many guests? · Allergies and anything you do not eat · Which country are you visiting from?
Overseas guests are the hardest to hold to a reservation and the most likely to be lost in translation. Charging the full amount in advance in yen solves both, and is already normal at this level in Japan.
Business Box books one party per time slot, so a sitting cannot be sold to several separate tables. One booking takes the whole slot, which suits private dining and a counter sold to one party at a time. Group booking limitations
Small restaurants#
Table reservations in two sittings a night, where the cost of a no-show on a Saturday is the whole evening’s margin.
| Duration | 90 or 120 minutes at fixed sitting times |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 4 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 60 days |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Free, or a deposit at weekends |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 24 hours before, if you take a deposit |
Business Box books one party per time slot, so a sitting cannot be sold to several separate tables. One booking takes the whole slot, which suits private dining and a counter sold to one party at a time. Group booking limitations
Private dining rooms#
One party per room per evening, with a minimum spend that has to be agreed before the booking is worth taking.
| Duration | 3 hours |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 7 days |
| How far ahead customers can book | 180 days |
| Max bookings per day | One party per room per evening |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Deposit paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 7 days before |
Vacation rental check-ins#
A guest lands at an unpredictable hour and needs a fifteen-minute meeting, which is the one appointment in the stay.
| Duration | 30 minutes |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 4 hours |
| Location | In person, at the property |
| Payment | Free |
| Cancellation policy | Not applicable |
Suggested booking questions: Flight number and arrival time · How many guests? · Any luggage that needs storing?
Airport transfers and private drivers#
The time is set by a flight, not by you, and a delayed arrival changes the booking after it was made.
| Duration | 2 hours, covering the journey and waiting |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 24 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 270 days |
| Max bookings per day | By vehicles available |
| Location | In person, pickup point in the booking |
| Payment | Paid online in yen |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 48 hours before |
Suggested booking questions: Flight number and landing time · How many passengers and bags? · Destination address · Any child seats needed?
Chauffeur services#
Hired by the half-day with an itinerary, mostly for corporate clients.
| Duration | Half day or full day |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 48 hours |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Invoiced for corporate clients, paid online otherwise |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 48 hours before |
Campervan and car rental#
The booking is a multi-day block, so a handover appointment at each end is what actually goes in the schedule.
| Duration | 45 minutes for handover, 30 for return |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 48 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 365 days |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Deposit paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 14 days before |
Suggested booking questions: Driving licence country and type · Do you have an International Driving Permit? · Pickup and return dates
Ski and snowboard rental fittings#
Everyone wants to be fitted between 07:30 and 08:30 on the same morning, which is the entire operational problem.
| Duration | 20 minutes |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 12 hours |
| How far ahead customers can book | 180 days |
| Max bookings per day | Per fitter, per slot |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 48 hours before |
Suggested booking questions: Height, weight and shoe size for each person · Ability level · Ski or snowboard?
Escape rooms and VR experiences#
A room per group per slot, with a reset between sessions that cannot be skipped.
| Duration | 60 minutes |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 2 hours |
| Time between appointments | 20 minutes after, to reset the room |
| Max bookings per day | One booking per room per slot |
| Location | In person |
| Payment | Paid online |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 24 hours before |
Suggested booking questions: How many players? · Preferred language · Any under 12s?
Start taking bookings online
The Free plan includes booking pages, Google Calendar and Outlook connections, working hours, Japanese holiday settings and booking on your website. No credit card is required, and there is no time limit. The Paid plan is ¥1,200 per month including tax and adds online card payments, team bookings and LINE integration. Business Box charges no booking commission; Stripe processing fees apply separately.
Last reviewed 16 October 2026.