KyRoamer

Except elsewhere they say "don't tip except Tour Directors." Sorry Pickles, you are trying so hard to say Odyssey doesn't want tour directors in Japan tipped, BUT it does. The tour package sent me makes that clear and even suggests an amount.

Pickles

No, Japan is saying that they don't want tour directors to be tipped in Japan. Even Odyssey's own guide to Japan says tips aren't expected and sometimes not even accepted. The fact that Odyssey requests that could be an oversight from their copy-editor as they used the same template from their non-Japan tour packages, or a highly unusual request because maybe Odyssey runs some sketchy operation and doesn't pay its Tour Directors a proper wage. Or they are just culturally tone-deaf and wittingly introducing parasitic practices contrary to the no-tipping culture that is one of the many pleasures of traveling and living in Japan.

So don't play Commodore Perry and ask for a coke with your sushi. If you intend to use this travel company, clear this up with them. And if they actually mean it, find some other travel company to take you there.

lobsterdog

What, Coke doesn't go with sushi?

I agree with Pickles, Odyssey could easily tack on a small "Tour Director service charge" for trips within Japan, and pay their tour directors a decent wage rather than begging for separate tips for them.

Don't tip when you're in Japan, and don't patronize companies that pay their important staff members so poorly that they have to beg for tips, even in Japan.

KyRoamer

Odyssey could pay better wages but doesn't. That is on Odyssey and I cannot change it. BUT I can tip the tour director since I know his living is tip dependent. To fail him or her would be wrong. I will share with Odyssey your thought and let them know that I agree. I will not let the tour director down if services are worthy of a tip. If that disappoints you guys, sorry. No one else though will get tipped. No reason to encourage such demeaning behavior where not yet established.

AlwaysAisle

Making such statement without having zero understanding of Japnese culture and Japnese people are demeaning toward Japnese people.

You are simply ignoring advise of people lived in Japan for more than decades and advise of Japanese natives. You are enforcing the U.S. culture in Japan. You have no idea that some people in Japan even consider being offered tip an insult.

Hope you won't be stero typical "Ugly American" when you visit Japan.

angra

I feel as though this thread has gotten more hostile than it needs to be. But, there is an underlying point that the anti-tip group is making that is maybe getting lost in the noise.

I believe what is being communicated is that if you chose to patronize Odyssey, then you are, in fact, endorsing it. There are plenty of tour operators out there. I think that the anti-tip contingent is encouraging you to pick one that does not encourage the practice. And possibly frustrated that you don't see or maybe don't mind how your choices impact Japan.

KyRoamer

Sorry for any hostility. We booked long before we learned about tipping policy. In fact, we were so far down the waiting list we did not think there was a chance that we were going to get to go. Anyway, it is my University's alumni trip and there was no choice of providers.

So I'm on an Odyssey tour. They recommend tipping just the Tour Director. I'm tipping. To not would be unfair. I'm sure his/her compensation factors in tips. Its recommended minimum tip of $10 per person per day amounts to $250 per day for our 25 person group. That's $3,500 for the tour. And that's just the minimum.

I really appreciate the advice here. I'll not tip elsewhere including our two private guides, one in Tokyo and one in Hiroshima. Also, after the trip I will let Odyssey know that was wrong.

BTW, I know tipping is always a hot topic. Before American tourists started spreading the habit, it was not common in most places. Efforts to abolish it where I live have met with no success in restaurants. A few tried a no tip approach, and had to revert as both customers and employees rebelled. At present all that tried it have reverted.

evergrn

OP: I think this thread went awry in part because you started out by asking something that you already had the answer to. And then you weren't going to take any other answer.
I agree with Pickle. Either this information you have is an editing oversight, or this Odyssey company is completely pathetic.
I understand you can't change your plans. But why don't you call them up before the trip and say something deservedly passive-aggressive along these lines? "I see this paper that talks about $10-15 tip pps/day. But can I presume this is a mistake, since your website says tipping is not needed and since everything I've read and have been told is that there is no tipping in Jpn?"

And if they say 'sorry you're right, that was a mistake,' then problem solved.

kaka

angra

I clicked through to odyssey's website and found the Japan tour, and looked at their list of Tour Directors. They appear to all have Japanese names. I can't be sure just by their names, but it seems a reasonable guess that the tour directors are all Japanese nationals, that meet up with the tour, rather than Americans or other nationals that go to Japan with the group. If it was the latter I was going to convince myself that it's not completely out of line to tip.

Given that they are locals, and they are doing business in Japan, I would guess that is is illegal for Odyssey to pay them less than a regular full time wage, the way tipped jobs work in the US. I hope someone with more knowledge of Japanese business/labor law can chime in on that.

It seems quite likely that Odyssey pays them a reasonable wage, but tries to make themselves an attractive employer by augmenting salaries on the backs of their customers. Personally, if it was me, and I got a request to add tips to a tour in a non-tipping country,_after_ signing up to the point of cancellation penalties, I would feel ripped off and bait/switched, and would be sorely tempted to refuse to tip just on that basis alone, even putting aside the impact that it has on local culture, which seems unwanted by the locals.

I feel like there's a 50/50 chance between lazy copy editing by Odyssey; and borderline shady business practices.

OP it is your call in the end, and I won't cast a judgment, but I did want to share my read on it.

KyRoamer

armagebedar

I think this thread has run its course.

Regards,
armagebedar
Japan forum moderator