Andrew Deck, Author at VOYAPON

Andrew Deck

Hello! I'm a freelance writer and assistant editor at Metropolis, Tokyo's largest English magazine. Although I was born in New York City, I was raised in Japan where I attended an American international school. I'm always looking for new opportunities to travel in Japan and explore areas off the beaten path. Alongside my writing for Voyapon, my writing as been published in Popular Mechanics, Dell's Power More and The College Hill Independent.

33 articles

Articles by Andrew Deck

Asahikawa Nightlife Ramen Restaurant Seafood Izakaya Sake Bar Hokkaido

Experience the Nightlife of Asahikawa, Hokkaido’s Second Largest City

March 24, 2019 Affordable Accommodation, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Izakaya, Nightlife, Ramen, Sashimi, Sponsored

Sponsored by Asahikawa City Asahikawa is Hokkaido’s second largest city and, unlike its sleepy rural neighbors, has plenty to keep visitors entertained and well-fed. In addition to the host of adventurous outdoor activities beyond the city limits, including Mt. Daisetsuzan...

Asahikawa Design Center Furniture Museum Hokkaido Prefecture

Asahikawa – Discover One of Japan’s Top Three Furniture Towns

March 23, 2019 Culture, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Museums & Galleries, Sponsored 2 Comments

Located in Japan’s snowy northern island, Asahikawa is a hub for Japanese woodworking, furniture production and interior design. A uniquely curated showcase of the region’s finest brands, studios and artisans, the Asahikawa Design Center is a testament to why the...

Kamui Ski Links Asahikawa Deep Powder Snow Alpine Skiing Hokkaido

Experience the Kamui Ski Links, Amazing Powder Snow in Hokkaido

March 22, 2019 Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Mountains, Skiing & Snowboarding, Sponsored, Winter

Sponsored by Asahikawa City As my taxi pulled up to the Kamui Ski Links, I was immediately taken by the number of families preparing for a day on the slopes. Filling the lodge were skiers and snowboarders young and old,...

Asahidake Onsen Yukomansou Ryokan Daisetsuzan Mountain Higashikawa Hokkaido

Experience Asahidake Onsen in Hokkaido

March 21, 2019 Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Kaiseki, Luxury Accommodation, Mountains, Onsen & Sento, Ryokan, Skiing & Snowboarding, Sponsored

Sponsored by Asahikawa City It only took an hour and thirty minutes by bus to travel from the frosted streets of downtown Asahikawa to the mountain ridge of Daisetsuzan, where light airy powder stood more than a meter tall. The...

Ashidake Asahikawa Mt. Daisetsuzan Hokkaido Powder Snowshoe Backcountry Skiing Experience

Experience Snowshoeing and Backcountry Skiing at Asahidake

March 20, 2019 Hiking, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Mountains, Skiing & Snowboarding, Sponsored, Winter 2 Comments

Sponsored by Asahikawa City Hokkaido is renowned for its natural beauty and outdoor attractions and the outskirts of Asahikawa, the island’s second largest city, are no different. The alpine area, Asahidake, is home to the tallest mountain in Hokkaido, Mt....

Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Memorial Museum Indigenous Culture Hokkaido Mt. Daisetsuzan

Learn About Daisetsuzan Mountain Worship and Ainu Culture

March 19, 2019 Culture, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Language, Museums & Galleries, Sponsored

Long before the Japanese inhabited the island of Hokkaido, the island was populated by the Ainu, the indigenous people of Northern Japan. While the Ainu population has dwindled in contemporary times, the communities that still exist have preserved their history...

Inujima Art Island Seirensho Museum Seto Inland Sea Okayama Prefecture

Explore the Art Island in the Seto Inland Sea, Inujima

December 22, 2018 Beaches & Islands, Ferries, Local Buses, Museums & Galleries, Okayama, Shinkansen, Sponsored

Sponsored by Okayama City When most people think of contemporary art museums they imagine prestigious institutions in capital cities. Consider the Louvre in Paris, or MOMA in New York City, or even the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo....

Kibitsu Shrine Momotaro Peach Boy Historic Okayama Prefecture

Learn the History of Kibitsu, Okayama’s “Peach Boy” Shrine

December 21, 2018 Anime & Manga, Culture, Historic Sites, Okayama, Sponsored, Temples & Shrines

Sponsored by Okayama City The shrines of Japan are surprisingly diverse. While these scared grounds may all share a familiar torii gate, depending on the shrine you visit you may be praying for everything from fertility and a good rice...

Okayama City Local Cuisine, Demi Katsudon, Barazushi, Food and Dining

Savor Local Cuisine While Staying in the Heart of Okayama City

December 20, 2018 Castles, Chugoku, Gardens & Parks, Historic Sites, Museums & Galleries, Okayama, Rail Passes, Shinkansen, Sponsored

Sponsored by Okayama City Located along the southeastern edge of the Chugoku region, Okayama City is most famous for its renowned traditional Japanese garden, Korakuen, and its imposing castle, nicknamed “Crow Castle.” Okayama’s placement just west of Kobe makes the...

Sogenji Temple Buddhist Monastery Fall Foliage Okayama Prefecture

Admire the Beautiful Autumn Foliage of Okayama’s Sogenji Temple

December 19, 2018 Autumn Leaves, Gardens & Parks, Historic Sites, Okayama, Sponsored, Temples & Shrines

Sponsored by Okayama City While Japan’s cherry blossom season has attained world renown, its fall foliage is at times just as impressive. The forests of Japan are cast in yellow, orange and red hues from late October through November and...

Korakuen Garden and Okayama Castle Fall Foliage

Discover Korakuen, One of Japan’s Best Gardens, and Okayama Castle During Autumn Foliage

December 19, 2018 Autumn Leaves, Castles, Gardens & Parks, Historic Sites, Okayama, Sponsored

Okayama City is full of sightseeing destinations if you’re looking to take in Japan’s famous fall scenery. The yellows, oranges and reds of autumn work their way down Honshu Island, starting in Aomori in late September and reaching Okayama by...

Kitsuki Samurai District, Oita Prefecture, Kyushu

Stroll Through Feudal Japan with Oita’s Historic Samurai Towns

December 9, 2018 Culture, Historic Sites, Kyushu, Oita, Sponsored

The samurai were once Japan’s most powerful social caste. These feudal warriors have since been mythologized in everything from Hollywood movies to Japan’s national football team, Samurai Blue. At the height of their social status during feudal times, however, they...

Green Tourism, Farm Stay Experience, Oita Prefecture, Kyushu

Enjoy Green Tourism with Farm Stay Experiences in Oita Prefecture

December 6, 2018 Culture, Kyushu, Oita, Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Rice, Ryokan, Sake & Alcohol, Sponsored, Tea, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo, Vegetarian & Vegan

Life in rural Japan is far removed from the mass of humanity you’ll find in a metropolis like Tokyo or Osaka. Farmland fills out much of the Japanese archipelago, offering a slow-paced lifestyle that is more tranquil and closer to...

Murakami Machiya Byobu Festival Screens Lacquerware Tea Shops Traditional Crafts Niigata

Traditional Machiya Byobu Exhibition in Murakami

November 12, 2018 Culture, Historic Sites, Niigata, Sponsored, Summer Festivals, Tea

Sponsored by Murakami City A former castle town, Murakami has plenty of contemporary renown, from its signature dried salmon, to its teahouses, elegant lacquerware and gourmet wagyu beef. But every year, from mid-September to mid-October, Murakami shifts its attention from...

Niigata Farmstay Rural Rice Harvesting Farming Experience Minshuku Takane Murakami

Green Tourism, Rice Harvesting in Murakami

November 10, 2018 Local Buses, Minshuku, Mountains, Niigata, Rice, Sponsored

Few would consider the former castle town of Murakami, Niigata, a metropolis. But the town may feel like one after arriving in Takane, a nearby village tucked away in the region’s mountains. With a population of just over 9,000, Takane is accessible in...

Murakami Beef Niigata Wagyu Sukiyaki Local Specialties Restaurants Food

Taste the exceptional Japanese Wagyu, Murakami Beef

November 8, 2018 Culture, Niigata, Ryokan, Shinkansen, Sponsored, Yakiniku

Sponsored by Murakami City Japanese wagyu is world-renowned, luxurious beef with superior taste and impressive marbling. Although Kobe beef and cattle from other regions of Japan may have name recognition, they don’t stand alone among wagyu brands. Murakami, a city...

Nakatsu Castle Walking Tour Oita Prefecture Historical Museum Samurai

Walking tour of Nakatsu’s castle town in Kyushu

October 14, 2018 Castles, Historic Sites, Museums & Galleries, Oita, Sponsored

Sponsored by Tourism Oita Nakatsu is a historic city that stands on the northern part of Oita. With easy access to some of the region’s other destinations, including Yabakei Gorge and Mt. Hiko, Nakatsu is a great basecamp for exploring...

Yabakei Gorge Ao no Domon Nature Scenery Oita Nakatsu

Discover Japan’s famous scenic spot, Yabakei Gorge in Nakatsu

October 12, 2018 Autumn Leaves, Kyushu, Mountains, National Parks, Oita, Sponsored, Temples & Shrines

Yabakei Gorge is area in central Oita Prefecture that is home to stunning natural land formations and historic cultural landmarks. One of the most scenic spots in Oita, and on the island of Kyushu more generally, it is a great destination year-round, but especially in the fall during foliage season.

Beppu, Onsen, Ryokan, Accomodation, Hot Spring, Jigoku, Hells, Bungo, Wagyu, Bath, Bar, Local Cuisine

Stay in a Ryokan at Beppu Onsen, known as the hot spring capital of Japan

October 10, 2018 Costs, Hotel Brunches & Afternoon Teas, Kaiseki, Kyushu, Oita, Onsen & Sento, Ryokan, Sponsored, Yakiniku

Sponsored by Tourism Oita Hot spring resort destinations dot the entire Japanese archipelago, but few have the name recognition of Beppu. This seaside onsen town is located in Oita Prefecture on the northeast coast of Kyushu. Its fame derives, in...

Bungo Wagyu Oita Beef Local Cuisine Food Restaurant Ryokan Beppu shabu shabu gourmet

Taste the Wagyu Beef in Oita, Kyushu: Bungo Beef

October 8, 2018 Kaiseki, Kyushu, Luxury Accommodation, Oita, Onsen & Sento, Ryokan, Sashimi, Sponsored, Yakiniku

Sponsored by Tourism Oita Japan is famed for its wagyu, luxurious Japanese beef characterized by superior taste and impressive marbling. While Kobe beef and other wagyu brands have world-wide renown, they don’t stand alone in the elite culinary world of...

Amagase Onsen in Hita: Stay in a Ryokan

October 6, 2018 Autumn Leaves, Kyushu, Luxury Accommodation, Mountains, Oita, Onsen & Sento, Ryokan, Sponsored, Sweets

Sponsored by Tourism Oita A small city in the western part of Oita Prefecture, the historic town of Hita is notable for its well-preserved old town, which is now a shopping district with many boutiques selling geta (traditional Japanese sandals)....

Ontayaki Onta Hita Oita Prefecture pottery ceramics local crafts folk art Mingei

Walking around the Ontayaki Pottery Village in Oita, Kyushu

October 5, 2018 Historic Sites, Kyushu, Museums & Galleries, Oita, Souvenirs, Sponsored

Sponsored by Tourism Oita Pottery towns dot the entirety of the Japanese archipelago, but Onta, a 300 year-old mountainside village in Kyushu's Oita Prefecture, stands apart from many of its peers. In the 1930s, Onta became an epicenter for Mingei, an...

Victoria Ski Snowboard Shop Equipment Tokyo Resort Gear Boots

Victoria Main Store – Eight Floors of Ski and Snowboard Equipment in Central Tokyo

June 12, 2018 Clothing, Essentials, Gunma, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Mountains, Nagano, Skiing & Snowboarding, Sponsored, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo, Winter

It is a little-known fact among foreigners that 73% of Japan is mountainous. With most of the Japanese residential population scattered between these summits in low-lying plains, the natural beauty of the mountains are left relatively untouched. In the winter...

Koenji Awa Odori: Tokyo’s Biggest Summer Dance Festival

May 29, 2018 Culture, Street Food, Summer Festivals, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

The Tokyo neighborhood of Koenji is known on most days for its trendy cafes, hipster live music venues, and its history as the birthplace of Japanese punk. But on the last Saturday and Sunday of August, the neighborhood is remade...

Experience Local Soba Making at Karuizawa

March 25, 2018 Culture, Gunma, Local Buses, Nagano, Onsen & Sento, Shinkansen, Skiing & Snowboarding, Soba, Sponsored, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

Sponsored by Seibu Holdings Inc. Soba is an essential part of Japanese food culture. The relatively thin noodle made from buckwheat flour is a staple of Japanese cuisine across the country, and is consumed in a variety of contexts—from train...

Staying at the Manza Prince Hotel

March 24, 2018 Gunma, Luxury Accommodation, Mountains, Onsen & Sento, Ryokan, Skiing & Snowboarding, Sponsored, Winter

Sponsored by Seibu Holdings Inc. Japan is home to some of the best skiing in Asia and the world, and Manza in Gunma Prefecture is one of the many high-quality skiing areas that can be easily accessed from the Tokyo...

Enjoy Skiing at Manza Ski Resort

March 24, 2018 Gunma, Luxury Accommodation, Mountains, Rail Passes, Shinkansen, Skiing & Snowboarding, Sponsored, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo, Winter

Sponsored by Seibu Holdings Inc. Located in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture, Manza is an ideal skiing getaway. At an 1,800m elevation, Mt. Manza features ideal powder snow conditions at its summit and natural hot spring baths at its base....

Toko Sake Brewery in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, Tohoku, Japan.

Check Out Toko Sake Brewery in Yonezawa

March 18, 2018 Culture, Historic Sites, Museums & Galleries, Sake & Alcohol, Sponsored, Tohoku, Winter, Yamagata

Sponsored by Yonezawa City While many foreigners know and love sake, Japan’s world-famous rice wine, few know about the deep traditions and complexity of sake brewing. In Japan, the multi-step process of crafting sake is considered an art form, and...

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Articles by Andrew Deck

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