Enjoyed these essays? If you're curious to see Japan the way fiction imagined it — Tokyo and Shōnan through the lens of Slam Dunk, Hikaru no Go, Your Name & Persona 5 — our guide picks up where these articles leave off. Three pages are free to preview before you decide.
The one pass everyone tells you to buy is often the wrong one. A resident's honest breakdown of IC cards, the Tokyo Subway Ticket, and when the JR Pass actually pays for itself.
The single most important question before any Japan trip, answered month by month — what the weather actually does, what to pack, and why the cherry blossoms are a moving target.
eSIM, physical SIM or pocket wifi? A practical comparison for choosing how to stay connected in Japan, based on trip length and budget.
Green, blue, gold: everything you need to know about converting and renewing a Japanese driver's license, told by a resident who's lived through it.
Not a tourist guide, not a Disney promo: a resident's take on what makes Tokyo Disneyland unique — Japanese ownership, spotless parks, costume culture, and a few practical tips.
A deep dive into the Harry Potter universe in Tokyo — full-scale sets, Platform 9¾, butterbeer, and a few practical tips for booking.
A first-hand account from someone who's lived in Japan for 20 years — what Harajuku looked like in 2004, what it's become, and where to still find traces of its old spirit.
What a doomed tea master taught the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi about perfection — and what the way of tea still asks of anyone who tries it.
Why manga's version of Japan turned out to be truer than expected — on character over plot, the impossible dream of becoming a mangaka, and Japan's disposable magazines versus its thriving second-hand tankōbon market.
Kabukicho and Golden Gai, Tokyo's most notorious nightlife district: its surprising history, neon-lit alleys, tiny literary bars, and practical tips for exploring Shinjuku's red-light district safely.
Kabuki, Noh and Rakugo: three faces of Japanese theatre, from Ginza's Kabuki-za to Shinjuku's Suehirotei — history, anecdotes, and practical tips for experiencing them.
Go, Hikaru no Go, and the Nihon Ki-in: the history of igo and weiqi, AlphaGo's victory over Lee Sedol, and where to play your first game of Go in Tokyo.
Air conditioning running nonstop, giant fireworks, yukatas and street festivals: a Japanese summer told from the inside, far from the season's undeserved bad reputation.
After the suffocating summer heat, Japan's autumn brings calm — koyo, Shichi-Go-San, Halloween and Zen contemplation, told by a longtime resident.
There is a moment, somewhere between your first subway ride and your third week, when Japan stops feeling foreign and starts feeling inevitable — as if everything around you could not possibly have been built any other way.
Why prices in Japan feel like they don't count — and what Japan's November 2026 tax-free shopping reform actually changes for travelers.
A first timer's guide to Akihabara — practical tips, must-visit shops, and why this Tokyo district is worth more than just the shopping.
Earthquakes, typhoons, natural disasters: what should you really worry about when visiting Japan? A nuanced take on real risk versus everyday safety.
What draws people to Japan through manga, anime and games — and why the reality often exceeds the fiction that brought them here.