Studio Policies
Please carefully read our important policies listed below before you book SAORI classes or SAORI Retreats offered at our SAORI studio locations.
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Booking and Cancellation Policy
Last Update: 2024.2.11
Booking and Payment
1-Day Visitors’ Class
Reservations for the 1-Day Visitors' Class at our SAORI studio locations are required and should be completed online via the SAORI Global scheduling website. Availability is subject to change based on the location and time.
Bookings are available 5 months prior to the first day of the month during which the chosen session is scheduled. For example, online booking for the classes scheduled on July 1, 2021 begins on February 1, 2021. All reservations need to be made at least 120 hours (5 days) before the start of the session. We will decline class participation without a reservation in advance.
If you would like to book the 1-Day Visitors' Class on multiple days, please select all desired dates on the scheduling website, and reserve a spot on each day. Please understand that we must cut and remove the woven fabric from the loom at the end of each session unless you are weaving on consecutive days. Session fees for the 1-Day Visitors' Class reserved through this website do not include the material costs. Material costs are determined by weight and vary for each participant. Material costs are charged at the end of the session.
Pre-payment for 1-Day Visitors’ Class session fees is required at the time of booking. We accept payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover).
Multi-day SAORI Retreat
We communicate with each visitor and organically determine each session schedule of 3-day, 7-day, 12-day and other SAORI Retreats at SAORINOMORI in Izumi. Please contact us at info@saoriglobal.com to let us know your travel plans. If your timeline does not fit our scheduled days, special arrangements may be available for increased rates and additional fees. Please email us for different durations and possibilities. Our team will get back to you with some suggestions and possibilities.
We have limited availability for the Multi-day SAORI Retreats at SAORINOMORI in Izumi. For booking a Multi-day SAORI Retreat at the time you would like to visit, we recommend you start the communication with us as soon as you have travel plans in mind. Many retreat participants make initial contact with us about 6 months in advance of the time they plan to visit. The communication and service we can offer for each one of you may take time due to the limited capacity of our team. We will be grateful for your kind patience during our booking process.
For all SAORI Retreats, we will process credit card payment for the Session Fee plus 10% consumption tax at the time of booking. The prepayment must be finalized at least 7 days prior to the start of each session. We accept payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover).
Session fees for multi-day SAORI Retreats do not include material costs. The staff at our SAORINOMORI in Izumi will record the cost of materials used each day in addition to other items purchased during the session and request payment at the end of the participant's session. We accept payment for all remaining balances by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover).
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We will decline any and all booking requests intended for activities that have infringed or hold an intention to infringe upon our trademark and intellectual property rights at some future date. We also reserve a right to decline any and all booking requests by any individuals or organizations not complying with our Intellectual Property Policies communicated on our FAQ page.
We will also decline any and all booking requests by any entity serving as representatives for different brands that may be in competition with SAORI.
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Please refrain from making direct inquiries to SAORI Studio locations in Japan by email, phone call, and via social media, as they are not in a position to assist with international reservations or inquiries. SAORI Global LLC has the exclusive right and responsibility to handle international booking requests on behalf of all SAORI Studio locations in Japan listed on the Classes page. This arrangement aims to maintain the consistent policies for all international travelers visiting the listed SAORI Studio locations in Japan.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
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Cancellations
If for some reason participants choose not to attend a class session they have booked, please notify our staff as soon as possible. Our cancellation policy varies for each class type.
1-Day Visitors’ Class
Session fees are non-refundable*. If participants who choose not to or are unable to attend the 1-Day Visitors’ Class session they have paid for, please note that 100% cancellation fees will be retained to cover our service costs for each reservation request.
* This includes cancellation or non-participation due to illness, including COVID-19.
Multi-day SAORI Retreat
If participants choose not to attend a Multi-day SAORI Retreat they have paid for, we will issue a refund up to 70% of the deposit depending on the cancellation date. A minimum of 30% cancellation fees will be retained to cover the fees charged to us when issuing refunds.
70% refund for cancellations made 15 or more days prior to the first day of the session
50% refund for cancellations made 14 days ~ 24 hours prior to the first day of the session
NO refund for cancellations made less than 24 hours prior to the start of the session or non-participation.
* This includes cancellation or non-participation due to illness, including COVID-19.
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Studio Policy
Last Update: 2023.09.10
LOST AND FOUND
Please take care of your personal belongings. Sakaiseikisangyo Co., Ltd. or SAORI Global LLC is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Anything left behind will be disposed of unless requested otherwise.
FOOD AND DRINK
Guests are welcome to bring their own food and drinks into the studio. We only ask that you eat in the designated break areas away from the looms and other equipment. We would be happy to provide more information about stores and restaurants nearby upon visitors’ arrival.
CELL PHONES
To encourage an environment in which people can be fully present and engaged with their surroundings, we kindly request that visitors keep cell phone usage to a minimum while in the studio and leave their headphones for use outside of the studio as well. We do not wish to pressure people into interacting if they would not like to, but we also wish to maintain an open environment free of barriers to communication. If you need to take a phone call, please do so in a room that is unoccupied or outside.
PHOTOGRAPHY
We welcome guests to take photos to document their experience while visiting our SAORI locations. Please note, however, that it is courteous to ask for permission before taking photos of others, particularly if you would like to display or post any in public or on social media.
During your SAORI experiences, our staff may take photos of you and your weaving for our records and/or social media posts. We may also use some of the photos we take in our future print or online publications to cultivate inspiration shared among our community in and beyond Japan. If you do not want to have photos of yourself or your work posted on social media and/or included in future SAORI publications, please notify our staff.
VIDEOS
We welcome guests to take videos to document their experience while visiting our SAORI Studio locations as a resource to support their personal creative practice continued back home. However it is not allowed for any guests to disclose the videos to a third party and/or post it on social media without our express written permission. Such an action would be considered an unauthorized use and/or disclosure of our intellectual property.
WIFI ACCESS
At our SAORINOMORI in Izumi, we do provide WiFi at both the studio and the Weavers' Condo. Please note that in the Weavers' Condo, the WiFi is limited to a certain quota that is shared amongst all guests staying there throughout each month. And so, we recommend it for light data use only, such as sending occasional messages and e-mails, but not for downloading files, streaming videos or making calls. You are welcome to use the WiFi at the studio, but if for example you would like to regularly make calls via Skype or Facetime while at the Condo, we kindly ask that you rent your own personal pocket WiFi router. There are several different services available in Japan, which you could pick up and return at the airport. We would also be happy to help arrange for one that you could pick up and return here at the studio.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
We provide all tools and materials for you to use in SAORI Classes and Retreats offered at our studio locations. Bringing in and using your own tools or materials are not allowed. In case you have an exceptional reason that you must bring in and weave with any of your own fibers or materials, please notify us at the time of booking. We will consider if we can make exceptions on a case by case basis.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
We kindly request that all international visitors and class participants be mindful of and follow our health and safety policies in order to create beautiful and safe SAORI experiences with everyone sharing the precious time and space in our SAORI studios and Weavers’ Condo.
Use hand sanitizer or wash your hands with soap when entering the SAORI studios and the Weavers’ Condo.
Refrain from participating in the SAORI Classes and Retreats if you are feeling unwell.
For visitors staying in our condo: please swiftly notify our staff if you are feeling unwell. We will consult the local government and try to help you by following their instructions.
For visitors staying in other lodging facilities: If you are feeling unwell, please swiftly contact a consultation service to receive necessary guidance and support. Contact one of the consultation services located in the prefecture where you are staying.
The contact information, opening hours, and available languages of each consultation service can be found on the dedicated website prepared by Japan Tourism Agency: https://www.jnto.go.jp/emergency/eng/mi_guide.html.
Please swiftly notify our staff if you are not participating in any of your classes that you have booked, so that we can know you are not attending.
We also require all international visitors to purchase travel insurance before departure and be prepared for purchasing necessary treatment and services in Japan if needed. Please make sure that you purchase travel insurance that includes the coverage related to COVID-19.
Our health and safety policies correspond to the guidelines provided by the government of Japan. More information about the guidelines for the international travelers entering Japan is available in the websites listed below on this page.
We kindly ask that you revisit this page to check for any changes to procedures or policies prior to your trip.
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Health & Safety Information for International Travelers
We list below the websites prepared by the government of Japan in order to assist the international travelers entering Japan. We believe it is meaningful for you to visit these websites and learn the procedures and risks related to COVID-19 as well as where to contact to receive assistance in case of emergency.
Japan Official Websites
COVID-19: Practical Information for Traveling to Japan (Japan Travel)
COVID-19: Border Measures (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Multilingual Support for Visitors Traveling in Japan
Japan Visitor Hotline (Japan Travel)
Safety Tips (Push-enabled information alert app for foreign tourist)
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Condo Rules
Last Update: 2023.03.18
Below are a few important things that we kindly ask all guests staying in the SAORINOMORI Weavers’ Condo to pay attention to during their stay. Our condo is different from hotels and other conventional lodging facilities. We do not have a housekeeping service or staff members specifically dedicated to cleaning and maintaining our facilities. Instead, everyone on our small team shares the responsibily of preparing the condo and studio to welcome the next visitors while fulfilling other important roles in our day-to-day operations. Being a small team with a limited capacity, we humbly request each visitor to cooperate to fulfill a part of the shared responsibility to preserve the comfortable and clean space in the condo for the visitors who arrive after you. We would be grateful if you could read and understand the general rules listed below before booking a SAORI Retreat at the SAORINOMORI in Izumi.
Please be considerate of the immediate neighbors on both sides, above and underneath the condo. Do not make loud noise in the apartment and in the outside hallway.
Remove your shoes when entering the condo. Feel free to use the slippers inside the cabinet at the entryway. Please do not wear any slippers in the tatami room—barefoot or socks only.
No smoking inside
Sleep in the same bedroom throughout a visit.
Place your personal belongings in your private room and clear the shared space for everyone staying in the condo.
Please note that the internet access available in the condo is limited for light data use only, such as sending occasional emails and messages. If you intend to use large amounts of data, you will need to rent a modem or pocket WiFi router. Please read the related Q&As on the FAQ page for more instructions for doing so.
Clean up after yourself and be mindful of others sharing the space. At least once a week and before your check out, please vacuum your room and the common areas, wipe down surfaces, dispose of expired food items, and empty all trash (including the kitchen sink basket, which is not a garbage disposal, and bathroom drains) and bring it to the studio.
Launder your own bedding and towels as needed. We provide only one set of bedding and towels for each guest. Please launder as needed instead of using extras.
Be aware of your personal belongings. We are not responsible for anything that is lost or stolen.
Turn off all lights, gas, hot water controllers and air conditioning / heating units and lock the door when leaving the condo.
Swiftly notify our staff if you feel ill.
Read carefully and follow the rules communicated in the Visitor Information booklet in the Condo.
