Tokyo Weekender
Tokyo's longest-running English lifestyle magazine, packed with food, travel, tips, city guides, news, interviews, and more.
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Lisa Wallin
I'm a senior editor at Tokyo Weekender, a Japan-based monthly lifestyle magazine. I have also worked with The Japan Times, Metropolis Japan, and Japan Travel. I have a diverse portfolio, …
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Gabrielle Doman
Japan-based freelance journalist, copywriter, PR and presenter who writes for content agencies, national newspapers, lifestyle magazines and online titles.In my 20-plus years of writing, I have worked in the UK, …
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Kelsey Lark
Tokyo-based freelance writer and translator with 8+ years of professional experience in Japan.
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Will Heath
Thank you for visiting my writing portfolio. Here you'll find writing about Japanese culture, world travel, and literature.My name is Will and I am a freelance writer specialising in literature, …
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Colorful balloons, a DJ spinning bops and the buzz of anticipation at Yokohama’s PRagmatic Academy on a public holiday in November: it looked like the setting for a lively party. Yet, despite appearances, it was the scene of Japan’s second Strongirls Strength Festival, a women’s powerlifting competition (known as a …
Studio Sedic: Yamagata's Hidden Hollywood
Yamagata Prefecture boasts endless mountain landscapes, an abundance of terraced rice fields, 70 percent of Japan’s annual cherry yield and not a lot else. Or so the humble rural idyll would have you believe. Look closer and you will find, in the mountains of Yamagata’s northern Shonai region, Japan’s best-kept …
Owl Eyes: "Tokyo is a beautiful chaotic city"
Owl Eyes, Australian indie-pop song writer and songstress is back in Japan for the Snow Machine Music Festival and her debut Japan tour. Owl Eyes regularly performs with Flight Facilities, including coveted slots at Coachella and Glastonbury. In 2019, Owl Eyes released two singles “You and I” and “Le Soleil” …
Jonas Blue: "I love everything in Japan, even traveling by train"
Jonas Blue, DJ, songwriter, record producer, pop mega-powerhouse is back in Japan for his sold out The Blueprint 2020 Tour Japan. He will be traveling to seven cities throughout his tour, starting in Tokyo and finishing in Nagoya. With his debut single “Fast Car” earning him multi-platinum, platinum and gold …
5 Ways to Prep for Valentine's Day at Shibuya Scramble Square
Valentine’s Day is looming around the corner. Every shopping mall, department store and major train station in Tokyo is bursting with Valentine’s Day chocolates, treats and drinks. Shibuya Scramble Square is no exception. From Valentine’s bento boxes to cocoa butter face cream, here are five ways to begin your preparation …
11 Things To Do to Plan the Perfect Valentine's Day in Tokyo 2020
As Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday this year, this is the perfect date opportunity for you and your significant other. Here is our list of things to do to plan the picture perfect Valentine’s Day weekend in Tokyo. Don’t show up to your Valentine’s Day date empty-handed. Well-known for …
5 Things We Saw at the New Tokyu Plaza Shibuya
For those heading to Tokyu Plaza Shibuya’s public grand reopening on December 5 make sure you don’t end up at the nearby Tokyu Department Store, as it was easy for some of us to get lost and mistakenly walk to the wrong Tokyu shopping complex. Once we were within eyeshot …
Sayama Green Tea School: Learn the Entire Process of Tea-making in Saitama
While picking tea leaves in the fields of the Sayama Green Tea School, I glanced up and saw a friendly Totoro statue standing outside a neighboring house...
Learn More About Saitama's Rugby Town Before Rugby World Cup 2019 Arrives
Until recently, Kumagaya City was a hidden gem in Japan’s rural landscape, and a place I was lucky to call home for five years. Now, with the Rugby World Cup soon approaching...
10 Contemporary Japanese Authors You Should Know
The last few years have seen sales of Japanese translated fiction booming in the West. As a result, more of these talented writers are finally being translated for people to enjoy. Here are some of the contemporary Japanese writers people are talking about, and where you should start. Author of …
By Jess Esa | Freelance Writer | Content Strategist | Blogger
14th November 2018 • Tokyo Weekender
14th November 2018 • Tokyo Weekender
A Day in the Life of a Japanese Tatami Maker
Many of us have taken off our slippers to shuffle barefoot across the soft, cushioned floors of a tatami mat-covered room at some point in our lives. Although this traditional flooring is disappearing in many households, it’s still an intrinsic part of Japanese culture.
14 Traditional Japanese Towns That Still Feel Like They're in the Edo Period
With their charmingly retro architecture and atmosphere, these traditional towns around Japan offer a glimpse back in time to the Edo period — perfect for a strolling weekend getaway.
The Definitive Guide to Japan's 34 National Parks, from Hokkaido to Okinawa
The ultimate guide to all of Japan's national parks and what you can do there.
48 Hours in Nikko: A Complete Itinerary of What to Do, Where to Eat & Where to Stay
Nikko: one of the most famous areas in Japan, and home to Nikko Toshogu Shrine, one of the nation's most popular destinations. While it's a great starting point, we find out exactly what the area has to offer.
10 Top Tokyo Bonenkai (End-of-Year Party) Spots
Every December in Japan, as the year comes to a close, groups of friends and companies gather for bonenkai, or “forget the year parties.” Here are some of the finest places to say goodbye to the year in style.
A Beginner's Guide to Goshuincho: How To Get One and How to Use It | Guides & Insights
The goshuin stamp and goshuincho book is a trend that has been developing in Japan over the last few years, and is particularly popular among women. But what is it exactly, and why do people do it?
6 Spots Around Tohoku for Halal Hunters
Breathtaking scenery, delicious delicacies, and colorful culture – Tohoku has it all. However, as with the rest of Japan, finding Muslim-friendly food here can prove difficult.
A Day in the Life of a Rickshaw Driver
The rickshaw driver: a common sight around Asakusa and yet what do we know about them, other than they seem really fit?
Breaking the Rules of Kimono
Kimono has long been pigeon-holed as the “national costume” of Japan, but there is so much more to this "traditional" garment than first meets the eye.