Haha. I decided to take this opportunity.
And I am going in exactly a month and 14 days. :]

congrats again, i still remember this thread :ywave:

...sighs....

You can spend about $900-$1200 on the plane ticket, then $400-$500 for 30 days in a sakura house. And food, and trains for sight-seeing.

So that's an entire month in Japan for about $3,000. As opposed to 2 weeks for $5,000. Or of course any of the already mentioned tours, are just as good.

MMM, you mean you just had random people pay you to stay at your house for 3 weeks?

Huh? I hosted tours to Japan, meaning I was the chaperone for small groups of students who would do homestays in Japan (Nara, actually). Abut 2500 paid for everything but gifts and souvenirs.

Just because she can do it cheaper, this is the program she chose, and she did explain why.

Congrats, and we look forward to hearing about your travels!

Ah, I was thinking they actually stayed in your home.
twas' kunfyoozed. :confused:

I hope you have a wonderful time Emmy, don't forget to tell us how it went!
:ywave:

A lot depends on what is in the tour and how well it suits you and the way you travel. If you want to have everything laid out for you where you just wake up and are guided everywhere then it might not be a bad deal. A licensed tour guide can cost 40,000 yen a day so if the group is small then the costs will be high. If, on the other hand, you just want to explore and research destinations on your own then this might be too expensive for you. Also keep in mind the kind of lodging you require. If you visit a hot spring area and require a private outdoor hot spring bath then the costs is more than if you stay at a hostel and visit the public hot spring bathhouse. Personally I like more freedom than most tours provide.

Great! Let's see more! You had a busy time.

Yeah! More info please! Sounds and looks like you had a lot of fun! ^_^