PLAN YOUR EXPERIENCE
Service Guide
How to request and confirm a private cultural experience with Tradi.
Booking Process
- 1
Choose an experience and send your request
Tell us your group size, whether you need an interpreter, and all the dates and times when you could participate. The more options you provide, the easier it is for us to coordinate your experience.
Our experiences are not regularly scheduled tourist programs. Each is offered on request by a working artisan or cultural expert who sets aside time especially for your group, so we first need to coordinate their schedule.
If you enter your card details
If we can arrange your request exactly as submitted, your reservation may be confirmed immediately.
If you request without a card
You can discuss the schedule with us first. Once the details are agreed, we will send you a secure credit-card payment link.
- 2
We contact you about available dates
We will email you from guestsupport@tradi-jp.com within 24 hours. If coordination takes longer, we will still send you an update within that time.
If you do not hear from us, please check your spam and promotions folders, then email us directly at guestsupport@tradi-jp.com.
- 3
Agree on the details and complete payment
Your reservation is confirmed once the arrangements have been agreed and payment has been completed. The cancellation policy below applies from that point.
Cancellation Policy for Experiences
| When you cancel | Charge (of the experience fee) |
|---|---|
| 8 days or more before the experience | 5% |
| 2–7 days before | 30% |
| 1 day before | 50% |
| On the day / No show | 100% |
Charges apply only after your experience date has been confirmed. You may cancel free of charge at any time before confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I book?
Most requests arrive three to nine months in advance. Last-minute requests can sometimes be accommodated when another booking or an expert's plans change, so please feel free to ask. We require requests to be made at least two days before the experience.
Will the experience be private?
Yes. In general, the experience is held privately for your group. The following popular experiences are exceptions and may be shared with other guests:
A session may also be shared when we bring individual guests together to meet an experience's minimum participant requirement, as described below.
How do I get to the experience?
Most experiences take place at the expert's own studio or another authentic working location, so relatively few are conveniently located right by a train station.
Please do not worry: while arranging your experience, we will explain a practical route that balances convenience with reasonable cost.
Guests have different priorities. Some prefer not to use public transportation at all, while others want the most economical way to travel. If you have any preferences, please tell us in the comments when you submit your request.
Is interpretation included in the experience price?
If interpretation is included, “Interpretation” will be listed under “Included” in the experience description. For other experiences, interpretation is not included in the experience price, but Tradi can arrange it as an option.
Do I have to book an interpreter?
If the booking page does not offer an option to proceed without interpretation, an interpreter is required. The expert communicates only in Japanese, and clear communication is essential for following instructions and keeping everyone safe. If participants cannot communicate in Japanese, we cannot conduct the experience without an interpreter. An interpreter also ensures that you can fully understand the cultural meaning and appeal of the experience.
Even when interpretation is optional, we recommend adding it so that you can appreciate the culture more fully. Together with the expert, our experienced guides will help bring its meaning, background, and appeal to life.
If you speak Japanese or will bring your own interpreter, submit your request with Tradi interpretation selected and explain your circumstances in the comments. We will adjust the arrangement with you.
Will I be asked to pay anything extra at the experience?
No. You will review and agree to the full details, then complete payment before attending. We will never ask you to make an additional payment for the experience at the venue.
If you discover a piece of the expert's work that you love while you are there, however, you are very welcome to purchase it directly.
Why can I only select two or more guests for certain experiences?
Tradi experiences are provided by genuine cultural experts. Setting aside time for an experience must provide sufficient compensation compared with their regular professional work. Where a single guest would not make this possible, the minimum booking is two guests.
You are welcome to attend alone by selecting two guests and paying the two-person price; simply note this in the comments.
Can Tradi match me with other guests for a shared session?
Yes. Select two guests and note in the comments that you are one guest hoping to join a shared session. Please submit your request without entering card details, so that we can coordinate the group with you before any payment is made.
We are also developing a feature that will show when other guests are waiting for the same experience and make it easier to form a group.
Still have questions?
We are happy to help you choose an experience or plan your request.
Contact Tradi