Sustainable Travel Japan

Shiitake Creative Ally Hongo joins Seek Sustainable Japan to share insights on the 2026 winners, behind the scenes stories and a new published book focused on better, more sustainable, accessible and inclusive travel in Japan.

Shiitake Creative Website @shiitakecreative https://shiitakecreative.jp/ Japan Travel Awards Website @japantravelawards https://japantravelawards.com/

Swastika & Trishit have been working with locals in Futaba Fukushima - a coastal area devastation by the 2010 earthquake, tsunami and radiation disaster that forced evacuation of the area. Now 16 years later, telling the stories of disaster and survival with visitors is a positive way to help rebuild the community.

Visiting the Fukushima area is a deeply-impactful experience- you can book your tour on FUKUSHIMA SEASIDE TOURS https://fukushimaseaside.travel/

Trishit Banerjee on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishitbanerjee/

Swastika Harsh Jajoo on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/swastikajajoo777/

NHK feature of their work in Fukushima https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/2087155/

#sustainable #tourism #travel #japan #fukushima #disaster #community #rebuilding #revival #resilience

Hana Shiraishi is editor-in-chief of DeepJapan - an online magazine sharing stories written by long-time Japan insiders to share interesting perspectives on local people, culture and travel across Japan.

In this talk, Hana shares insights from working at a convenience store for her first job as well as many other wonderful stories of travel, inclusion and international community in her work with Deep-Japan.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hana-shiraishi-73092415a/

Deep Japan website: https://deepjapan.org/

How can a traditional Japanese inn survive for many generations? CEO Chizuka Tachibana is following in the footsteps of her family's legacy to run Ryokan Ohana in Fukuoka. As a descendent of feudal lords, Tachibana-san maintains, and continues to elevate an impressive family business legacy.

Tachibana-san did a huge renovation of the buildings in 2025 and won the Grand Prize for the Japan Travel Awards in 2026 for her dedication to excellent, inclusive and accessible hospitality and service. Vegan-Vegetarian and international customer welcoming, they have a very sustainable Japanese business philosophy in hopes of being successful for their staff, locals as well as customers beyond the next 100 years & far into the future.

https://ohana.co.jp/en/

Japan Travel Awards 2026 Winners https://japantravelawards.com/en/winners/2026

- JOIN the Ryokan Ohana Crowdfunding Effort to preserve their beautiful pine trees https://readyfor.jp/projects/ohana1910/announcements/421132

Author Hiroko Yoda joins us to share insights from her latest book "Eight Million Ways to Happiness - Wisdom for Inspiration and Healing from the Heart of Japan'. It is a deeply personal journey of spiritual understanding, training and research into how Shinto, Buddhism, Shugendo and the many many Gods of Japan interplay in her thought processes as she grew up in Japan as well as gained more Japan life insights while living, working & traveling abroad.

Hiroko Yoda Links- Newsletter: https://blog.hirokoyoda.com/

Instagram: @hi_yoda_1

Bluesky: @hirokoyoda.bsky.social

Hiroko will participate in three Writers’ Festivals in Australia (Melbourne, Margaret River and Sydney) in May, 2026.

"Hiroko Yoda 'Eight Million Ways to Happiness’ : How meaning, purpose and gratitude are woven into Japanese culture"

https://www.swf.org.au/program/festival-2026/hiroko-yoda-eight-million-ways-to-happiness/

Sustainable travel, business and innovation on our radar as sustainability focused consultants in Japan - Tove Kinooka & JJWalsh

You Sakaguchi (You-Sakana) has been living and promoting the SETOUCHI area of Japan as a blogger, designer, photographer and content creator. Ryoko Ihara is the head of branding at GoField co and often works in collaboration with You on projects. We will talk about some of their work, philosophy and sustainable travel highlights for the Setouchi (Kagawa/Tokushima/Okayama) area of Japan.

You Sakaguchi | YouSakana https://www.instagram.com/yousakana.design/ https://yousakana.jp/

This month FEBRUARY we talk about some of our favorite low-waste, plastic-free products available in Japan, the high-technology of trees & other great sustainable business & travel events, talks, innovation and inspiration

Tove Kinooka - sustainable business consultant based in Yokohama, Japan *Tokyo area*

JJWalsh - sustainable business & travel consultant based in Hiroshima, Japan *Setouchi area*

CEO Paul Christie of Walk Japan started as a guide for tourists many years ago and has led the Walk Japan company toward a more sustainable business path where needs of locals and visitors are more in balance. He has also helped revive a small village in rural Japan with organic farming, community building, bringing in new residents and using tourism income to help fund projects.

https://walkjapan.com/

Creating a textbook that engages with university students in Japan is a challenge but a Professor at Okayama university, John Rucynski has found a winning formula for writing a textbook with stories of successful international professionals working in Japan.

https://deepjapan.org/john-rucynski/

https://cengagejapan.com/elt/ListeningVideo/page/?no=1412662013bfq7a