So here we go again, another Rugby World Cup and another hotel "rip off" season. This happens all the time to sports fans. I am coming to Japan for RWC 2019 and hotels in the host cities are charging four and five times their normal rates for the couple of nights surrounding the matches (that's if you can find one that hasn't been block-booked by big travel companies).
When I went to New Zealand for the 2011 RWC and again in 2017 for the Lions tours, the people there offered thousands of fans accommodations for up to two nights around games (many were free) and as a result it added greatly to the event. In fact we have had our New Zealand hosts over to the U.K. for a holiday, so great friendships were made. I am sure the Japanese would make great homestay hosts (and we are willing to pay if necessary).
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.