About North Mariner

North Mariner started in the spring of 2021, when the borders were still closed and a small group of Japan-based writers had nothing to do but research. The original idea was simple: keep a running document of everything that was changing about travel to Japan, so that when the borders reopened, there would be somewhere accurate to look. That document became a newsletter, the newsletter became a website, and the website is now read by people planning trips from about forty countries.

The turning point came in late 2022, when the borders did reopen and the information landscape turned chaotic. Every major travel site was publishing outdated advice. The JR Pass price had changed, the entry requirements were shifting week by week, and the crowd patterns from 2019 no longer applied. We had been tracking all of it, so we were ready. That autumn was the busiest three months the site has ever had, and it taught us that the value we offer is not opinion or inspiration but accuracy and timing.

We are based in Nagoya, which is not the obvious base for a Japan travel site, and that suits us. We are not embedded in the Kyoto tourism machine or the Tokyo media circuit. We take reader questions seriously, we correct mistakes when we find them, and we do not accept sponsored content that asks us to recommend something we have not actually used. The six topic areas on this site reflect the questions that come up most often in reader mail, and we update them on a weekly cycle regardless of whether there is breaking news.

Independent travel news site run by a small editorial team in Nagoya, Japan.

• Based in Nagoya, outside the Kyoto and Tokyo media circuits
• No sponsored content that recommends something we haven't used ourselves
• Mistakes are corrected publicly, with a note on what changed
• Reader questions directly shape which topics get updated first
• Six topic areas updated on a weekly cycle, not just when there is news
• Coverage tracks regulatory and pricing changes, not just inspiration
• Running since spring 2021, through the border closure and the reopening

Editorial policy

North Mariner is an independent travel news and information site focused on Japan. We select topics based on reader questions, confirmed regulatory or pricing changes, and seasonal relevance. Articles are ordered by publication date within each topic area, with the most recent at the top. We do not accept payment to prioritise or suppress any piece of content.

The summaries, headlines and article text on this site are written by our editorial team. Where we link to an external source, such as a JR announcement, a prefectural tourism board notice or a news report, the underlying reporting and official information belongs to that publisher. We link to the original source and do not reproduce it in full.

We make mistakes. When we find one, or when a reader points one out, we correct the article and add a brief note at the top explaining what changed and when. We do not silently edit published pieces. If you believe something on this site is inaccurate, please use the contact form or email editorial@north-mariner.com.

If you are a publisher and believe we have linked to your content in a way that causes a problem, or if you would like a link removed, please contact us at editorial@north-mariner.com. We will respond within three business days.

Selection rules

Items are chosen from publicly available headlines relevant to travel in Japan in 2026, across six editorial rubrics: Rail and Transport, Seasonal Timing, Accommodation, Food and Drink, Visa and Entry, and Hiking and Outdoors.

Every card links directly to the original publisher's page. North Mariner does not host, reproduce, or claim authorship of any third-party reporting; all rights remain with the respective publishers.