Top 10 Readers’ Photos: December 2018 in Japan

That's a wrap for 2018. Thank you for your submissions and keep tagging your photos #GaijijnPotTravel for 2019!

And that’s a wrap for 2018 — can you believe it! Throughout the year you’ve floored us time and time again with your creativity, insight and mad skillz on the camera, flooding the GaijinPot Travel hashtag with more than 10,000 unique snapshots of Japan. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to curate the best readers’ photos each month — a project we’re looking forward to continuing in 2019.

This month’s photos together encapsulate the essence of what #GaijinPotTravel is. To close 2018, we have an emotive collection of unique perspectives of Japan, where framing, compositions and subject choices reveal a new discovery for everyone to share.

But the best thing this list demonstrates to us? There’s still so much left to explore and we can’t wait.

Happy New Year from all of us at GaijinPot Travel and see you in 2019.

1. This infamous photo spot gets elevated to the next level. Who knew you could SUP on Lake Ashinoko?

2. This construction in Shibuya looks oddly beautiful, almost like an abandoned tower covered in dark green weeds.

3. Cheeky.

4. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the hardest working of them all?

5. This shot makes Ochanomizu look like a model train set.

6. 7/11 and Mt. Fuji — both Japanese icons of sorts.

7. On the park side of Tokyo Tower, there’s a stairwell from which you can take this shot.

8. Remembering the late, great Anthony Bourdain at the picture-perfect Shirakawago.

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"Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that's ok. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind."-Anthony Bourdain ♥️ Every place we have been so far has changed us. It truly is eye-opening to experience people who are different, yet so universally similar at the same time. Seeing the beauty of the most simple things that make people happy. One of my goals as we continue to travel is to leave something good behind. I want to mingle more with everyday locals, hear their stories, and maybe share them if they don't mind. At the end of the day, every place we go is made up of people also hustling and surviving in their own unique way. I'm excited to continue to inspire everyone here through our images and words. Where are you traveling to in 2019? . . . . . #shirakawago #japanbeauty #historicalplaces #japanesealps #mountainous #snowlovers #japanculture #japanawaits #visitjapanjp #gaijinpottravel #japan_of_insta #japanlovers #travelquotes #traveldeep #travelislove #exploretheglobe #openyoureyes #wanderingsoul #travelwriting #passionpassport #bbctravel #travelblogging #travellocal

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9. Feels like a still from a Japanese police drama.

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Urban ninja

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10. A moment that feels happy and sad at the same time and we can’t work out why.

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かぞく

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As always, don’t forget to tag your photo on Instagram or Twitter with #GaijinPotTravel for a chance to be featured on our site!