Top 15 Japan Blogs to Read

03/01/2016 Created by Ashley S.

If you're planning a trip to Japan or the "land of the rising sun"? Here are fifteen

great blogs to read up on before you go!

Traveling to a new place can be a little scary and daunting if you're not prepared. Even more

so when your destination of choice uses a completely different language!

Thankfully we've found fifteen great blogs just for getting the low-down on all things in

Japan. From what to see to what to eat nothing is left out as these bloggers search for

what matters most to new visitors to their fascinating country.

Don't forget to follow the Twitter List so you can stay up-to-date easily and you can read

about other places as well with our 14 Blogs to Read if You're Studying in Berlin, 6

Awesome French Blogs, a list of what you'll miss out on if you don't travel abroad, and much

more on our Blog.

1. Why So Japan

After a few visits to Japan these bloggers were hooked, so they created Why So Japan to

share all the wonderfully different things they discovered (and continue to discover) about

Japan with the world! Here you’ll findplenty of fun articles about Japanese culture, music,

style, and general cuteness. For a bit of every category, I highly recommend checking

out Why So Japan’s awesome video library, which is especially great for watching hilarious

Japanese commercials.

Travellers to Japan will find a lot of tips and tricks for exploring Tokyo on the blog. But

many of the posts also interestingly feature the way the rest of the world has interpreted

and adopted elements of Japanese culture, like "A Japanese Tea House in Sweden". So,

make sure you check out Why So Japan for your fix of this funny, fantastic, and ever-

surprising island nation!

2. Japan Realm

Japan Realm is an entertaining, content rich site by prolific blogger and budding vlogger

Palma-san. This far-reaching website provides info on everything Japanese – humor, history,

food, fashion, music, and tech plus many others! What I love most about this blog is the

extensive and awesome content about pop-culture, particularlymanga, anime, and cosplay.

If you’re an anime-fan, these articles include plenty of information about places where you

can go to really express your fandom. Such as the no-boys allowed café for female otaku

and cosplayers. You can also enjoy the work of inspiring (and inspired) people from around

the world in Palma-san’s "Featured Cosplayers" series.

I personally love his interesting and informative articles about how traditional Japanese

culture continues to be a part of contemporary Japanese life. Even if you’re not planning a

trip to Japan in the near future, check out Japan Realm for all your Japanese pop-culture

news and frequent giveaways for cool stuff!

3. GaijinPot

GaijinPot is one of the best, most comprehensive websites you’ll find about all things

Japan. Whether you’re planning a short visit, a big move, or something in-between, this

blog has all the right information. Here you’ll find entire sections dedicated to jobs, study,

travel, apartments, classifieds, and articles about Japanese life and culture.

As much as I enjoy the personal touch offered by blogs written by couples and individuals, I

love that GaijinPothas so many contributors. It’s more like a magazine than a blog because

of the variety of authors and you’ll find stories on everything from "The Best Japanese

Cosmetics" to "Different ways to say hello in Japanese". If you’re only going to visit one

blog before your Japanese adventure, make sure you give this blog a read!

4. Bumble Bee Mum

Bumble Bee Mum is a mom from Singapore and one of the coolest bloggers out there. She’s

been bringing new meaning to the term "mom-on-the-go" since her firstborn was just 1

month old by traveling extensively with her young children. Her friends were always asking

her about the places she was taking her kids and she got tired of repeating herself so she

started this fantastic blog!

This amazing woman is making sure her children get an exciting start in life by showing

them the world. Since she lives in Singapore she’s written lots of content about activities for

parents and kids there, but she’s also traveled extensively in Japan. Bumble Bee Mum is

full of fantastic activities that you can do with or without kids and it’s really inspiring to

see a family that does so much traveling together.

If you’re looking to explore Japan as a family then this is an absolute must-visit website. I

would also recommend checking out her Link Ups. Here you’ll find info on her collaborations

with other bloggers, exchanging their exciting travel experiences via her weekly "Travel

Tuesday" blog hops."

5. Leave Your Daily Hell

Leave Your Daily Hell is a thoughtful and beautiful blog by the young and incredibly well-

traveled Robert Schrader. In 2009 he decided to leave his life behind to travel around the

world, seeking meaning beyond what he had previously known, and he’s been on-the-go ever

since! Robert is a very talented writer and photographer who now uses his skills to create

fabulous travel guides, and even has his own Travel Coaching service.

While Leave Your Daily Hell is a far-reaching travel blog with a global focus we had to

feature it here because of Robert’s wonderful article "Three Weeks in Japan". This is just

one of Rob’s many super-helpful guides. I particularly love this type of guide because it

takes into account people’s limited travel time. Instead of overwhelming people with all the

things they could do in a place, he writes knowledgeably and from firsthand experienceabout

things that he has done and now recommends.

Be sure to browse the rest of the blog for info on almost any other destination that

interests you!

6. Super Cheap Japan

Super Cheap Japan is a marvellously specific budget travel guide for backpackers, working

holiday makers, tourists, budget travelers, ex-pats, students, and anyone who wants to see

Japan without breaking the bank.

Super Cheap Japan is created and maintained by Matt (マット in Japanese!) who has lived

in Japan for many years. The website is very straightforward and provides readers with

plenty of great money-saving (and face-saving) tips like accommodation suggestions and how

to read common Japanese signs so you don’t accidentally walk into the wrong bathroom or

try spending the night in a by-the-hour love motel.

I love this blog’s maps for recommended walking routes and the way suggested activities

are organized by interest. Matt provides written directions with photos and big red arrows

showing you exactly what each and every twist and turn on your route looks like. These

pleasant walking routes will save you money on public transportation and enhance your

travel experience by taking you to see more of your destination.

Check out this blog and don’t let a tight budget stop you from experiencing this incredible

country!

7. Just One Cookbook

Just One Cookbook, by chef Nami (Namiko Chen) and her husband Mr. JOC is a must-visit

blog for anyone who loves Japanese food. When most people outside of Japan think of

Japanese food they think of sushi, but Japanese cuisine is so much more than that. Once

you’ve been to Japan and had a chance to try all the different dishes for yourself, food will

easily be one of the things you miss most when you return home. That’s whereJust One

Cookbook comes in.

Nami started her blog as a way to record her recipes and it has now grown into one of the

best resources forlearning to cook Japanese food. This awesome blog provides a complete

guide to Japanese cooking, with recipes, videos, tools, and even a list of "Japanese

cooking staples to keep in your pantry". Whether you’re looking to get a taste of Japan

before you go, want to get an idea of how to cook like the locals before your trip, or

simply want to incorporate Japanese flavours into your life back home, Just One

Cookbook is the website for you!

8. Money We Have

No matter where you go in the world, travelling is one of life’s most wonderful, worthwhile

experiences. However, it can also get expensive! Money We Have by Barry Choi – a

successful, self-taught investor and budget-travel expert based in Toronto – is a great

website that provides practical, money-saving tips to help you take your dream vacation.

While the blog is mostly focused on providing travel and budgeting tips that can be used

anywhere, there are also many useful destination specific posts.

I first stumbled across Barry’s articles and I just had to recommend it to anyone planning a

trip to Japan! He provides a detailed, practical guide on to how to save money both before

and during your trip, along with specific suggestions and beautiful photos of worthwhile

Japanese destinations and attractions. I also recommend reading"Tokyo on a

budget" and "Japan Rail Pass - Is it Worth it?". Make sure to check out Money We Have for

saving strategies, because the better you budget, the more you can travel!

9. Boutique Japan

Boutique Japan is a fabulous Japanese culture and travel blog by Andres Zuleta, whose love

of Japan started in college and eventually inspired him to leave the USA and build a life

abroad. Now Boutique Japan plans unique and highly customized tours of Japan.

This blog has great recommendations for what to do when you have just a few days to

explore, like "What to do if you have one day in Tokyo", as well as excellent articles featuring

iconic Japanese products like tea and whisky. I personally love the art and design related

posts like and recommend that all travellers read "Essential Japanese Words & Phrases for

Travelers to Japan".

If you’re interested in food, art, and experiencing your destination more slowly

then Boutique Japan, it's the perfect place to start!

10. Notes of Nomads

Notes of Nomads is an informative and inspiring travel blog by Jessica and Hai, a wanderlust

couple from Australia. They’ve been traveling together for over a decade and are currently

working as a freelance duo based in Tokyo; Jess writes the blog and Hai photos.

There's information about all of Jess and Hai’s travels, but since moving to Tokyo they’ve

had lots to say about Japan. Here you can read about the pros and cons of visiting in every

season, destination guides, and more! If this is your first trip to Japan then read "8

Surprising Things About Japan for First-time Visitors".

One of the more interesting articles is about the now infamous penis festival (yes, you read

that correctly). Give this article a read, "Japan’s Kanamara Matsuri: The Penis

Festival" which includes a video and plenty of hilarious pictures of one of Japan’s more

outlandish festivals. The duo also writes about other festivals as well as other topics that

help travelers experience Japan’s culture.

Definitely check out Notes of Nomads, and if you’re in Tokyo you can attend one of Jess

and Hai’s Instameets – organized photo walks that encourage participants to make new

friends and have fun taking photos together.

11. Zooming Japan

Zooming Japan is a fantastic content-rich blog by Jasmine, a German expat and long-time

resident. Since falling love with Japan, Jasmine has visited all 47 Japanese

prefectures and over 100 Japanese castles (If you love castles, then this is the blog for

you)!

Plenty of people dream of living and working in Japan, but few actually try it, and fewer

still succeed. Jasmine admits that it wasn’t easy for her either and she’s written and

shared some fabulous articles about the process."How I made it to Japan" and "Dreaming of

a Life in Japan: The reality" are full of great advice and important things to consider before

moving to Japan.

After living in Japan for so many years Jasmine is able to offer a really interesting

perspective on some of the more subtle aspects of Japanese culture and her site has years

worth of awesome advice and recommendations. No matter what you’re wondering about

Japan, Zooming Japan has your answer (and then some)!

12. Two Wandering Soles

Two Wandering Soles tells the beautiful story of Katie and Ben, an American couple

exploring the world together. They have traveled extensively and their blog covers many

regions beyond Japan, but the first article that caught my eye was "One Wild Week in

Japan: A Complete Itinerary", which led me to the super-helpful "Travel Budget for One

Week in Japan" and I just had to recommend them! Together these two articles are a near-

perfect guide for first time visitors and anyone who wants to experience the

highlights without breaking the bank.

Besides their many fantastic posts about Japan and other destination-specific posts, Katie

and Ben alsofrequently write about ethical travel, an important topic which is too often

overlooked. Their balanced and budget-friendly approach to travel is refreshing and inspiring.

Read Two Wandering Soles for Japan info, insights into sustainable travel!

13. Japan Visitor Blog

Japan Visitor Blog is a total tourist and residence guide to Japan. This fantastic website

includes super-useful information for going everywhere in Japan, from northern Hokkaido, to

Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands in the south. These guides provide all the essential trip

planning information, complete with history, attractions, and accommodation.

In addition to the fantastic guides they share interesting cultural features which include

articles on Japanese history, cuisine, festivals, customs, sports, and more. Their section

on Gay and Lesbian Japan is particularly interesting and includes lots of helpful

information that’s not featured so accessibly on other blogs. Whether you’re planning on

visiting or living in in Japan, Japan Visitor Blog is sure to have the info you need!

14. A Geek in Japan

A Geek in Japan is the story of Hector Garcia, an engineer who discovered his passion for

writing when he first moved to Japan in 2004. His blog and his bestselling book of the

same name highlight Japanese originality and creativity in a funny an accessible way. The

book provides an insightful and informative guide that appeals to westerners who grew up

with Japanese anime, manga, and video games.

Both the blog and the book feature short informative articles, and beautiful photos. Hector

provides a lively digest of society and culture in Japan with an emphasis on technology and

the way he has personally come to understand this amazing country after living there for

more than seven years.

From the impressive Solar Islands to the Hot canned coffee in vending machines be sure

to follow A Geek in Japan for everything a geek would want to know about Japan.

15. Japan Guide

Last but not least is Japan Guide an interesting and extensive travel planning guide with a

beautiful blog. The blog portion is written by a group of japan-guide.com writers who post

about their own travel activities, offering readers abundant personal suggestions and great

reviews. Japan Guide makes planning your trip easy with great content that’s easy to find

– there’s even an interactive map for visual planners.

If you’re not sure where to start, try the Annual Travel Highlights, and I particularly enjoy

the Cherry Blossom Reports which provide pictures and information on many Japanese

cities during two of the most popular seasons for visitors. Make the most of your trip by

checking out this great website!