Hello - this is Burcu!
Thank you for checking out Letters from Japan, a monthly newsletter featuring travel stories, photography, and observations from across Japan. Paid subscribers also receive access to additional itinerary-focused guides and other features, explained below.
Below is a quick overview of the subscription plans and a breakdown of the extra posts available to monthly and annual subscribers.
As explained on the subscription page, the newsletter includes one monthly letter, featuring travel stories and destinations from Japan.
Each new monthly Letter from Japan is delivered in full to all subscribers and remains freely available online for one month after publication. Past editions then become part of the paid archive, where paid subscribers have unlimited access to the complete collection (USD 5 per month, USD 50 per year). Free subscribers can also read one archive post of their choice each month. Some past editions include:
Hiking Kumano Kodo: the Nakahechi Route (April 2026) – a diary of a recent hike along Japan’s beloved pilgrimage route, complete with an FAQ section and trail notes.
Reading Japan: From Hokkaido to Okinawa (September 2025) – a literary journey through Japan from north to south, with a selection of books to accompany your travels.
Okinawa: The Reluctant Paradise (July 2025) – exploring the dreamy Kerama Islands and their intriguing history.
Hiking Japan: From Okinawa to Hokkaido (February 2026) – my favorite hiking trails across the country, from Iriomote Island in Okinawa to Rebun Island in Hokkaido.
For the Love of Ritual - Onsen Hopping Across Japan (March 2026) - an introduction to the bathing culture in the country and some of my favorite Japanese hot springs.
An Ode to the Snow Country (January 2026) – a letter of appreciation for Hokkaido and its harsh winters.
Snow Falling on Cedars - Winter Trips in Japan (February 2025) - a letter outlining some of my favorite winter trips in Japan, inspired by a recent trip to Kanazawa-Shirakawa-Takayama.
Tokyo - the Giant with a Heart of Gold (December 2024) - a letter about my daily life in Tokyo, a city I deeply appreciate.
In addition to the monthly letters, paid subscribers receive extra posts, typically more itinerary-focused (such as a four-day autumn-colors trip to Aomori).
Annual subscribers also have access to a personal Zoom call to discuss their travel plans for Japan, or, if preferred, a series of email exchanges.
Overview of the Additional Paid Content
This page offers an overview of the additional paid content (in addition to full access to the monthly letters), organized by category, and is updated periodically as the archive grows. For convenience, you can also access the full archive on my website, where all subscriber-only posts are organized by category (including the five-part Kyoto Trail series): Letters from Japan: Resource Page.
The idea is simply to make browsing easier, especially if you’re planning a trip to Japan. For example, Substack requires multi-day travel diaries to be published as separate posts, whereas on the website, you can read them as single, complete entries with a table of contents.
The resource page itself is public, and the individual posts become accessible with the subscriber password (sent automatically upon joining), after a short preview section.
Below is a categorical overview of the archive, with links to both the website and Substack versions.
Destination Itineraries
These are itinerary-focused posts, offering suggestions for planning a day or multi-day trip, depending on the destination.
One Fine Day in Nagasaki + Website Link
Shibu Onsen and the Snow Monkeys of Nagano + Website Link
One Fine Autumn Day in Kyoto + Website Link
One Fine Autumn Day in Tokyo + Website Link
One Fine Day in Kanazawa + Website Link
Onsen Hopping Through Tohoku: Four Nights, Four Hot Springs + Website Link
Tokyo Eateries: the Non-Gourmet Version + Website Link
Fall Colors Trip to Aomori + Website Link
Biking the Shimanami Kaido in Two Days + Website Link
Travel diaries - as single posts, with a table of contents
Since the travel diaries are posted on Substack as separate entries—sometimes up to eight, as in the Walking Goto Islands series—they can be challenging to review for trip planning. You can review them as a single post on the webpage (complete with a table of contents) or as separate posts on Substack.
So far, there are three sets of travel diaries available as single posts:
Winter Trip to Hokkaido + Substack link
Hiking the Kyoto Trail + Substack link
Walking the Goto Islands + Substack link
The pages are mobile-friendly, but if you have the option, the desktop version on the website is custom-designed to make these lengthy diaries easier to read. While I will continue posting the travel diary series on Substack, once completed, they will also be continually added to the website as a single post.
Japan Trip Planning Series
These are logistics-heavy posts, independent of destination, aiming to bring a bit of clarity to Japan trip planning, which often feels unnecessarily confusing (even to me, despite living here).
Japan Trip Planning Q&A: Transportation + Susbtack link
Japan Trip Planning Q&A: Accommodation + Substack link
Japan Trip Planning Q&A: Miscellaneous + Substack link
Whenever I publish on Substack, I also upload the same content to my website (for the security of hosting it myself), and you can find the paid-subscriber posts appear on the relevant page just a few hours after they’re emailed. I hope you find this feature helpful and that it makes browsing the content a bit easier. The page also displays, at the bottom, all the monthly letters available to all subscribers, regardless of their subscription plan, in chronological order.
Before I go, one more thing (as it always seems to be the case with my e-mails). It has now been a year since I launched the paid option for my newsletter. While I had previously engaged in paid travel writing and photography work for magazines, websites, and tourism offices, this was the first time I had a direct payment relationship with the content’s ultimate audience, and I’m tremendously grateful to all of you who subscribed to a paid plan, especially in this first year, for giving me the courage to continue. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Until next time,
Burcu