I'm a Los Angeles-based travel and lifestyle content creator who loves sharing travel tips, guides, and itineraries for Japan, LA & beyond. I also occasionally share my latest reads in a bookish newsletter. Sign up to receive letters from my travels and be the first to know when new content is released.
Why I Love Solo Traveling Through Japan (& Why You Should Try It too!)
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Hi friend, Solo travel used to be daunting for me. The idea of going someplace new by myself as a female traveler (and then add on top of that the language barrier…) gave me major anxiety to even think about. However, if there’s one place that’s perfect for solo traveling as a female, it’s Japan. Not only is Japan one of the safest places to walk alone (with extremely low crime rates), but it is also a place where doing things alone is normalized. For example, dining alone is so common that many restaurants have single-person seats with dividers for extra privacy. Single rooms are common in Japanese hotels. Public transportation is easy and reliable — no need for renting a car (which can be expensive if done by yourself). There are also many activities that will keep you occupied, or that encourage you to slow down and embrace solitude — like when strolling through a Japanese garden, park, or museum. And honestly, at the end of the day, remember that: people are always more focused on themselves than they are on you. You are just a minor blip in someone’s day. So… take the selfie. Be a little cringe. Go to the lookout point alone. Eat at the restaurant or place you’ve been dying to go to. Don’t wait for the right people to become available to travel. If Japan’s been on your list for a while, I hope that traveling alone isn’t one of the reasons that’s stopping you. 🤍 Until next time, Remi From Japan (and LA) PS — A new Japan travel vlog and blog guide will be available this week! ✨ I mentioned this on Patreon already, but I came down with something last week, which threw off my upload schedule. The new video will take you on a day-trip adventure to an area just outside Tokyo. As always, a blog guide with travel tips and full itinerary details will be available. You’re receiving this because you signed up for my Japan travel tips, grabbed one of my downloadables, or are a Patreon member. I write Letters from Japan (and LA) once a week — a cozy space to explore Japan, culture, and life between two homes. If you loved it, tell your friends to subscribe, or you can support my business on a monthly basis here. If you didn’t enjoy the email, you can unsubscribe here. To change your email or preferences, manage your profile. 600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246 |
Remi Shimazu
I'm a Los Angeles-based travel and lifestyle content creator who loves sharing travel tips, guides, and itineraries for Japan, LA & beyond. I also occasionally share my latest reads in a bookish newsletter. Sign up to receive letters from my travels and be the first to know when new content is released.
Hi Reader, Some of you might remember Remi's Reads — my short-lived booktube channel from way back. Well, the name's back... just in a new format. I've started writing reading wrap-ups and reviews under "Remi's Reads" over on Patreon. Less filming, more writing, and honestly, a lot more room to actually dig into what I'm reading instead of cramming it into a video. My latest post is up now: the 2026 Mid-Year Book Tag — a look back at what I've read so far this year (favorites, surprises, a...
Hey Reader, I’m back from Japan, and I have a lot to catch you up on. 🩵 One of the reasons this last trip was so memorable was because I got to spend a week of it with my family. It was some of their first times visiting Japan, and not only that, part of the trip would be dedicated to going back to where our family was from in Wakayama. Wakayama is huge, so we hired a van to take us around everywhere for a day. Our day was a mix of sightseeing spots and exploring areas that our family...
Hey Reader, I’ve been in Japan for the past few weeks. And until now, you're one of the first ones to know exactly what I've been up to. No posts. A few(?) stories. No check-ins. Just me, my camera, and whatever city or town I happened to be in that day. If you’ve followed along with me for a while, you already know how I get when I’m in Japan. My phone basically becomes a GPS, a camera, and not much else. The moments I’m not actually traveling between places, I’m sitting somewhere...