Having the good fortune to of gone to Japan last October thanks to PSKoi and Tashio Sakai, I'll share this:
Fligh, food, hotel, train rides to get there about $2,000.00
Additional expense for shared vehicle to drive around, not much though. You need to go with someone who know the area and the breeders, you just don't walk in.
For more detail go to
http:///www.sfbakc.org and look under "News", then "News Letters", I've written a few articles about the trip. Nov\Dec 2007 and January 2008, and another coming out for Feb.
I think it a great idea, but collecting money after the fact may pose a problem. Better to make it a part of the next contest, right up front.
Ed