Japan Rugby Tour - Dec 2026
We’re thrilled to announce that we have officially begun planning a weeklong rugby tour to Japan for our players in mid‑December. This will be an incredible chance for the team to train with and compete against Japanese rugby programs, explore historic sites in Tokyo and Osaka, and experience a truly memorable adventure far outside their everyday environment.
Over the next few weeks and months, we’ll be finalizing the itinerary and rolling out a series of individual and team fundraising opportunities to help fund the trip. More details coming soon—stay tuned!
Logistics
Official Tour Dates: Arrive on: Dec. 13 (Sun) Depart from: 20 (Sun), 2026
Japan Rugby tour itinerary: link
Tour Payment Deadline: September 30, 2026 for entire remaining balance (non-refundable)
*Players + family travelers must book their own flights separately*
We can start sharing flight plans with each other to coordinate among ourselves, especially for players without accompanying family. Coach Dan strongly suggests arriving within 1 hr of each other because the Tour Guide will be meeting us at Tokyo Airport.
Q & A
What does the rugby tour include? The estimated cost per player is $1700, which includes hotel accommodations, breakfasts, training sessions, matches, and several group dinners. Details here. Players will book their own flights separately -- this is the tour company’s recommendation to help keep overall costs down.
Can family come too? Yes, but let us know asap because space is limited and provide all deposits! We will need to collect deposits and final balances for ALL travelers by the payment deadline dates above.
The total cost for non-players will be less $30 per person because there are no rugby-related costs.
If family/friends do not do the tour package (e.g., they stay in a separate hotel, etc.), can they still watch the matches? Yes, course, they can still come to the matches! Details will be available nearer the time.
Is there a single occupancy option for hotels? If so, is there a difference in cost? Yes, the single occupancy supplement would be an additional USD $475 per person in order to have their own room for the tour.
What if I miss the deposit deadline but still want to go? Let us know ASAP! The tour agent said additional people would be considered on a case-by-case basis, but likely this would be fine and at the same rate -- but the sooner we tell them the better.
What if we want to fly before everyone else? Or come later and catch up with the tour? The committee will define core flights and create a tracker to coordinate everyone's arrival and departures.
Will there be chaperones? Once adult travelers are confirmed, we will have designated chaperones, breaking blocks of time/activities per chaperone.
Is the tour going to transport us from Tokyo airport to the hotel? In general, it's cheaper to take the $3 train to hotel, so we did not add it to the package. All other transportation is included in the cost of the tour, including return travel from Osaka hotel to airport.
What do we do for mobile phone coverage in Japan? Nowadays, most tourists into Japan use a company called ‘Japan Wireless’ and pre-book a pocket WiFi – you pick it up on arrival at the airport and then pop it in the post in a self-addressed pre-prepared envelope…cheap and very efficient. Your other option is of course to contact your existing provider to see whether they can add on roaming and if so, what are the charges.
Is the tour non-refundable? Yes, it is non-refundable. If we cannot find a substitute for your traveler(s), in the past, we are unable to get deposits back.
Which airport in Japan do we fly in to/out of? Haneda Airport (HND) (aka Tokyo International Airport). Narita is slightly cheaper, but you would pay the difference in ground transit to get to where the hotel is.
Is there a single occupancy option for hotels? If so, is there a difference in cost? Yes, the single occupancy supplement would be an additional USD $475 per person in order to have their own room for the tour.
What tour company are we using? Venatour USA, website: https://venatour.co.uk/usa/
Which hotels does the tour company partner with in Japan? From Venatour: We are unable to confirm which hotels without deposits, but are looking to secure one of the below hotels per city. Price is based on two per room:
Indicative 3-Star Hotel Options – Tokyo
• Richmond Hotel Tokyo Mejiro
• APA Hotel & Resort Ryogoku Eki Tower
• Asakusa Tobu Hotel
• Shibuya Tokyu REI Hotel
• Hotel Keihan Tokyo Yotsuya
Indicative 3-Star Hotel Options – Osaka
• Hotel Granvia Osaka
• Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka
• Villa Fontaine Grand Osaka Umeda
• The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Osaka Midosuji
• Zentis Osaka