End of Summer and a New Phase for Letters from Japan
Letters from Japan, August 2024: end of summer and a new print shop.
“Good morning from my favorite small island in Okinawa—Tokashiki” is how this letter was supposed to start. However, due to affectionately named but not so affectionate Typhoon Shanshan and a toothache that felt even worse than the typhoon, I am writing this while sitting at home in Tokyo. I postponed my trip to Tokashiki to mid-September, so there will still soon be an Okinawa-themed edition of Letters from Japan.
Despite the weather, teeth events, and 13-hour-long plane rides, August was delightful. I took a two-week trip back home to Turkey, where I was reminded of how summers should be—sunny all day long but cool enough in the mornings and evenings for outdoor dining. I’m now adjusting to the humidity in Tokyo, which we hope will ease in the coming weeks.
Since returning to Tokyo, I have been blessed with two three-day weekends (our employer gives us a two-week break in early August, followed by two three-day weekends—I am eternally grateful). This has allowed me to tackle some minor house-related tasks in my tiny home to prepare for guests who will be visiting in the coming months, and to get my website and newsletter ready for a new phase—a scary endeavor that required me to revisit some old photos and travels.
Given the lack of travels in August and fueled by a sense of nostalgia, this edition of Letters from Japan is a bit different—and shorter—than usual. Instead of a destination feature, it is (somewhat embarrassingly) about recent developments concerning my website, which I launched in 2013 and which serves as the backbone of this newsletter: the website now features a Print Shop, and in conjunction with the Print Shop, there are also new subscription options for Letters from Japan.
These new options, all detailed below, do not affect the core purpose of this newsletter—monthly letters from Japan featuring travel writing—which will always be free. After blogging for ten years and publishing one or two new posts on my website each month, it doesn’t make much sense to put my non-essential travel writings behind a paywall. That would also make me sad—connecting with people through my blog has been one of the greatest joys of my life. However, having had the opportunity to work with Japan-focused publications on paid photography and itinerary-focused travel writing assignments over the past few years and no longer having the chance to go on multi-day assignments due to a full-time job, I’ve long been considering whether I can pursue more of that kind of work independently and what kind of value I can offer to my subscribers.
After months of hesitation and many discussions with friends, and still with a bit of embarrassment, I have decided to launch the paid subscription option for Letters from Japan as of September 1st. These new options, depending on the subscription plan, offer (i) Japan-related personal itinerary-building assistance and (ii) photo prints. I am definitely not an expert on all things Japan-related, but I have traveled extensively within the country, both on personal trips and on assignment trips organized by various tourism offices. These experiences have helped me become acquainted with lesser-known parts of Japan and learn from and connect with various tourism service providers.
So “ in light of the above,” below are some of the new subscription options that are now available.
Free subscription
Letters from Japan are sent via email and published on Substack monthly. Here is the previous July 2024 edition, in which I wrote about my trip to the northernmost point of Japan`s northernmost island—Hokkaido. The monthly letters are available to all subscribers regardless of their subscription plan.
Monthly subscription
Monthly subscribers will get an extra post each month that explores a specific region or theme to help with detailed itinerary planning—like a week-long trip to Kyushu. Additionally, you can request a PDF version of these itinerary-focused posts. These posts will be rich in logistical details, unlike my usual impression-based and story-style travel writing.
Paid subscribers also have access to trip diaries that I post when I am on the road. These diary-style posts also include logistical information. Here is the series that I posted during a ten-day trip to the Goto Islands off the coast of Nagasaki. A more recent was about a short trip to my favorite island in Okinawa: Tokashiki.
Annual subscription
If you choose the annual subscription plan, you also have the option to schedule a Zoom meeting for personalized assistance with your Japan trip planning if you think I can be of any help. To make the best of our meeting time, you can email me with specific questions or your rough itinerary. Please get in touch via email if you become an annual subscriber and would love to schedule a Zoom meeting.
Print Club
If you decide to join the Print Club, you can, in addition to the above, choose one A3-size photo printed on Hahnemühle fine art paper per year mailed to your house (postage paid by me). You can choose your print from a pool of more than thirty photos. Here is the link to the print gallery (you do not have to purchase on the website if you have already become a Print Club member through Substack).
Phew. This has been the most challenging edition of Letters from Japan I've written. I'm looking forward to getting back to the regular editions, so I'll be back later in September with a post focused on Okinawa.
As always, thank you for your support all these years, and I would like to finish with one big disclaimer:
Regardless of whether you choose to become a paid subscriber or not, if you have any Japan-related travel questions, I would be happy to help as much as I can if you email me directly. My reply rate is 100 % so far :)
All the best,
Burcu
I hope your tooth is better!
I like your honesty but you’re not only honest, you can write very good and you make beautiful photographs. The fact that you’re not here to make money should serve as an example to a lot of people who have less interesting things to share than you do but can sell themselves very good. 👍🏻