The Japan Travel Planner
At last—we answer your questions on the best bars in Tokyo, which ryokans to book, denim shopping in Kyoto, the travel pros who can help design your trip, and a whole lot more…
You’ve been asking for it, and it’s taken us ages to deliver—but we wanted to make sure we really nailed it! This is by no means a comprehensive guide to Japan, since the idea here is to answer questions that you asked us in our comments (and many DMs). And to be clear, for the most part we aren’t the ones answering—we reached out to what turned into a long roster of friends and travel specialists who either are from Japan, know it super well, and/or have traveled there recently—and they really delivered. These experts generously shared their intel on a wide range of questions, from the best 10-day itineraries for first-timers to niche searches like where to shop for Japanese knives, or how to see the female free-divers of Ise-Shima. Putting this together has definitely given us new inspiration and confidence for our next trip, and we hope you feel the same! Especially because with the dollar so strong against the yen, and logistics for navigating the cities easier for foreigners post-Olympics (and for anyone watching Shōgun who’s itching to time travel), there’s never been a better time to go. So with no further ado, over to….
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Akari Endo-Gaut was born in Japan, lived in Paris for nearly 15 years, and is now in New York with her family, where she works as a stylist and style director for brands and magazines. She also curates Japanese and European artists for RWGuild and Guild Gallery, and recently curated Japanese ceramics for Matter and Shape in Paris.
Andres Zuleta founded Boutique Japan in 2013 to introduce experienced travelers to a deeper side of Japan, where he has lived since 2005 and writes the Boutique Japan blog.
Andy Baraghani is a New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award winning author (The Cook You Want to Be). He began his career working at renowned restaurants Chez Panisse and Estela before moving into food media.
Ashley Baker is the deputy editor for Air Mail. You can hear “Morning Meeting,” her always entertaining podcast with fellow deputy editor Michael Hainey, here.
Ashley Isaacs Ganz is the founder and CEO of Artisans of Leisure, a boutique tour operator that offers private tours around the world, with particular expertise in Japan, where she used to live.
Ben Richards is a travel and architectural photographer based in Tokyo. Following a move to Japan in 2019, he has traveled extensively across the country with his camera in search of lesser-traveled destinations. His new guidebook, Views from Japan, encourages you to explore Japan like a local, and includes 250 unique destinations and experiences across 20 prefectures.
Brian McGinn is a film and TV director, writer and producer based in Los Angeles, best known for producing and directing the Netflix series Chef’s Table. Most recently, McGinn produced the episode "Sundae" on the second season of the award-winning FX series The Bear.
Bryan Meehan is the former chair & ceo of Blue Bottle Coffee, now looking after a rainforest in Ireland as well as a five star hotel in Ireland, Park Hotel Kenmare.
Catherine Heald is the cofounder and CEO of Remote Lands, a private tour operator focused on Asia, who we worked with on a couple of epic Japan itineraries when we were at CN Traveler.
Charles Spreckley is the founder of People Make Places, a Japan-wide travel and experience-design company based in Tokyo. He’s also the author of the People Make Places book, a beautifully packaged introduction to the people and places that make Tokyo unique.
Christine Muhlke, a former editor at T Magazine and Bon Appétit and founder of Bureau X culinary consultancy, is deeply plugged into the worlds of food, travel, fashion and design. She channels her discoveries into her xtine newsletter, and her most recent books include Wine Simple and Signature Dishes That Matter.
Cristina Hudson is the co-owner of Hudson Ranch and Vineyards in Napa Valley. She worked for a decade with Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, has consulted for Slow Food International, Rockfield Japan, and others, and has been traveling to Japan consistently for 40 years.
David Coggins is the author of the upcoming The Believer: A Year in the Fly-Fishing Life, as well as The Optimist and Men of Manners, and has written about his trips to Japan on his Substack, The Contender.
Elizabeth Mueller is the founder of Be Here Japan, explorations for the culturally curious through an extensive network of locals.
Emiko Davies is an Australian-Japanese cookbook author based in Italy, where she lives with her family. Her latest, Gohan: Everyday Japanese Cooking: Memories and Stories of My Family's Kitchen, came out last year.
Erica Nagakubo is a globe-trotting art enthusiast and foodie. Having moved from Tokyo to NYC, and now Southern California, she explores diverse cultures and flavors with her son Sage and her husband, Nobi, the art director of Yolo Journal.
Gaudéric Harang is the French-born GM of Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel. He has worked in hospitality across Asia and visits Japan frequently—especially to ski, and for fashion, whisky, craftsmanship and design.
Huy Hoang is the director of Shishi-Iwa House, a collection of retreats designed by notable architects in Karuizawa.
Ingrid Abramovitch is the executive editor at Elle Decor, where she writes and edits stories about design, architecture and travel. Born in Montreal, she is based in NYC and lives in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. She has written and co-authored several books, including Restoring a House in the City.
Ioanna Morelli is the co-owner of Bar Gyu in Niseko, Japan. She has worked with Roads & Kingdoms League of Travelers and is a partner at Kammui, an online platform with over 150 guides all over in Japan.
Julia Maeda & Lauren Scharf are cofounders of the Japan-based destination management company, Okuni - fixers and concierges who plan trips deep into the country and its complex culture. (You can read our Navigator Q&A with them here.)
Kiyo Taga is a Japanese national with extensive luxury experience in Tokyo and New York, who currently lives in London as head of special projects for Cartier International. She’s leading the global launch of the Women’s Pavilion in collaboration with Cartier for the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
Magdalena Sikorska runs the OK store website and edits its newsletter. She is a voracious note taker and builds travel itineraries in search of great food, art, design and modernist architecture, and hopes to find perspective, beauty, and connection.
Pierson Broadwater is a lifelong New Yorker currently in graduate school in the city. He is passionate about all things Japan, speaks the language, and has spent time living in Tokyo.
Prairie Stuart-Wolff is the founder of Mirukashi Salon, where she hosts seasonally tailored, immersive culinary sessions in the countryside of Japan.
Tony Conrad is a founder and investor, former board director of Blue Bottle Coffee and current board member of the Tony Hawk Foundation, Holder of Parking Karma and Drip Coffee Skills.
Victoire de Taillac-Touhami cofounded the apothecary brand Officine Universelle Buly, which has several locations in Japan.
Yohishiro Makino was born and raised in Tokyo, and is a photographer of interiors and portraiture whose work has appeared in AD, T Mag, The Wall Street Journal and other publications.
Yuka Izutsu is a creative director/designer at Atelier Delphine, known for a way of expressing the texture and depth of our personal histories. In each instance, she starts with a form or a fabric she has discovered on her travels, and seeks to simplify to its most essential expression while carefully retaining the spirit of its origin and practicality for modern women.
Yuki Sugiura, originally from Tokyo, is a London-based lifestyle photographer and director who’s passionate about food and cooking, craft, design and architecture and is an avid traveler. Her work has appeared in T Magazine, Bon Appetit, Condé Nast Traveler and the FT, among others.