Welcome to Uncharted Japan! This is the launch of a new and exciting venture we hope all will find informational and entertaining. We are John and Josephine Haynes and share your love and interest in Japan. Our story is somewhat unique among those with Japan related websites and Youtube Channels. Josephine was born and raised in Osaka Japan. Her father was born in Japan. His father and his father’s father were all born in Japan. In fact, her great-great grandparents sailed from New York City to Japan in 1861 as some of the earliest westerners after Japan had just opened to the outside world after more than 200 years of isolation.
Her ancestors arrived as missionaries and lived in an abandoned Buddhist temple for their first year before settling in Yokohama on the very grounds where Commodore Matthew Perry signed the Japan American trade agreements. Her great-great grandparents and grandfather are all buried in the Foreigner’s Cemetery in Yokohama and the church they founded, the Kaigan Church still stands today in Yokohama on Kaigan Church Street. With this long history comes a deep love for the Japanese people and the land.
We are now starting the Uncharted Japan YouTube Channel that provides viewers with special insights into things to see and do while in Japan. Our focus isn’t so much on the major tourist spots of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto; those have been well covered by others, although we will certainly include some points of interests in them. But rather our focus is on the lesser known parts of Tokyo in the countryside and smaller towns that provide visitors a more authentic feel of Japan. One goal is to take you to places that are less crowded and off the beaten path so you see the hidden gems of Japan that few foreigners do.
So come along with us and please visit us on YouTube (coming soon) to get the full experience. We appreciate you being here and hope you will subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you can plan your future journey to Japan.