ABOUT JAPAN ELSEWHERE
Japan is more than
a list of landmarks.
Japan as locals actually enjoy it. A good breakfast, a small-town bath, a roadside stop. The everyday places that make a day worth remembering.
First a visit. Then a story.
JAPAN ELSEWHERE shares first-hand experiences from people living in Japan. Our approach is simple: share what we actually ate, where we stayed, how we got there, and whether we would go back.
Famous places belong here too. But so do supermarkets, vending machines, cafés, quiet roads and the ordinary corners you might otherwise pass by.
A useful kind of honest
Our published stories separate personal impressions from checked practical facts. A recommendation should explain who a place suits. English support, parking, payment and family considerations deserve as much care as a beautiful photograph.
Personally visited places are the starting point. Practical information is checked, uncertainty is made visible, and each article is reviewed by a person before publication.
One place, many ways in
Explore through Food, Explore, Stay, Drive and Everyday Japan. Start with our personally visited places in Niigata. More regions will appear as stories are added.
Photography credits
Our field notes use original photographs taken on site. Additional editorial photography is credited below; it illustrates the mood of Japan and does not document a personal visit. Images may be resized and cropped to fit the layout.
- A long straight road descending through the countryside in Shari, Hokkaido
221.20 · Public domain - A solitary tree on a snow-covered hill beneath a deep blue sky
Yascolo · CC BY 3.0 - Green cliffs framed by a tunnel at Kiyotsu Gorge, Niigata
Araisyohei · CC BY 4.0 - A lighthouse above the turquoise sea at Cape Hirakubo, Ishigaki
Kzaral · CC BY 2.0 - A Japanese breakfast tray with several small dishes
Grandmaster Huon · CC0 - An open-air hot spring bath surrounded by autumn trees
RickardA · Public domain - A row of green vending machines beside a leafy path
Daniel Ramirez · CC BY 2.0 - A bowl of shoyu chashu-men from Ramen Higuma's Ojiya main shop, topped with sliced chashu pork, menma and green onion
JAPAN ELSEWHERE · Original photograph
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