I have 2 new-ish Japan zines available today, plus my Japan guides are now free to download.
Postcards From Japan
During my fifth trip to Japan in November 2018, I shared short daily updates on my Patreon site. They’re more personal and chatty than the guides and articles I wrote later and give you a look at all the ups and downs of visiting Tokyo & Osaka. Since my Patreon is closing and there’s no trips anywhere at the moment, I decided to turn this series into a zine, which is designed to look like a stack of postcards. It includes 1-4 postcards for each of the 9 days of our trip, plus a post-trip Q&A with patrons and my top 10 favourite purchases. Available now from Payhip & Etsy.
My Japan Trip Pillows
Buy Postcards From Japan and you’ll also get a bonus mini zine with Illustrations and descriptions of 5 kawaii pillows I brought back from Japan + one from Thailand. It’s also available separately as a free/pay-what-you-can download from my Ko-Fi Shop.
Download My Japan Guides
I’ve been thinking about this a lot over the last year and have decided not to update my Tokyo Shopping Guide and Planning For Japan zines. Rather than just remove them completely, I’ve made the set available as a free/pay-what-you-can download from my Ko-Fi Shop.
When I first visited Japan in 2006, it was so difficult to find information about cute shops, cafes and things to do, and my guides filled a gap. Things are very different in 2021 – Japanese sites and businesses have added English language websites and there’s new books, Youtube channels and social media. The pandemic is also sadly causing many businesses to close or move location, making it harder for published guides to stay relevant. So, while I will continue to write about my trips and experiences, I’m uncomfortable being seen as some kind of Japan expert. I’d recommend using guides by people who are Japanese or living in Japan instead, for more up to date, accurate and authentic information. I have updated My Favourite Japan Guides, Blogs & Books page with lots of links to get you started!
