New Zealanders live in a tropical oasis which is a little secluded from the rest of the world. When they do decide to leave home (but why would they?), they do it big. It is not uncommon for them to travel for a year’s time, going to far out corners of the globe. Japan, being more than thirteen hours away from Aotearoa, is quite an undertaking. Upon reaching Japan, like many others, they fall in love with the country's diverse and delectable cuisine. Let's discover the Japan travel blogs of New Zealanders who visited the land of the rising sun.
9 New Zealand Travel Bloggers
Here are 9 bloggers from New Zealand to inspire your travels!
- Inspired By Maps
- Anita Hendrieka
- Migrating Miss
- Flashpacker Family
- Stolen Inspiration
- What's Dave Doing?
- Bren on the Road
- Travelgal Nicole
- This Kiwi from the Land of the Long White Cloud
1. Inspired By Maps
Inspired By Maps is a travel blog written by Jordan Adkins. This 20-plus-year-old Kiwi used to work as a travel agent until he got fed up with his job and decided to make a living out of his passion for traveling. During his high school geography classes, he developed a passion for maps. He has gone on many adventures and visited 325 of the 1031 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Japan remains one of his favorite destinations.
As for his Japan travel blog, he saw the cherry blossoms in Osaka and discovered the eccentricities of Tokyo. He also went off of the beaten path by visiting the lesser known Zao Fox Park and the famed onsen hot springs of the Nasu Royal Resort Town. This experienced traveler’s blog is sure to come in handy when planning your next adventure. A whole section of his website is dedicated to handy websites to help plan every aspect of a trip without ever having to leave the house.
Website: https://inspiredbymaps.com/
2. Anita Hendrieka
Anita Hendrieka from New Zealand now lives in Albania. At 19, she decided to quit her career in design and started blogging in 2011. Her lifestyle and DIY blog then evolved into a travel blog when she moved overseas in 2012. Through her platform, she aims to debunk people’s misconceptions about certain destinations and open up their minds to the world around them. Through her travels in Japan, like many food bloggers before her, she developed a love of Japanese food, be it sashimi, ramen, etc. She also participated in a few food tours and particularly enjoyed visiting bustling Tsukiji Market. Through her Instagram, she helps fellow bloggers develop their pages. This prolific blogger is not to be missed!
Website: https://www.anitahendrieka.com/
3. Migrating Miss
Sonja from Migrating Miss is a Kiwi whose love of traveling began when she was sixteen. An accredited lawyer in New Zealand, she opted for a career traveling around the world instead. She has visited more than forty countries and lived abroad in the US, Australia, and Spain. She now lives in Scotland with her husband and child. She’s a fan of offseason travel as this allows her to skip the crowds and save a little. Her speciality is trips catered to different groups; be it solo, family and couple trips. With her blog, she aims to prove that everyone can travel and move abroad. In her very informative Japan travel posts, she and her guest writers describe the must-see places in and around Tokyo, including browsing Golden Gai’s restaurants and bars and making ramen at Yokohama’s Cup Noodles Museum.
Website: https://www.migratingmiss.com/
4. Flashpacker Family
The Flashpacker Family is a Kiwi family traveling around the globe. Mom Bethaney has been traveling since her early 20s. She has already been to 33 countries and hopes to visit a hundred before she turns 40. She travels with husband Lee, an online entrepreneur and snowboarding buff, and their two kids, Reuben and Hazel. This impressive family manages to travel around the globe full time with young kids. Her Japan travel blog features a handy article that tells you what to pack when visiting Japan. The article even features downloadable checklists sure to please avid planners!
Website: https://flashpackerfamily.com/
5. Stolen Inspiration
Kendra Alexandra runs the very popular Stolen Inspiration blog which covers fashion, beauty and travel. She collaborated with big name brands such as Adidas and Converse. She traveled to Tokyo with her brother and she says food was the highlight of her trip. From the crepes at Angel Hearts Crepe in Harajuku to conveyor-belt sushi in Shibuya, her trip to Japan seems to have been a success!
Website: https://www.stoleninspiration.com/
6. What's Dave Doing?
Daven Dean quit his corporate tech career in 2011 and left for London, eventually making the UK his home. He’s travelled across Asia, Europe, Africa, North and Central America, Australia and New Zealand. In 2018, he traveled across the island of Honshu for two weeks. During that time, he developed an addiction to Lawson’s fried chicken and ate as much ramen as physically possible.
Website: https://whatsdavedoing.com/
7. Bren on the Road
Bren used to be an accountant until he discovered the southern coast of Spain, which opened his eyes to traveling. A few years later, he quit his job altogether and made traveling his full-time career. Through his travel blog, he chronicles his time in Tokyo where he had a strange dinner at a maid cafe and toured Yokohama’s Japanese fast food joints.
Website: https://brenontheroad.com/
8. Travelgal Nicole
Originally from the US, Nicole has been living in New Zealand for ten years. Her travels started with a high school immersion trip to France. Her blog describes her numerous trips in the Pacific Islands, Asia, Africa, and South America. She briefly lived in Japan working for a tourism board that supported American students coming to teach English. From the best hotels in Shinjuku to time-specific itineraries across the land of the rising sun, she’s got you covered!
Website: https://www.nicolelabarge.com/
9. This Kiwi from the Land of the Long White Cloud
This Kiwi from the Land of the Long White Cloud has now made London her home. She loves margaritas and always has a fork on her when she visits London’s many brunch places. Her Japan travel blog recounts her time in Nara drinking at a tachinomi standing bar and eating savory food. In Hiroshima, she sampled some of Japan’s many KitKat flavors.
Website: https://www.adventuresofalondonkiwi.com/
Travel bloggers from New Zealand are adventure seekers that often traded their 9 to 5 jobs for a life of endless discovery. Their inspiring journeys accompanied by gorgeous pictures are sure to convince you to go on adventures of your own. In their blogs, their love of food clearly shines through. Read about their travels, but be sure to have something to snack on close by as your stomach might growl!
If you are inspired to go on culinary adventures of your own, browse food experiences in Japan!
