For many, the island country of Japan is a far distant place characterized by temples, shrines, Noh, tea ceremonies, kimonos, geisha, manga and maid cafes. They often dream about visiting this alluring nation, but few actually have an opportunity to do so. However, for those who do travel to Japan, it becomes a destination that they visit over and over again.

I had the pleasure of traveling to Japan numerous times since 2007, immersing myself in the local culture and learning about the history and traditions of this magnificent place that once I only dreamed about. I fell in love with Japan and its people and wanted to share my experiences with others. Thus, my travel blog, Traveldreamscapes was born.

A Blogger’s Guide to Japan is a collection of my blog posts and photos gathered during my travels. It will enable you to learn about the history and background of each destination and help you develop a greater appreciation for the sites you visit. Discover places that are popular with tourists and travel to attractions off the beaten path. Uncover festivals and traditions unique to each area and familiarize yourself with local cuisines.

The book is organized by region/prefecture and the various locations/points of interest are listed in English, Japanese, and Romaji. You will find that regardless of whether you are traveling for a week, a month or several months, you can use this book not only as a companion guide to other travel books to help plan your travels but also to explore Japan further once you are there. Where available, the web page address, physical address, and travel tips will enable you to obtain current, detailed information for each venue.