Andrew Marston

Videographer

Andrew is a videographer for japan-guide.com. He grew up in Maine, USA and first visited Japan in 2006. In 2011 he cycled the length of Japan, but now prefers travelling by shinkansen. He enjoys taking sunset timelapses, making motion graphics, and eating Indian food. To the dismay of his co-workers he often reads terrible puns on the internet and says them out loud in the office.

Most recent posts

Sakura 2019: Hakodate Report

The first cherry blossom season report this year was nearly seven weeks ago and now the blossoms are coming to an end on Japan’s main island Honshu. Yesterday I visited Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture and found that...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Hirosaki Report

On Japan’s main island, Honshu, the cherry blossom season has come to an end in all but the most northern areas. Last week on Thursday, Joe visited Hirosaki Castle and found that full bloom had arrived. Similarly,...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Hirosaki Report

The cherry blossom season has come to an end in the southern half of Japan and is winding down in southern cities of the Tohoku Region such as Fukushima and Sendai. However many places in the northern part of Honshu...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Kitakami Report

As we enter the final full week of April, the cherry blossom season has come to an end across the southern half of Japan. If you’re hoping to see the petals in person, this week the higher altitudes and elevations of...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Kyoto Report

In most major cities across southern Japan, this weekend is a good time to see the cherry blossoms looking their best. Yesterday Raina reported that Takamatsu, located in northwestern Shikoku, was at full bloom and...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Yoshino Report

Today I visited the most famous cherry blossom viewing spots in the country, Mount Yoshino. The north facing slope is covered in around 30,000 cherry trees of different varieties.Due to somewhat cooler...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Okayama Report

The cherry blossom season is now starting to come into its own across southern Japan. Today Hiroshima officially announced that it has reached full bloom. Most major cities from Fukuoka to Tokyo will likely be...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Himeji Report

As we enter the middle of the first week of April, the cherry blossoms across southern Japan are starting to look their best. Yesterday Raina reported that blossoms in Iwakuni and Hiroshima are now entering their...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Kyoto Report

The cherry blossoms were officially announced to have started opening in Kyoto on March 27 this year. Today I went to Japan’s former capital city to check on the progress of the cherry trees since Raina’s report...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2019: Fukuoka Report

The cherry blossom season is now well underway across the southern half of Japan. As Charly reported yesterday, Tokyo is currently nearly at full bloom and is expected to be looking its best through the second half of...
By Andrew Marston·

Travel Highlights 2018

As a videographer for japan-guide.com, 2018 was marked by many memorable projects and events. It was difficult to choose, but after much deliberation here are my top ten travel highlights from the past year.#10:...
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2018: Mount Fuji Report

Today I returned to the Fuji Five Lakes region and found that overall the trees had advanced past peak in most areas. The narrow exception was on the northern side of Lake Kawaguchiko where the maples were still looking fairly full and colorful. Even here, however, I predict conditions won’t stay peak for more than another week at most.
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2018: Hakone Report

As November gets underway, the autumn colors in southern Tohoku and the lower elevations of central Japan are also starting to come into their own. This week, Joe reported that Naruoko Gorge west of Sendai is at peak...
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2018: Kyoto Report

The autumn colors here in Japan continue to spread to lower latitudes and elevations as temperatures cool and the season progresses. Last Thursday Sam confirmed that Urabandai was at peak colors, and the day after...
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2018: Asahidake Report

Two weeks ago I reported that the fall colors in Hokkaido were at their peak on Mount Asahidake and Mount Kurobe in Daisetsuzan National Park. Since then, last week Sam aptly reported that the fall colors were looking...
By Andrew Marston·

After the Earthquake: A trip to Sapporo

Earlier this month on September 6th a strong earthquake hit Hokkaido about 60 kilometers southeast of Sapporo, the prefectural capital, very near to the coastal city of Tomakomai. Over forty people died and hundred...
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2018: Kurodake Report

Yesterday was the first report of many for the 2018 japan-guide.com autumn colors reporting season. Usually each year the leaves first start to change in the higher elevations of the northern island Hokkaido and...
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2018: Asahidake Report

After a particularly hot summer, this report marks the start of the 11th annual autumn color reporting season at japan-guide.com. For the next three months our staff will be reporting on the conditions of the fall...
By Andrew Marston·

Golfing in Hokkaido at Nidom

Welcome back for the second installment of our Golf in Japan series, my own personal crusade to turn Japan into the world’s number one golfing destination....
By Andrew Marston·

Playing Golf Near Mt. Fuji

Combined with the country’s legendary standards of hospitality, a meal after nine holes, and a relaxing bath afterwards, I can testify that playing golf in Japan is a real treat.
By Andrew Marston·

2018 Sapporo Snow Festival

Today marks the start of the 69th annual Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri), which will continue until February 12. This is the most famous snow festival in Japan. The three main locations to experience the...
By Andrew Marston·

Travel Highlights 2017

2017 was my first year with japan-guide.com and it has gone by quite quickly. Through filming videos for our new YouTube channel, writing reports, researching new locations, or just sightseeing for fun, about 40% of...
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2017: Tokyo Report

As autumn carries on, it seems that the fall colors (koyo) are now starting to emerge in both Kyoto and Korankei, as Raina has reported for the past couple of days. Today I went to the nation’s captial, Tokyo, to...
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2017: Mount Fuji Report

The season for autumn colors in Japan is about at its mid-point with leaves starting to change in Kyoto, at their peak at Koyasan, and as Raina reported today even Tokyo is now seeing some color. Today I was back in...
By Andrew Marston·

Koyo 2017: Mount Fuji Report

Currently the autumn colors (koyo) are at their peak in the northern half of Japan, and in the coming weeks the southern half of the country will be following suit. Today, while Joe was reporting on the fall foliage...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2017: Kyoto Report

With nearly every city in western Japan having declared their sakura season to be in full bloom (mankai), now we can only hope the pedals hold as long as possible to preserve the peak viewing conditions. Last Friday...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2017: Kamakura Report

With all cities in western Japan having officially declared their 2017 sakura season open (kaika), now everyone is focused on when full bloom (mankai) will happen.Earlier this week Tokyo officially declared that it...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2017: Tokyo Report

In line with Sam’s predictions last Friday, this seems to be the week to see the cherry blossoms in Tokyo. After a relatively cold spring which seemed to delay the 2017 sakura season, finally temperatures are...
By Andrew Marston·

Sakura 2017: Tokyo Report

Although Tokyo’s sakura season officially opened several days ahead of the rest of Japan, blossom develop seems to have temporarily stalled. Over the weekend temperatures were lower than average across the country...
By Andrew Marston·