Frequently Asked Questions

Booking on MAHOROBA is simple. On the page for the experience you like, choose your date and number of guests, then click "Book". Enter your details, choose a payment method and confirm — that's it. You'll receive a confirmation email, and on the day you just show your booking confirmation screen on your phone. Guest checkout is available, but signing up lets you manage bookings and use favourites.

Yes, many plans offer same-day booking. Some can be booked as little as 2 hours before the start, subject to availability. However, popular plans and peak seasons (cherry blossom, autumn leaves, New Year holidays, Golden Week) can sell out — book early. Kyoto tea ceremony and samurai/ninja experiences in particular can fill up 1-2 weeks in advance. Use the "Same-Day Booking OK" filter on the search page to narrow down to plans that still have availability today.

You can make changes from "Bookings" in My Page. Date and group-size changes are both possible, though the deadline varies by plan. Typically, changes are allowed up to 3 days before the experience. After that, you'll need to cancel and re-book. We recommend making changes early. Contact customer support if you're unsure.

It varies by plan, but many accept bookings up to the day before. Same-day plans can sometimes be booked as little as 2 hours before the start. On the other hand, licence courses and private bookings for large groups may require 3 days to 1 week notice. Each plan detail page shows its booking deadline — please check before booking.

Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express), PayPay and pay-on-site (cash on the day) are supported. Both prepaid online payment and on-site payment are available.

Yes, pay-on-site (cash on the day) is available. Just choose "Pay on-site" at booking and pay in cash on the day. You can also pay in advance by credit card or PayPay.

Yes — you can download your receipt anytime from My Page > Bookings > booking detail. Receipts are provided as PDF, ready for printing. If you need a custom recipient name or remarks, please contact us via the form. Company-name receipts are also supported.

Go to My Page > Bookings, choose the booking you want to cancel, and click "Cancel". Select a cancellation reason and confirm. You'll receive a confirmation email once the cancellation is complete. Refunds, if any, are processed according to your payment method. Credit cards typically refund in 5-10 business days.

Policies vary by plan. The typical schedule is: up to 7 days before — free, 3-6 days before — 30% of the fee, 1-2 days before — 50%, same day / no-show — 100%. Some plans offer more flexible policies. Always check the plan detail page before booking. See the Cancellation Policy for full details.

If a provider cancels for safety reasons due to a typhoon, extreme heat, earthquake or similar, no cancellation fee applies and we'll fully refund you. Providers typically make the call the morning of the experience and contact you by email or phone. We can often help reschedule or switch you to a different plan — please feel free to ask.

It varies by plan, but for Kansai authentic experiences we generally recommend: Essential: ID, comfortable clothes, handkerchief / towel, a drink. Nice to have: apron (for food experiences — often provided), camera, eco bag, and sunscreen and a hat in summer. Some tea ceremony and kimono plans lend you tabi socks. Your confirmation email lists what to bring.

The meeting point varies by plan. The confirmation email lists the address, map link, nearest station and meeting time. If your plan includes pickup, the meeting point is your hotel lobby — enter your hotel name when booking and we'll come to collect you. Most meeting points are within a 10-minute walk of a major Osaka or Kyoto station. If you can't find the meeting point, contact the provider directly by the day before, or reach out to our support team.

Yes — most Kansai authentic experiences take place indoors and run regardless of the weather. Tea ceremony, ninja and samurai experiences, crafts and food experiences aren't affected by weather. Temple & shrine tours and night cruises that include outdoor elements also run in light rain. If there's a safety concern such as a typhoon or gale, the experience is cancelled and fully refunded. Kyoto and Arashiyama in the rain are atmospheric and popular in their own right.

Minimum age varies by plan. Rough guide: From age 0: night cruises, guided temple and shrine tours. From age 3: takoyaki making, wagashi making, Nara deer encounters. From age 6: ninja experiences, calligraphy and sutra copying, craft experiences. From age 10: full samurai experiences, full tea ceremony courses. Each plan detail page lists its age range. Use the "Kids OK" filter to narrow results.

Signing up (free) gives you: Booking management — confirm, change and cancel bookings from My Page. Favourites — save experiences to compare later. Faster checkout — skip re-entering your details. Members-only coupons. Reviews — share your experience to help others. Guest checkout is fine too, but we recommend signing up for convenience.

Go to My Page > Account Settings > Change Password. Enter your current and new passwords and save. If you've forgotten your password, click "Forgot Password" on the login page — we'll email you a reset link.

Go to My Page > Account Settings > Delete Account. Please review the notes, then confirm. Deleting your account erases your booking history, favourites, reviews and other data. Unused coupons will also become invalid. If you have active bookings, please cancel them first.