7 Million JPY Nightmare: Cunning billing, Extreme exploitation and severe Safety Failure
7 Million JPY Nightmare: Cunning Billing, Extreme Exploitation, and Severe Safety Failure
I am writing this review as an octogenarian traveller to issue a warning to the international luxury travel community regarding Untold Japan (CEO: Joshua Lassman-Watts).
I paid a total of 7,066,950 JPY to this agency for a 9-day Kyushu itinerary, which included a 3-night/4-day booking on the Cruise Train Seven Stars. What was promised as elite, white-glove curation instead resulted in a physical fall and significant billing discrepancies.
To show the scale of the financial discrepancies, here is exactly how this agency applied an estimated 1,400,000 JPY in unearned markup just from the Seven Stars portion of my itinerary alone:
• 500,000 JPY: Markup applied directly to the baseline Seven Stars train ticket (charging me 2,760,000 JPY when standard couples' rates are significantly lower).
• 250,000 JPY: Direct double-billing for 2 nights at The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka—nights that were already fully included and paid for inside the core Seven Stars rail package.
• 500,000 JPY: A 20% overarching agency fee stacked on top of those already inflated and duplicated baselines.
• 1,170,000 JPY: A guide fee for an unvetted land itinerary that resulted in a fall. The guide was the worst I have ever encountered in my travels, utterly boring.
When challenged on the Ritz-Carlton duplication, staff stated that a "previous quotation by another staff member was incorrect" to justify the billing and retain the funds, rather than issuing an immediate correction.
Worse than the financial discrepancies was the total failure of care for human safety. Despite explicitly receiving my mobility constraints, Untold Japan failed to vet the ground terrain. They booked me into split-level accommodations and Onsens in Kurokawa and Yufuin with Ryokans built into traditional style by sitting on the floor when I am unable to bend my knees. I had informed Untold Japan very clearly that I cannot bend my knees or sit on the floor. I had to be “cradle” like a baby before and after the meal as I could not sit on the floor Japanese style. This total failure in their duty to inspect the venues directly caused me to suffer a fall—despite my informing Untold Japan that my orthopaedic surgeon had warned that another fall would be severe for my age group.
When confronted, the CEO, Joshua Lassman-Watts, explicitly admitted in writing to their failure to inspect the accommodations for safety, offering a written apology. However, his apology proved to be empty; there were no offers o financial reconciliation despite their oversight.
In stark contrast to this experience, the onboard experience on the Cruise Train Seven Stars itself was absolutely exceptional. The JR Kyushu train staff were elite professionals who took care of me with extraordinary grace, kindness, and attentiveness, managing my logistics with full knowledge of my fractured leg. I have the highest respect for the train crew.
Unfortunately, this legendary Japanese hospitality was completely overshadowed by the unjustified markups and service failures of Untold Japan. They use the prestige of the Seven Stars rail to draw in affluent international clients who expect a seamless experience. If you are looking for an honest luxury operator who values your safety and operates with financial integrity, look elsewhere. Do not compromise your safety or your finances by utilizing their practices.
Note :
If stating that I cannot sit on the floor or bend my knees made the trip an “extraordinary responsibility “ to manage, you had every right to decline. Instead, you freely chose to accept the booking without any pressure. If it was beyond your capabilities, why didn't you just say no?"