Yuri Awanohara
I caught the travel bug from the time I was born; by the time I was 5, I had lived in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Hawaii. Growing up, my family traveled extensively both for work and play. I've worked as a guide in Japan for various companies over 11 years and organized trips all across Asia and South America. I lived in Argentina, Brazil, India, and Nepal, and am always looking for the next place to call home.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"Japan, Tibet, India, Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil are the places I feel most comfortable in. I love food (markets, cooking, eating!), hot springs, hiking, authentic cultural experiences with a preference to less urban destinations."
How did you get involved in travel?
"I moved to Japan in 2006 to spend time with my grandparents and became a guide, allowing me to work with my passion. I've been to over 60 countries in the past decade and have so many memorable experiences from each of them."
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"I've been incredibly fortunate to travel to Tibet 8 times, exploring the far west regions, and will never forget seeing otherworldly landscapes with herds of wild Tibetan donkeys and antelope with no sign of human life anywhere to be seen."
Yuri's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice
Japan is famous for its Spring cherry blossoms and its changing colors in Autumn, but there are beautiful places to see in every season. Japan stretches from subtropical...
Japan is roughly the size of California, with thousands of islands offering a huge variety of things to see and do. You can experience some of the world's best powder skiing in...