Tom Fay

It has been quite a while since I’ve posted anything here, so here is a quick round up of what’s been going on work and life-wise in the last few days and months!

Much of my writing work in the last year or so has involved working on a whole host of guidebooks for Lonely Planet, including a brand new book solely dedicated to Hokkaido, co-written with longtime and legendary LP contributor Craig McLachlan.
Since writing my first Hokkaido guidebook a few years ago (published by Bradt Travel Guides), I’ve become even more obsessed with Japan’s northernmost main island, and so was delighted to cover the northern, central and eastern regions for this book, mainly as it gave me a good excuse to visit some of my favourite parts of Hokkaido once again!

I was also the lead writer and updater for Experience Japan (3^rd edition), a guidebook series I’ve been involved with from the start, and one that continues to evolve in interesting ways. I also wrote much of the Hokkaido chapter for Lonely Planet’s flagship Japan guidebook, just to continue the Hokkaido love-in (more on that later too). Most of the actual writing and research for these books took place last year, but all three were published this summer, so it’s nice to finally see them on the shelves.

This year I’ve been working on a brand new guidebook for Fodor’s Travel called The Best of Japan, due to be published in May 2027. As the title very subtly suggests, this book provides a comprehensive round-up of Japan’s best sights in a detailed yet easily-digestible format; I worked on the Kyoto, Kansai and Western Honshu chapters.

This year has also seen the long-awaited update for Hiking and Trekking the Japan Alps and Mount Fuji, the most comprehensive English-language guidebook to the Japan Alps, co-written with Wes Lang. The first edition was published way back in 2019 and was badly due an update, as quite a few things have changed since then – most notably mountain hut and camping fees have sky-rocketed, and Mt. Fuji now has compulsory climbing fees and other regulations. I have added a number of new routes to the guidebook, along with new photos, lots of updated information and a snazzy new cover pic too (which happens to be one of my all-time favourite snaps from Mt. Kita-dake). Both ebook and traditional paperback versions are available to buy now, and would make the perfect gift for anyone planning some hiking next summer!

Aside from all the guidebook work, I’ve also written a few articles here and there for various publications, including a number of pieces for Voyapon; these include Ogoto Onsen, a fabulous little lakeside hot spring getaway close to Kyoto; the winter wonders of Otaru; and an updated climbing guide for Mt. Fuji. For Marriott Vacation Clubs I also had chance to write about Nara – one of my favourite cities, and a place literally close to my heart (as it is just down the train line from my house!).

Over the summer I had to take a couple of trips to Kochi prefecture on the island of Shikoku, specifically focusing on the Shimanto-gawa, Japan’s longest non-dammed river. These research trips involved traveling up and down the full 196km-length of the river, from its source way up in the mountains, all the way down to its wide and meandering end at the coast – over the next few months I will work on producing a 16-page pamphlet promoting the region, in conjunction with Mapple and the local tourist board. Look out for that sometime in spring 2027!

I was also delighted to do some ‘modeling’ work for Pro Trek once again, following a few similar video projects I did with them a few years ago. This year’s project involved climbing two of my favourite Japanese mountains – Tateyama and Tsurugi-dake in the Northern Japan Alps – to film and narrate a couple of videos for Casio’s range of outdoor watches. It was a great three-day trip and the weather was mostly good, so we got some amazing shots.
Also late this summer I was asked to appear in a video promoting Lonely Planet’s Love Japan book, spending a day galivanting around Kyoto like a tourist – good fun, and much less work than guidebook writing!

In a vaguely work adjacent development, I’ve also recently started a podcast with fellow British long-time Japan resident and Tokyo-based travel writer Rob Goss. Imaginatively titled The Japan Travel Writer’s Podcast, we aim to cover and whole range of Japan travel related topics, and perhaps offer a little insight into the travel writing business too, all in a low key and relaxed (and currently very rough around the edges) manner. Please give us a listen on your favourite podcast provider!

Away from the writing work, this year I’ve been spending quite a lot of my time in Hokkaido, specifically in the charming seaside city of Otaru. A little backstory; early last year (2025) I purchased a small house in the quiet suburbs of Otaru, just a short walk from the beach and less than 15 minutes by car or bus to the ski slopes (note: I’m not really a skier, but I have ambitious hopes of getting into snowboarding). I had been eyeing up properties in Otaru for some time, as I love the town, prices are cheap, it has easy access to Sapporo and the airport, and most importantly of all, it receives absolutely colossal dumps of snow in the winter.

After finalising the purchase last year, I found a jolly local tradesman to help with the main renovations – the house was built in the early 90s and had been an akiya (empty property) for about 3 years, so needed a little bit of work doing, in the form of a new boiler, new tatami and fresh wallpapering. I’ve been going back and forth regularly since, mainly to keep the garden from getting overgrown and for snow removal in winter (Otaru gets metres and metres of snow), and it has been great to have a base in Hokkaido for summer trips and winter snow fun! I’m finally getting a heater installed this autumn too (I experimented with just using air-con for heating last winter, it wasn’t a huge success), so this winter should be nice and toasty.

Anyway, this post has dragged on for long enough now, and I need to go outside and plant my winter vegetables here in rural Kyoto (I might post a countryside life and farming update at some point too), as we’re now into October and I’m a little behind schedule….
Until next time, yoroshiku!