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Hi, I'm Alex

Your dedicated Japan travel expert with over 15 years of experience helping travelers create unforgettable experiences in the Land of the Rising Sun.

15+
Trips to Japan
25+
Happy Travelers
12
Prefectures Visited
15
Years Experience

My Japan Journey

From confused tourist to trusted travel expert - here's how I became obsessed with helping others experience Japan

2009

Pre Japan

It all started with a love of Japanese anime, music and games when I was a teenager. I had always dreamed of going to Japan and lived for the day.

2011-2015

First Trip to Japan

I moved to Japan in 2011 and fell in love with Tokyo, my second home, and moved again in 2014 to Shiga, my third home.

2015

My first guided tour

The first time I was able to guide a group of people around Japan was in 2015, and is something I still love doing today.

2016

Solo trips

I couldn't get enough of Japan, so I started to travel solo around the country, exploring the hidden gems and experiencing the local culture.

2018

My second guided tour

This visit to Japan I was accompanied by a first time visitor to Japan, and it was a great experience to show them the country and share my love for it.

2023

My third guided tour

This visit was a recurring customer of mine and it was a great time showing them around the country, visiting friends and places and fishing for my own dinner in Shinjuku.

2025

Started Japlan

After years of helping friends and family plan their trips to Japan, I decided to turn my passion into a business and started Japlan.

Why I'm Different

I don't just plan trips - I craft experiences that connect you with the real Japan

Love of the Culture

I have a deep love for the culture, lifestyle, and hidden everyday magic of the country

Real experience

I lived in Japan for two years and have continued returning regularly ever since and helping others with their visits— exploring new prefectures, following local trends, and staying on top of what’s changing

Regional Expertise

Unlike generic travel blogs, the itineraries I create are based on firsthand experience and a lot of research, built for travelers who want to go beyond the surface and experience Japan

My backstory

It all started with a love of Japanese anime, music and games when I was a teenager. I had always dreamed of going to Japan and lived for the day.

Towards the end of my school years, I wasn't sure of what course I should do in university until a friend told me, her exact words, "there's this course that you get to study Japanese and go to Japan for a year". Sold.

I went in 2011 and fell in love with Tokyo, my second home, and again in 2014 to Shiga, my third home.

Throughout my time living in Japan and my subsquent visits, I have visited the biggest cities to the smallest towns.

I have big dreams to live in Japan again and am making strides to move there, but for now, I want to live vicariously through my clients visits. Book with me and share my love for Japan. And make sure you tell me how your trip was when you go home. I'd love to hear all about it!

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