Sometimes, when I need a little Japan fix, I walk to neighborhood Zen Box Izakaya or cycle to Moto-I or Tori 44. As I walk in to any of these establishments, the maneki-neko (beckoning cat) always beckons.
Although the maneki-neko is a Japanese creation, it has been adopted all over East Asia. Right now it’s beckoning me to Japan or Korea or both.
Japan has had Covid restrictions in place since March 2000. During that time I’ve booked, then cancelled, two trips to Japan. I’m hoping the maneki-neko brings luck in October when I try to go to Japan, yet again.
Creating Some Certainty
In October I will be going on one of these trips:
- Japan
- Korea
- Korea and Japan
The Japanese government will decide which trip.
Japan remains closed to independent travelers. Currently, they require tourists to book a guided or unguided tour, including flights and accommodations, via a travel agency.
I want to go where I please, when I please; I don’t do tours. There is hope: there’s signs the Japan’s government will free up restrictions at some point in October.
In a previous post I’ve described trip-stacking where I book two independent sets of tickets to different destinations for the same time period. Nearer the date of travel, I choose which destination is feasible, then cancel the other.
I’ve created some certainty that I will be going to Asia in October by stacking two itineraries:
- Japan option: Minneapolis to Chicago to Tokyo.
The nonstop from Minneapolis to Tokyo is temporarily suspended, for obvious reasons. - South Korea option: Minneapolis to Seoul (nonstop).
Korea has pretty much opened up to tourism, so the second option is highly likely.
Avoiding Transiting Through Japan
I rejected only buying flights to Tokyo. If Japan was still closed to independent travelers, I could connect to a short flight from Tokyo to Seoul.
The inbound flight from Chicago arrives Tokyo Haneda late in the afternoon. If it’s delayed, missing the connection to Seoul that day, I would have to stay airside, overnight, without any services such as food or drink, or a cot to lie on. There is no airside hotel.
I’ve read posts by indignant travelers, who didn’t anticipate this possibility. Japan is a no-exceptions kind of country.
The Upshot
After September 23, 2022 there’s a cancellation penalty for the Tokyo flights.
- If, by then, Japan remains closed to independent travelers later in October, I’ll cancel the Tokyo flights at no cost, then focus my mind on South Korea. I’ve already plotted a route followed by British explorer Isabella Bird who visited Korea four times in the 1890’s, soon after Korea opened up to the world.
- Otherwise, if Japan announces it will be open to independent travelers, I’ll hold on to my Seoul flights until closer to the day of travel because there’s no cancellation penalty. Individual prefectures in Japan could decide to impose restrictions on their own, so I’ll want to hedge my bets.
But, then I do have a hybrid solution: visit both Korea and Japan. If Japan opens up while I’m in Korea, I’ll hop over to Japan for a week or two, then return to Korea to fly home. Flights between the two countries are short and inexpensive.
I can live with knowing I’ll be flying somewhere in Asia in October.
