And her blog is really something, too, turning family travel in Japan into a fun and accessible adventure – complete with honest commentary about strollers, playgrounds, cultural dos and don’ts, and where to find the best kid-friendly meals.
Today she shares how she became a Tokyo-based blogger with affiliate success and a loyal audience.
How The Tokyo Chapter came to be
I first arrived in Japan as a high school exchange student, living in the countryside where daily life felt worlds away from the neon buzz of Tokyo. Later, I returned for university and corporate roles at Japanese companies. When I settled in Tokyo with my small children, I figured I’d already “done” Japan in so many ways – so how hard could mum life be?
Turns out, pretty hard. Daily tasks like grocery shopping suddenly felt complicated when I also had to think about finding breastfeeding spots.
I also wanted to keep exploring the country, even with two little ones in tow. So, I started The Tokyo Chapter partly as a diary, partly as a way to answer the same questions from friends that I’d noticed popping up in my inbox: Which restaurants welcome kids? Where can I find a playground near this shrine? How can I make sure we’re being culturally sensitive travelers? The blog quickly grew from a personal project into a genuine resource for parents visiting or living in Japan.
I love how family travel has evolved – people aren’t just dragging their kids to famous landmarks these days. They want everyone to enjoy the journey, learn from the culture, and come home with shared memories. The biggest reward for me has been watching families use my tips to turn these trips into adventures.
Monetizing The Tokyo Chapter
I only started monetizing my blog about a year ago. The setup was easier than I expected, and affiliate advertising fit seamlessly with the content I created.
I’m thrilled to be making four to five figures a month from affiliate links, which still feels surreal. The trick is placing them where they make sense – you won’t see me randomly inserting booking widgets in a post about temples if I’m not discussing accommodations. The links appear organically right where readers need them.
My best-performing affiliate program is Booking.com.
People trust my genuine reviews, and what encourages them to purchase are the details, details, details. They want photos of the room, info on baby cots, freebies for guests, or whether there’s a playground nearby. When parents have all those practical insights in one place, it becomes easier for them to hit Book – no hard sell required.
How to win over both Google and your readers
Today, most of my traffic comes organically via Google, which makes me extra glad I spent time on SEO during the pandemic. I don’t believe in keyword stuffing, but I think it’s important to structure posts so the right people can find them. Google is getting smarter about highlighting conversational, helpful content over purely optimized text.
Niching down – the key to growth
When I started, I noticed plenty of generic info about Japan online (must-see temples, top sightseeing spots) but very little about practical, parent-focused details. So I leaned into that gap.
If you’re new to travel blogging, I always say: don’t be afraid to get super specific. With so much noise on the internet, a well-defined niche helps you stand out.
In my case, the niche was family travel in Japan, but it went deeper than that. I wanted to discuss strollers and bullet train seats with views for toddler train lovers, or how to find less-crowded corners of a busy tourist spot so kids can stretch their legs. That level of detail resonates most with my readers because it solves real problems. They don’t have to guess if a restaurant will have a high chair or if a particular walkway is stroller-friendly – I tell them.
Once I started focusing on those specifics, I found that parents appreciated having everything they needed to plan a smoother trip. Better yet, they shared my posts with friends. That organic word-of-mouth is how The Tokyo Chapter took off.
Figuring out what to write about
When deciding what to write about next, I look at the questions in my inbox. If multiple people message me asking how to navigate the Tokyo Metro with a stroller, that’s my next blog post. If a mum writes, “I’m anxious about taking a toddler to a hot spring. Any tips?” – I’ll turn that into a guide on onsen etiquette, potential pitfalls, and ways to make it fun for little ones.
I also love turning frustrations upside down. If parents say they felt lost in Harajuku and couldn’t find a child-friendly meal, I’ll research all the local spots, test them, and share my findings.
I do have a rule for myself: no writing in the moment. If I’m out exploring, I’m fully present. I snap photos and scribble down a few notes, and that’s it. Later, on quieter days, I transform those notes into comprehensive blog posts. This helps me capture the little details families need, like exactly how many staircases you’ll climb at a certain shrine, without missing out on the experience itself.
My real passion lies in problem-solving for people who want to be respectful visitors and have an authentic experience.
That’s why I also get a lot of direct traffic – people who know The Tokyo Chapter is a go-to for planning family trips, so they come straight to my site to see what’s new or revisit older posts.
Embracing a conversational, personal style
Along with niching down, I’ve found that my personal, chatty tone has helped me weather the recent Google algorithm changes. I’m no SEO wizard, but genuine, human-sounding content seems to rank better these days – especially when it’s posted consistently and updated often.
Instead of stiff, guidebook-style instructions, I write how I talk to a friend. If I’m covering Kyoto with two toddlers, for example, I’ll say, “Here’s how we tackled it, step by step,” rather than, “You must do these three activities.” Readers respond to personal touches like how a kids’ menu saved my day because it helps them picture themselves in the same situation.
That blend of honest storytelling and regular updates keeps families and search engines returning for more.
Diving into the data
I check Google Analytics regularly to understand which posts resonate the most, where people drop off, and what new topics might be worth exploring. While I haven’t fully mastered SubIDs or Travelpayouts’ Content Analytics, I’m working on it. Seeing which pages drive bookings would help me double down on what’s working best.
I also notice seasonal patterns in traffic. Winter ski trips and spring cherry blossoms draw massive interest, so I update older content and add fresh details around those times. If a cafe near the slopes suddenly closes or a new cherry blossom viewing spot opens, I want my readers to have the latest information.
I’ve tried tinkering with different affiliate partners for tours, car rentals, and events like sumo matches, but I only recommend them once I’ve personally tested them. That extra layer of caution means slower rollouts, but it helps keep my content trustworthy.
Hot tips for aspiring travel bloggers
If you’re looking to start or grow your travel blog, especially one that leans on affiliate marketing, here are a few takeaways from my journey:
- Niche down fiercely. There’s a lot of noise online, so be the best at something super specific.
- Write as you talk. A friendly, personal tone draws readers in and helps them connect with your experiences.
- Answer real questions. If you get the same inquiry twice, that’s a topic worth covering in depth.
- Stay genuine. Recommending places you’ve never been can erode trust fast. Show your real-life experience instead.
- Experiment and learn. Don’t fear new platforms or analytics tools – try them out, see what sticks, and pivot if needed.
Above all, remember that success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a blend of focus, patience, and continual improvement. My biggest reward is hearing from parents who say The Tokyo Chapter made their trip to Japan smoother and more memorable.
That sense of connection and shared experience keeps me energized, even on days when I’m juggling kids, laundry, and a new blog post deadline all at once.
Ready to see how affiliate marketing can support your blog? Check out Travelpayouts and discover how to monetize your content – just like I did with The Tokyo Chapter.
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