At Jigsaw Japan you can find information and observations about Japan, especially looking at how history and culture impact people and places. Regular blog posts, archived travel articles Vicki published elsewhere, a map with pins to every article we’ve published, and even reviews of books about Japan help you put it all together. Please subscribe below to ensure that you never miss a post!

Your blog host: Vicki L. Beyer

An American-Australian, Vicki Beyer has studied and worked in Japan for more than 35 years, collecting many pieces of the puzzle that is Japan. While there’s still a lot she doesn’t know–and continues to learn!–in this site she shares many pieces to help travelers as well as those living in Japan to better know, understand, and enjoy this fascinating country/culture. It’s all about fitting the pieces together!

From April 2018 to March 2022 Vicki has served as a “Cool Ota-ku Ambassador” (a/k/a Global City Ota Ambassador), assisting Ota-ku, Tokyo in its efforts to promote tourism and globalization. She was honored and challenged by her remit, which gave her many opportunities to explore Ota-ku and meet the diverse population who live there.

Special guest blogger: Oliver Trapnell

Oliver Trapnell, originally from the UK, studied at Waseda University in Tokyo. Combining his studies and his past experience as a child in Japan, he strives to understand and learn from Japanese culture in order to pursue a career in journalism. He brings his background in Anthropology and Geography to the task of educating and enlightening others on cultures across the globe.