Meet Susan, Your Japan Travel Guide for Families and Empty Nesters

I grew up with the Pacific Ocean in my backyard, and Japan has been part of my story for over 30 years.

How It All In the early 1990s, I packed up and moved to Tokyo, where I worked at Terrada Corporation and taught English for three years. I learned to navigate the trains, shop at konbini (convenience stores) at midnight, and order ramen by vending machine ticket. I fell completely in love with a country that rewards the curious traveler.

Why I Keep Going Back

I have been returning ever since, with my husband, with my three daughters, and now with a deeper mission: helping families and empty nesters plan the Japan trip they have always dreamed about but were not sure how to tackle.

Just last year I went twice. The first trip took me to Hokkaido for the legendary Sapporo Snow Festival and some of the best skiing I have ever experienced. The champagne powder is so light and dry you truly cannot find it anywhere else in the world at that price point. The second trip was pure nostalgia, back to Tokyo with a dear friend I met there 30 years ago, retracing our old haunts and falling in love with the city all over again.

What You Will Find Here

I am a teacher by profession and by nature, which means I do not just hand you a list. I explain the why behind every recommendation. Whether you are wondering how much a trip to Japan really costs, trying to build your first Tokyo itinerary, or deciding between Kyoto and Nara, I have written the guides I wish I had.

Japan today is different from the Japan I discovered in 1990, and in many ways even better. My job is to help you see both.