Rob Goss

Rob first came to Japan as an English teacher but has been making a living as a writer for the past 15 years.

His work has included spending time with farmers on the remote Oki Islands to learn about bull sumo for Roads & Kingdoms, looking into Okinawan longevity for National Geographic, and attempting to interview the cat that saved a Japanese railway for the BBC.

He’s also edited and updated roughly 20 books on Japan and written seven of his own, including Japanese Inns & Hot Springs and the 2018 NATJA Gold Awarding-winning Japan Traveler’s Companion.

Rob came to Japan 20 years ago to teach English on a gap year, but a combination of Cupid’s arrow and an endless source of good stories and places to explore has kept him rooted here ever since.

As a writer, he loves to tell stories that go beyond the stereotyping and exoticizing of Japan – that open an authentic window into the country and hopefully show that while Japanese culture can feel so different, there’s a lot more that unites the Japanese with people from beyond their shores.

Right now, I’d settle for being able to get back to Devon to see the Westcountry side of the family and have a decent pastie.