Bespoke Japan Travel Concierge

End-to-end, tailor-made itinerary design and private cultural curation from a 25+ year Japan travel specialist.

Stop spending weeks lost in research and guesswork. With my Concierge Service, I take your personal travel style, interests, and timing to craft a seamless, bookable, custom-designed Japan journey – leaving you free to simply look forward to your adventure.

Apply To Work With Rob

By Application Only – Strict Lead-Time Requirements

To guarantee the highest level of personal attention, thorough research, and availability of Japan’s best accommodations and experiences, I do not accept Concierge applications for travel departing in less than 90 days.

A minimum lead time of 6 months is strongly recommended, with the majority of my Concierge clients booking 10 to 18 months in advance to secure high-demand ryokans, private artisan access, and seasonal bookings.

Flexible Scope: Meeting You Where You Are

Every journey is distinct, and every traveller begins from a different starting point.
My Concierge service is fully bespoke and adapts entirely to your needs:

Validating & Refining an Existing Plan

You have dates, ideas, and a draft route, but want expert validation to optimise pacing, resolve transit friction, and introduce authentic regional highlights.

Designing From a Blank Canvas

You know you want an extraordinary trip to Japan, but have no flights booked and only a few target regions in mind. I handle the structural heavy lifting from scratch.

Specialist & Artisan Experiences

Tailoring private cultural encounters, master craft workshops (such as traditional bladesmithing or ceramics), and handpicked boutique ryokan stays.

How the Application & Concierge Process Works

1. Check Your Lead Time & Apply

Ensure your departure date is at least 90 days away (ideally 6–18 months ahead) and complete the Travel Planning Questionnaire.

2. Review & Recommendation

I personally review your questionnaire within 1-2 business days. If your timeline fits and we are a strong match, I will recommend the exact package duration required to achieve your goals.

3. Kick-Off Alignment Call

For Full-Day, Multi-Day, and PRIME clients, we begin with a dedicated 20-minute Zoom call alignment session to lock down your brief before work commences.

4. Sprint Delivery with “Pause the Clock”

I work in focused sprint blocks, pausing active time whenever I present draft ideas so you can digest recommendations at your own pace without pressure.

Choose Your Concierge Package

All Concierge packages include direct personal access, initial alignment, and sprint-based delivery.
Valid for 6 months from purchase.
* I recommend reading the FAQ section below.

Currently Unavailble – Join Waitlist

Half-Day
Sprint

£625

(Essentials)

APPLY

4 Hours Dedicated Sprint Time
Email Scoping (Calls count toward time)
Accommodation curation, regional routing reviews, or focused artisan plans.

Full-Day Bespoke

£1,250

(Most Popular)

APPLY

8 Hours Dedicated Sprint Time
Kick-Off Alignment Call – Included 20 Min Zoom Session
Full 10–14 day custom itineraries, blank-canvas trip designs, transit mapping.

Multi-Day Deluxe

£2,350

(Save £150)

APPLY

16 Hours Dedicated Sprint Time
Kick-Off Alignment Call – Included 20 Min Zoom Session
3+ week complex journeys, remote regional routing, deep cultural curation.

Concierge PRIME

£5,350

(Save £900)

APPLY

5 Working Days – 40 Hours Dedicated Sprint Time
Dedicated Onboarding Session
Complete VIP-level dedicated planning with immediate daily turnaround. (Max 2 per quarter)

(If your travel scope expands, additional support can be added in Half-Day increments at the standard £625 rate).

Concierge FAQs

Get answers to commonly asked questions about my Concierge service.

Q: What is the lead-time requirement to apply for Concierge?

A: Due to the detailed, collaborative nature of this service—and the reality of Japan’s high-demand travel market—I cannot accept applications for trips departing in less than 90 days.

A minimum planning window of 6 months is strongly recommended. Most of my Concierge clients begin working with me 10 to 18 months ahead of departure, which ensures the best selection of boutique accommodations, seasonal ryokans, and private artisan experiences before they sell out.

Q: How does the application process work?

A: Because Concierge is a high-touch, customized advisory service, intake is strictly curated. Once you submit your application via the Travel Planning Questionnaire, I will evaluate your trip goals, departure timeline, and requirements. If accepted, I will invite you to book the recommended package and schedule your kick-off.

Q: Does the 20-Minute Alignment Call come out of my sprint hours?

A: No. For Full-Day, Multi-Day, and PRIME packages, the initial 20-minute Zoom alignment call is included alongside your plan to ensure we are completely aligned on your vision before work begins. Any subsequent video calls requested during the planning process will count toward your dedicated sprint hours.

Q: How does the “Pause the Clock” feature work?

A: Rather than working 4, 8, or 16 hours in a single unbroken sitting, I work in short, intensive sprints. Whenever I share draft routes, lodging shortlists, or require your input, active time tracking pauses. This gives you all the time you need to review ideas, discuss them with your travel companions, and reply without eating into your service hours. Plans remain valid for 6 months from purchase.

Q: What is the difference between Concierge, Support, and Planning Calls?

A: Travel Planning Calls: 30 to 60-minute live video consultations for quick sanity checks, dynamic advice, and Q&A (requires a 30-day minimum lead time).

Travel Planning Support: Email-based responsive Q&A across consecutive working days (3, 5, or 10 days) where I answer specific questions as you build your own itinerary. (requires a 60-day minimum lead time)

Concierge Service: Proactive, hands-on trip creation. I do the heavy lifting – crafting day-by-day itineraries, sourcing accommodations, designing transit logistics, and arranging artisan experience plans for you (requires a 90-day minimum lead time).

Q: Do you book flights, trains, or hotels on my behalf?

A: No. To maintain 100% editorial independence and provide unbiased recommendations, I do not act as a traditional travel booking agency. I provide you with direct, vetted links to English-language booking platforms, official train reservation systems, and boutique ryokan and hotel portals so you retain full control over your reservations and financial transactions.

Q: Can I add extra hours if my itinerary needs more work?

A: Yes. If your travel plans expand during our collaboration, you can easily top up your service starting with Half-Day increments (4 hours) upwards, subject to current capacity.

Q: Can Concierge be used while traveling in Japan?

A: No. Concierge is an extensive pre-trip design service. It is not designed or priced for real-time, on-the-ground concierge support while travelling. All planning takes place prior to your trip departure.

Choose My Plan

What Other Concierge Clients Say

★★★★★

For me, the Concierge service was never about saving money, it was to get the best experiences and best use of my time while there.

Andrew Rondeau testimonial TPS The Real Japan

Andrew – UK

★★★★★

Concierge provides a lot of practical advice, suggestions and recommendations about places to visit, things to do, where to stay as well as how to get to places and actual transport links.

Mario – Malta

★★★★★

I was locked in a state of
decision paralysis. Rob helped me narrow down my goals, put together a comprehensive plan to accomplish everything that I wanted to in Japan.

Jackson – USA

Why You Should Use My Services

Why should you listen to my advice? I’ve been exploring Japan off the beaten path since 2000 and have been recognised by the travel and tourism industry winning multiple awards including Best Cultural Immersion Japanese Travel Specialist 2026 and Best Japanese Travel Experts 2025 in the LUXlife Travel & Tourism Awards, and Travel Agency of The Year 2025 in the Corporate LiveWire Innovation & Excellence Awards.

LUXLife Travel Tourism Awards The Real Japan Best Japanese Travel Experts 2025

Corporate LiveWire Innovation and Excellence Awards 2025 Travel Agency of The Year The Real Japan travel specialist

LUXlife Resorts and Retreats Awards Best Independent Japanese Travel Specialists 2025 The Real Japan

Bespoke Japan Travel Concierge

By Application Only – Strict Lead-Time Requirements