Privacy Policy

Effective Date: July 14, 2026

HONTOU INTERWEAVING LIMITED ("we", "our", "us"), which operates Japan Ikigai Trip, is a company registered in New Zealand and committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 and applicable international privacy standards. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information.

Information We Collect

We may collect personal information such as your name, email, phone number, passport details, dietary or accessibility needs, medical disclosures relevant to your travel, travel preferences, emergency contacts, payment information, and your communications with us. We also collect device and browser information, IP addresses, and analytics data through tools such as Google Analytics (via Google Tag Manager). If you submit data on behalf of others, you confirm that you have their consent.

How We Collect Information

We collect information through our forms (including our Tally questionnaire), emails, WhatsApp, call bookings, payments, subscriptions, and your interactions with our website. Data may also be collected when you submit details for other travelers or refer friends.

Use of Personal Information

We use your information to design itineraries, make bookings, send updates, process payments, improve our website, fulfill legal duties, and send occasional marketing emails (with your consent).

Sharing of Information

We may share your personal information with:

• Travel suppliers (accommodations, domestic transportation providers, and experience providers) to arrange your bookings;
• Payment processors (Stripe) to process payments;
• Service providers that help us operate, including Airtable (customer database and proposal data), Make (workflow automation), Google (including Google Calendar and Google Analytics via Google Tag Manager), Creative Mail by Constant Contact (email delivery), and CookieYes (cookie-consent management);
• Legal authorities where required by law.

While we choose our partners carefully, their handling of your data is governed by their own privacy policies. We never sell your personal information.

Use of Anonymized and Aggregated Data

We may use and share anonymized or aggregated information — such as travel trends, demographics, or general behavioral data — with third parties for research, government reporting, academic partnerships, business collaboration, or commercial purposes. This data does not identify individual users and is used strictly for analytical, strategic, or statistical purposes. We never sell personally identifiable information.

International Transfers

Some of our service providers — including Stripe, Google, Airtable, Make, and Constant Contact — are based outside New Zealand, primarily in the United States. We take reasonable steps to protect your data when it is transferred, including contractual safeguards and international compliance efforts, particularly for users in jurisdictions with additional legal protections. As our services are available to international customers globally, we do not limit transfers to particular countries.

Data Retention

We retain data only as long as needed to fulfill our services and legal obligations. If you wish to request deletion or retention details, contact us at contact [at] japanikigaitrip.com (replace “ [at] ” with the @ symbol).

Security

We use appropriate technical and organizational safeguards to secure your data. Access is restricted to authorized personnel bound by confidentiality agreements.

Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies — including Google Analytics (via Google Tag Manager) — to understand how our site is used and to improve your experience. Cookie consent is managed through our CookieYes banner, where you can review and change your preferences at any time. Consent is requested where legally required. For full details, see our Cookie Policy.

Payment Information

All payments are processed securely through Stripe, which also handles Apple Pay transactions. We do not store your full credit card information or CVV.

Your Rights

Under the NZ Privacy Act, you have the right to access, correct, or delete your data. Requests will be addressed within 20 working days. Users in different jurisdictions may have additional rights under their local privacy laws.

Marketing Communications

You may receive marketing emails if you have opted in. These are sent through our email provider, Creative Mail by Constant Contact. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updates will be posted with a new effective date at the top of this page.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns, contact us at contact [at] japanikigaitrip.com (replace “ [at] ” with the @ symbol).