About Us & Our Values

The Voyapon website has existed since 2015, when our founders envisioned the idea of bringing "off-the-beaten-path" Japan to the English, French, Spanish, and German-speaking world. Since then, our writers have created more than 3,000 articles shedding light on parts of Japan few overseas visitors have ever had a chance to visit. We would like to believe that our hard work has helped connect the lesser-traveled parts of Japan with the rest of the world.

We at Voyapon understand that even as Japan has ascended to become one of the world's top travel destinations, many visitors will never see Japan beyond the metropolises of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. They'll never feel the powder snow in their hair in northern Tohoku. They'll never immerse themselves in a therapeutic sandbath in Kyushu. They'll never experience forest-bathing in the peaceful mountains of Koshinetsu. So we feel it's our responsibility to help our readers discover this "hidden Japan" and learn how they can experience it for themselves. We desire to bring responsible, sustainable tourism to the rest of Japan that the world is missing out on.

The Voyapon Store is an extension of the values that helped launch our Voyapon website. We wanted to create a solution that allowed the many craftspeople and small businesses we have met over our years of travel to connect with customers who have never been to their town, region, or prefecture. We wanted to create new potential sources of income for these talented and hard-working people using the Internet. And we wanted the world to see how much of Japan's culture and tradition they have yet to discover.

Our vendor partners are individuals or small businesses creating handmade goods based on Japanese culture and traditions. Though some products have a modern flavor, everything is influenced by the rich history of Japanese arts and crafts. Some of them are creating many small and inexpensive objects, while others create one-of-a-kind masterpieces that take months to complete. But each is passionate about the work they do and the products they are creating for you.

You won't find these handmade products on other websites outside of Japan. Our vendor partners are working with us because they understand our vision and passion for connecting the world with Japan, and they want to be part of that. For the most part, the only way you can buy these products other than the Voyapon Store is to come to Japan and visit the creators themselves.

Enjoy browsing our store, and if you purchase something, we hope you feel good about providing support to an individual or small business from rural Japan. We certainly feel good about being able to connect them with you!