DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:  A valid passport. No visa required for U.S. citizens.

INSURANCE:  Trip Cancellation Insurance, Medical Insurance, Baggage Insurance, and Personal Insurance are NOT included in the tour package. ALL ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. As a courtesy, an application for travel-related insurance will be sent to all participants upon receipt of deposit. Each participant is responsible for his/her own insurance according to his/her needs from the agent of his/her choice.

RESPONSIBILITY:  JAPAN TRAVEL BUREAU USA, Inc. (hereafter known as JTB, USA) acts as Tour Operator. SUSAN BALL FAEDER acts as the Tour Director and Tour Escort. The suppliers providing transportation and sightseeing arrangements, hotel accommodations, and other services for the tour program are independent contractors and are not agents or employees of JTB, USA nor of the Tour escort. All coupons, receipts, and tickets are issued subject to the terms and conditions specified by the suppliers. By participating in this tour and utilizing the services of the suppliers, you agree that neither JTB, USA or SUSAN BALL FAEDER shall be liable for any accident, loss, injury, or damage to you or those traveling with you or your property in connection with any accommodation, transportation, sightseeing arrangement, or other services, or resulting directly or indirectly from any occurrence or conditions including but not limited to: neglect or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out any of the arrangements of the tour or providing any accommodations, transportation, sightseeing arrangements, or other services; acts of God or acts between tour participants; dangers incident to the sea, air travel, flood, fire; defects in vehicles, breakdown of equipment; acts of governments or other authorities, economic sanctions or embargoes, wars, whether declared or not, hostilities, acts of terrorism, civil disturbances, riots, strikes, theft; delay or cancellation or changes in itinerary or schedules, or any other causes. If there is a delay or cancellation causing a change of scheduling in the itinerary because of neglect or default of the suppliers, there will be no partial refund by the Tour Operator or the Tour Escort. Should such an unfortunate occurrence take place, the Tour Operator and Tour Escort will try to replace it with a comparable activity.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND:  The tour price is based on a minimum of 15 persons traveling together on the entire tour itinerary. Should the group fall below 15 full-paying passengers, the trip may be canceled. All deposits will be returned in full minus a non-refundable booking fee of $25.00 per person. Rates are quoted based on costs predicted for 2010, however, please note: tour costs are subject to adjustment for currency fluctuation one month prior to departure. Any and all cancellations on the part of the participant must be sent in writing to the Tour Director. Any cancellations that take place prior to October 16, 2009 (Or: up to three months prior to departure should the departure date change) will not incur a penalty and the deposit will be returned in full. For any cancellation received between October 17, 2009 and November 16, 2009 (Or: up to two months prior to departure should the departure date change) there will be a $50.00 penalty against the return of monies paid. For any cancellation received between November 17, 2009 and December 16, 2009 (Or: less than two months and up to one month prior to departure should the departure date change) there will be a penalty of $250.00 against the return of the monies paid. Any cancellation received on or after December 17, 2009 (Or: less than one month prior to departure should the departure date change) and up to the day of departure, participants will be subject to full penalty (cost of entire tour package) unless the package can be resold by the Tour Operator or the Tour Escort. In the case of such resale, there may be additional penalties incurred due to non-refundable tour services, increased package price, or single supplement costs. These costs will also be passed on to the canceled participants.

* SPECIAL NOTE FOR JAPAN-UARY 2010:
As of July 1, 2009: The Tokyo Quilt Festival Executive Committee has announced TENTATIVE dates for the 2010 venue at Tokyo Dome. Likewise, the dates for the QE#19 Japan-uary 2010 tour are set as above and are 99% certain. These dates will not be 100% confirmed by the Committee in Japan until October, 2009. Please note that this is ALWAYS the case with the Tokyo Quilt Show and although the dates have thus far (in the past 6 years) never been changed once announced, until October it is a possibility. If they should change at that time, and if our tour dates have to change as well, you will have a ten day window - without penalty - to cancel. Please do NOT make plane reservations or pay for any flights until you hear from Susan that the dates are 100% certain. If you have any questions, please email us.

Updated July 2009