Why I Built This

I haven't been to Japan — not yet. But somewhere between a beginner's Sashiko workshop and a growing curiosity about how things are made, I found myself falling down a rabbit hole of research: temples I wanted to see, pottery towns I wanted to visit, old factories and theatres I wanted to wander through.

What I kept running into was the same problem every trip-planner faces — endless "top 10" lists that all say the same thing, with no real way to filter for what you actually care about. I'm not interested in seeing everything. I'm interested in seeing the things that genuinely pull at me: craft, history, quiet architecture, the odd theme park thrown in for good measure.

So I built Wander Japan as the tool I wished existed — pick what draws you in, and see exactly where in Japan you could go find it. This site is as much a planning tool for my own future trip as it is something I hope helps you plan yours.