Lily Crossley-Baxter, Author at VOYAPON

Lily Crossley-Baxter

I’m a travel and culture writer from North Wales, but I’ve been based in Japan for the past six years. I love exploring the rural side of Japan, especially to see communities working on unusual regeneration projects. I spent my first year here in Mie prefecture, later moving to Tokyo and am really lucky to have been able to experience both sides of daily life. Between onsen, the food and the unique festivals, I have so many places left to explore in Japan but also love getting out of the country to travel abroad — it gives you a great perspective on what makes each place unique.

7 articles

Articles by Lily Crossley-Baxter

From Itoyama to Onomichi: A Cycling Guide Along the Shimanami Kaido

January 19, 2021 Beaches & Islands, Cycling, Ehime, Ferries, Historic Sites, Language, Museums & Galleries, Shikoku, Sponsored

‘Konnichiwa!” called the students enthusiastically, receiving my breathless replies with encouraging good humour. I was pedalling past each other on the quiet island roads of Iwagi on the Seto Inland Sea, and my adventures on the Shimanami Kaido were just...

Relax and Discover the Local Life of Setouchi Along the Shimanami Kaido

January 19, 2021 Beaches & Islands, Culture, Cycling, Ferries, First Time in Japan, Local Buses, Sponsored, Summer 2 Comments

With chickens clucking around my feet, I spot a perfect lemon up in the branches. Stretching, I snip with shears and carefully place my first fruit in the basket. I’m picking lemons on a small island in the Seto Inland...

Pirates and Samurai Shrines: Seeking Japanese History Along the Shimanami Kaido

January 19, 2021 Castles, Cycling, Historic Sites, Museums & Galleries, Shikoku, Sponsored

Between beautiful views and fresh island produce, the Shimanami Kaido is an excellent cycling trip full of Japanese history. From Samurai Shrines to Japanese pirates, the Setouchi islands it traverses offer up a wealth of legends and battlegrounds. While I cycled...

Exploring Contemporary Architecture Through the Toyo Ito Museum

January 19, 2021 Cycling, Museums & Galleries, Shikoku, Sponsored

Perched on the edge of Omishima Island in the Setouchi region of Japan, the striking design of the Toyo Ito Museum is a uniquely eye-catching introduction to the renowned architect’s creativity. Surrounded by mikan mandarin orange trees and overlooking the...

Rishiri Island: Mist, Mountains, and Sea Urchins

December 3, 2020 Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Mountains, National Parks, Souvenirs, Sponsored, Sweets

The mist was the defining factor of my experience on Rishiri Island (利尻島, Rishiri-tō). It became a welcome companion to my explorations, coiled around the jagged peak of the eponymous central mountain, floated above the surface of the lakes, and greeted me...

An Unexpected Stay on Hokkaido’s Rebun Island

December 3, 2020 Beaches & Islands, Hiking, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Ramen, Soba, Sponsored

“Canceled?” I asked, looking out to the blue skies across our coast-side hotel breakfast. It seemed unlikely, but our boat — along with others that day — was indeed cancelled. I feigned disappointment as the high tides were blamed, and...

Seashell road on Soya Hill on Wakkanai, Hokkaido

Wakkanai: The Great Outdoors and Curling on the Northern Tip of Hokkaido

December 3, 2020 Fishing, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Sashimi, Sponsored, Summer, Sushi

Learning the art of curling from a 79-year-old Japanese man had never really been on my bucket list, but it was turning out to be one of the best things I’d ever tried. I was awful — that was a...

Articles by Lily Crossley-Baxter

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