As we celebrate InsideJapan's 25th anniversary in 2025, it's remarkable to reflect on how much has changed since our inception. What began as a passion project by Alastair and Simon has grown alongside Japan's tourism industry, which saw inbound visitors increase from fewer than 5 million in 2000 to nearly 37 million in 2024 – a new record.  While this surge has brought economic benefits – contributing ¥44 trillion yen (approximately £231 billion) to Japan's economy in 2024 and supporting around 6 million jobs – the distribution of these benefits has been uneven. Satellite data indicates that 80% of travelers visit just 10% of the world's tourist destinations, a pattern mirrored in Japan. With the country's tourism strategy aiming for 60 million visitors by 2030, the concentration of to ...

The places in-between: Toyama It’s easy to categorise Toyama simply: a traditional, beautiful and charming corner of Japan. Known for its woodcarving heritage, incredible coast-side sushi and epic alpine landscapes, it’s all these things. But its true character goes beyond centuries-old temples and quaint shopping streets. It’s a region where old charm meets modern ambition – and where tourists are a pivotal part of a new era.   One of New York Times top 52 places to visit in 2025, the Toyama prefecture is pricking up international ears. The Shinkansen bullet train line seamlessly connects Tokyo to the Toyama region in just two hours, and, thanks to the recent extension, Kanazawa and Fukui. But, the real story of Toyama goes beyond its convenience – it’s in the sheer skill and tenacity ...

We’re going to be honest, being gluten-free in Japan is challenging. Gluten intolerances are rare among Japanese people, soy sauce is used in almost everything, and there’s a fair bit of misunderstanding around what a gluten-free diet means in practice.  If you’re coeliac and can’t risk any cross contamination at all, visiting Japan is going to be harder work – and you’ll need to gather as much information as possible to work out whether it’s the right destination for you (especially if food is important to you when you travel).  We also know (and celebrate) that some gluten-free travellers are determined to visit Japan despite the adjustments needed. We’ve put together a gluten-free guide to Japan, based on our knowledge of living and working there, to help arm you with as much knowledg ...

The places in-between: Kyoto by the Sea Just two hours from Kyoto lies the place where rice was first cultivated and sake first brewed in Japan, and where two of UNESCO’s World’s Most Beautiful Bays lie. It’s home to the highest concentration of people over 100-years-old on earth, and we’re willing to bet you’ve never heard of it…   Kyoto by the Sea, also known as the Tango peninsula or Kyoto’s north shore, encompasses the petite fishing village of Ine and the entry point of Amanohashidate. When The Times writer, Min Sett Hein, travelled there with us, he was struck by the contrast to urban Kyoto:  “The true heart and soul of Japan lies in in-between places such as the Tango peninsula. It’s here, away from the crowds, that you’ll find artisans dedicating their lives to preserving an ...

Our favourite (not so) hot destinations for Japan in 2025 Around 35 million people visited Japan in 2024 (they’re still counting) and this year is set to be even bigger. It’s the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, Osaka will be the first city to host the World Expo twice – and it’s 40 years since Super Mario Bros was first released. That means lots of visitors. 80% of travellers go to just 10% of the world’s tourism destinations, and we want to change that - there's so much more of Japan to see than its top spots, and including a lesser known destination in your trip often means glimpsing a slice of every day local life that you might not otherwise experience. It can help relieve a bit of the pressure on some of the most popular, and often crowded, sites, too.  ...