A Tokyo resident for over 15 years, Mac is the founder and lead guide of Maction Planet, which specializes in bespoke Japan travel. He has travelled to over 100 countries and all 7 continents. He is also the creator of Kanpai Planet, a YouTube channel helping people discover the world of Japanese drinks, with active social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Vicki L Beyer is an Australian-American freelance travel writer who has visited every prefecture in Japan but continues to explore the country. Follow her blog at jigsaw-japan.com.

Alice has lived and worked in Japan for close to 25 years. She studied Japanese art at Princeton University and translates for museums throughout Japan. Her popular column in The Japan Times, which ran from 2001 to 2015, answered readers’ questions on Japan with meticulously researched yet decidedly off-beat reports on everything from industrial safety to traditional talismans. She has appeared on NHK World and is certified as an expert consultant by the Japan Tourism Agency.

Since his arrival in Asia in 1965, Mark Schreiber held jobs in retailing, public relations, advertising and market research before becoming a freelance writer and translator.

Elizabeth is a writer and stay-at-home mother wrapping up her PhD dissertation in Japanese and Canadian History from her home in Kyushu. If she’s not in a bookstore scouring the shelves for new finds, flipping through a recent fashion magazine, or ordering a royal milk tea to go, she is probably in a nearby park teaching her daughter the names of flowers in English and Japanese.

Originally from London, Julian Ryall has lived in Japan since 1992 and writes for media outlets around the world. He covers politics, international relations, economics, travel and social issues.

I’m a current eikaiwa (English conversation) teacher who loves to travel. When I get some of that coveted time off, I like to explore as much of Japan as possible! In my free time I take photos, do digital art, and practice my kanji through the art of Japanese calligraphy.

Bill Ross is an American writer and outdoor guide coming up on 40 years in Japan, 27 with the bears at the base of Mt. Myoko (and they do come in my yard).