It was our fifth day in Japan. Our feet were tense with muscle aches, but our eyes continued to wander in excitement. My family and I were getting ready for another guided bus tour. The previous day, we were lost at the Namba Osaka City Air Terminal (OCAT) station (the largest bus terminal in Western Japan) while searching for our tour guide. It turned out that, the instructions we received through email weren’t as clear as we thought. So we rode up and down the elevator and—ran through the halls—and around the perimeter of the building.

“I’m not a great snowboarder or golfer, but I just love the outdoors and seeing the beautiful mountaintops and landscapes,” says Tats Kobayashi. It’s this fascination with the beauty of nature that Kobayashi says led him to open Kamaʻaina Golf and Ski more than 20 years ago. Previously residing in Denver, Colorado, Kobayashi was inspired by the scenery. “I used to drive up to the mountains every weekend during the winter and see these snow-capped mountains. It reminded me of brownies with the white powdered sugar on top, which looked good enough to eat!”

It’s a fact that many Hawaii residents travel to Las Vegas multiple times a year, spending thousands of dollars on each trip—but Gene Miyake, vice president of Non-Stop Travel, invites people to use some of that Las Vegas money and try something new. “You can have a completely different experience somewhere else. Why settle for the miniature Eiffel tower, when you can go see the real thing? Why go to the Luxor for the pyramids? Let’s go to Egypt and see the real pyramids. Let’s go see the real Japan.”

Nowadays, most people assume that if you’re looking for a cheap ticket to Japan, you should stay away from travel agencies and look online. However, Fumiya Kawachi, sales manager at IACE Travel, wants people to give him a call next time they want to save a bit of money on airfare to Japan. “Our discounts for air tickets are cheaper than online—we get a special rate from the airlines. We also have a 24-hour help hotline [for travelers], and we are always willing to help.” This emphasis on affordability, combined with a strong passion for customer service