Deep Japan

Our Deep Japan storytellers, your Senpai.

Our Deep Japan storytellers,
your Senpai.

Our mission.

Deep Japan is a community-driven tourism platform offering authentic insights into Japanese culture, travel, and everyday life. Our diverse “Senpai” writers—many with over 20 years of living in Japan—share heartfelt stories, practical travel tips, and fascinating observations about the Japan they know and love. 

Our mission is to shine a light on the thoughtful traditions and endearing quirks that define Japanese life, fostering a deeper appreciation for what makes this country so beautifully different.

Write for us. Tell your story.

Professional writing experience is not required—if you have lived in Japan for at least three years at any point, we welcome you to apply to join our Senpai writer community. Whether you first came to Japan to teach, study abroad, follow a partner, launch a new career, or simply chase a curiosity—we want to hear from you.

There are stories only you can tell, and at Deep Japan, we would be honored to give your voice a home.

Word of the Week

Bura bura

There are so many Japanese words like bura bura where the same word is repeated, and I don’t know about you, but I find them incredibly fun to say and really endearing!

My word for the week is bura bura, which is connected to the verb burasagaru, meaning “to dangle.” As a mimetic expression, bura bura can describe something swinging or dangling loosely. But it can also mean to wander around aimlessly. This second meaning might seem a little random at first, but I like to think it comes from the image of someone walking in a relaxed, unplanned way, moving back and forth with no clear direction, just like something gently dangling.

Right Now in Tokyo

Tokyo, JP

3°C

January’s Read

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  Culture

  Perfect Days: When cinema mirrors life in Tokyo

  Few films capture the texture of everyday life in Tokyo with the precision and humility of Perfect Days (2023). Directed by Wim Wenders and carried almost entirely by the masterful performance of Kōji Yakusho, awarded Best Actor at the C…

  

  Sébastien Raineri