Todd Fong - Tokyo Based Freelance Writer Photographer

Tokyo’s Grutto Pass – A Bargain for Museum Lovers With Many Caveats

No doubt that Tokyo’s Grutto Pass looks like a bargain for museum and park lovers. But is it really? It depends on your travel style.

A Guide to the Eclectic World of Tokyo’s Museums and Parks

Whether you are a museum and park lover or just need something to different to do in Tokyo, this guide to Tokyo’s museums and parks has you covered.

She Moves Like Flowing Water: Portraits of a Geisha

Standing at the window of the machiya, she turned her face ever so slightly, letting the diffused sunlight gather in her eyes. When she moved, she flowed like water, as if her body was formless beneath the layers of her purple furisode. The train of her kimono spread...

Follow the Edo Shogun Roads To Japan’s Samurai Era

Over 400 years ago, the Japanese Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu established his seat of power in a swampy bayside fishing village far removed from the nation’s imperial capital of Kyoto. The sleepy town of Edo seemed an unlikely place to begin a dynasty, but Tokugawa Ieyasu’s...

Kanazawa – A Vibrant City 98% of Japan Visitors Neglect

Relatively popular with domestic tourists but still criminally neglected by visitors to Japan, Kanazawa is a compact feast for the senses, especially those who value the arts and crafts of Japan.

7 Essential Items For a Summer Trip to Japan

It's totally normal for many people around the world to have long summer vacations, but summer in Japan can be daunting for those who have never experienced it before, especially those coming from climates very different from Japan. Of course, the call of nature is...

The Long Walk – Discover the Real Tokyo Without the Crowds

Walking in Tokyo gives you a true sense of the city’s scale and how it has evolved through time. You’ll get a better understanding of Tokyo’s culture on a two hour stroll through its streets than a week riding around in trains and taxis.

Japan-based Travel Writer With a Human Touch

My name is Todd Fong, and I am a travel writer and photographer based in the Tokyo area. There’s a glut of content creators on social media and websites claiming to be experts on Japan. Some are writing using AI, creating sensationalist half-truths, or riding the waves of the current fads. But you came here for something different.

I tell stories about Japan, mainly based on my own experiences working in the Japanese tourism industry for nearly a decade. My work has been used by Lonely Planet, BBC StoryWorks, DK Eyewitness, and many other top-tier media. I’ll take you off the beaten path to places unknown, away from the crowds and social media fanatics, to authentic Japanese locations and experiences. I’ll also help you explore the usual places, including Tokyo and Kyoto, discovering them in deeper ways.

For the casual reader, I hope to be a trusted resource to discover a different side of Japan. For those looking for resources to promote various aspects of Japan, let me help you connect your audience to Japan in an authentic way.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Get Outta Town! 5 Japan Destinations for Cherry Blossoms Better than Kyoto and Tokyo

With cherry blossom season the most popular for tourism to Japan, here are some alternative spots to enjoy hanami outside of crowded Tokyo and Kyoto.

Ginza Sony Park – An Architecture Driven Community and Art Space

While many companies in Japan give lip service to community space and sustainability, Sony delivers it in one of the most expensive real estate areas in the world.

Tokyo Museum and Park Guide – Northern Tokyo

Northern Tokyo, often overlooked by tourists, offers unique attractions like Rikugien and Kyu-Furukawa Gardens. Its charm lies in walkable areas, peaceful surroundings, and hidden cultural gems.

Where’s The Beef? Discover the Kobe You Never Knew

If Kobe Beef is all you know about Kobe, there are much better reasons to see this miraculous city for yourself. It boasts modern architecture, historical quarters, jazz influence, and a rich sake production history. Ever resilient, Kobe has rebuilt itself after the devastating 1995 earthquake, offering much more beyond its culinary fame.

Forget Kyoto and Tokyo – The 5 Best Alternative Cities for First Time Visitors to Japan

While Kyoto chokes on tourists, countless other cities and regions of Japan that are equally charming, beautiful or historic remain virtually ignored. Here are 5 amazing cities in Japan other than Kyoto and Tokyo that are easily accessible even to first-time visitors to Japan.