Books

I’m the author and/or co-author of a dozen books, including the upcoming Another Japan (Gestalten 2026), a book co-authored with photographer Irwin Wong that looks at community, rejuvenation, cultural preservation, and innovation in non-urban Japan. My other books include Japanese Inns & Hot Springs, the NATJA 2018 Gold Prize-winning Japan Traveler’s Companion, and (more recently) new Lonely Planet guides to Tokyo, Japan, Kyoto, and Okinawa. 

Features & Travel

Work has taken me to most parts of Japan, with stories like this feature on the Michinoku Coastal Trail for the BBC, coverage of bull sumo in the remote Oki Islands for Roads & Kingdoms, and a decade of articles for National Geographic, including this NATJA Gold Award-winning feature on the cultural legacies of the old Tokaido road. I also write features on other aspects of Japan, such as this long-form piece for Narratively/Smithsonian about the island of Dejima during Japan’s isolationist era – a cultural melting pot rife with scandal and intrigue.

Other writing

As well as writing haiku and haibun, I occasionally write blogposts about writing and life in Japan. Sometimes I collaborate on branded content projects, if they have a strong focus on storytelling. I also enjoy working on scripts: my short Nine to Death has been nominated at several international film festivals.