Insider
Unseen Japan
The Japan you don't learn about in anime.
Founder, Unseen Japan
Jay Allen
I'm a Tokyo-based journalist who's covered Japan since 2018 as the founder of Unseen Japan, a publication cited by Time, NPR, and others. A software engineer and technical writer turned reporter, I earned my JLPT N1 certification in 2018. When I'm not writing, I personally plan and guide a handful of tours each season.
Support my writing
Insider is how Unseen Japan keeps going. When you join, you're not just backing me: you're directly funding every writer on our team to keep telling the stories the headlines skip. Members read the whole site ad-free, and get bonus content each week that goes deeper than our usual news rotation. Here are four of my most-read pieces:
Get my Tokyo Nightlife Guide
Unseen Japan After Dark 18+
My field guide to Tokyo after dark: a full description of all nightlife business types and dozens of vetted venues, each with what to know, hours, and (actual) pricing. Explore on your own with confidence, or find what interests you and ask me to show you around.
Get the guide →Tour with me directly
Come see Japan with the founder of UJ. I run a small set of my own experiences, from a private custom day in Tokyo to an evening of food under the tracks. Book any of them and let's have a fun day or evening in Tokyo seeing the sights and chatting about Japanese history and culture.
The Unseen Tokyo Tour
A private, fully custom day in Tokyo, planned and guided by me. You pick what you are curious about; I handle the route, the reservations, the language, and the stories most visitors never hear.
Dinner Under the Tracks
My small-group evening through Yurakucho, eating and drinking our way along the izakaya tucked under the train tracks. Food and a drink at every stop are included.
Tokyo After Hours 18+
A guided walk into the corners of Tokyo nightlife that visitors who don't speak Japanese almost never reach. Built around your comfort level, start to finish.