Hi there, I'm Amy from Cakes with Faces
Today I've got some news for you
I'm running a Kickstarter!
Now I've always found that travel guides to Japan aren't that useful
They're full of lists of hotels
And places you might not be that interested in
The same "Top 10 Things to Do in Tokyo" you hear about everywhere.
They don't tell you everything you need to know about practical things
Like how to use the trains
Which tickets to get
Where& how to get your travel money
Will your credit cards work?
And what the food's like
And how to do things if you don't speak Japanese.
I find they often don't tell you what's really interesting about places.
So I thought I'd put that right
And make my own.
"Your Guide to Japan" is everything that I think travel guides should be.
I've worked really hard to make it genuinely useful.
Now you might not realise this
But every day I get questions from you guys
Right here in the comments
In emails & in messages on Instagram
All of these questions about planning your own trips to Japan.
That gives me a good idea of all the things you need to know.
And it's all in my book.
Along with tips from my own experiences
And all the interesting places I've found
From travelling to Japan over the last 10 years.
If you've watched my videos
Especially my Japlanning trip planning series
You'll know I always try & make them as useful as possible
And it's exactly the same with my book
I wanted to make something you can use
To plan your own trip to Japan
Then take with you when you go.
The book is 300 pages long
It's full colour with photos & illustrations.
It'll be professionally printed
As a paperback book
With coloured page edges!
That's very important
I'm a bit of a book nerd about things like that!
The whole book's written already.
I've got all the content done.
Now I'm focussing on the layout & editing.
The Kickstarter is to fund the printing.
I've also designed some special edition items as rewards.
I'll tell you a bit more about them in a minute.
First I'll talk you through what's in the book.
Firstly, you couldn't have a travel guide without lots of ideas for things to do.
There's day trips,
What there is in different areas,
And things to do organised by what you're interested in
Like anime, or nature and animals
Traditional Japan
Or places you can just go wandering
And see all those picturesque Japanese streets
There's a planner to help you book everything right from the start
With checklists to help you get everything sorted.
There's spaces for you to write in
To help you work things out.
Like your budget,
Or which hotel to pick.
And places to keep a note of important details,
Liek your flight times, check-in times,
And how to find your hotel.
And there's practical information
About how to get by in Japan.
It's also partly a travel journal
To record your memories
And all the little things you might otherwise forget.
It focusses mainly on Tokyo
Because that's where most people go.
There's also a section of highlights from other areas of Japan.
I've been working on this for over a year,
To plan everything out
And make sure it includes everything you need
Based on all the things you guys ask me
And all the things you might be concerned about
Just like I was before I first went to Japan.
And you can help make this happen
With my Kickstarter!
Now I want to be completely clear
That none of your pledges will go towards funding my trips to Japan
I've already been many times
And the book's already written.
I'd never ask you to fund my travel.
The Kickstarter's to get the book printed.
So you can get a copy of my book if you support my Kickstarter.
Which starts today!
I've designed some special edition items as extra rewards for you to choose from.
First is this travel pouch.
This is a sample I've had made to check the quality.
It's just the right size for your passport,
Maybe your train pass,
All those important little bits & pieces you don't want to lose.
Maybe your travel money.
There's a pocket inside for coins.
Next is some washi tape
(Washi tape? I never know how to say that!)
There's two designs and you get one of each.
There's an A5 notebook.
It's exercise book style.
It's plain inside, for you to make extra notes for your planning.
Or keep a diary, or sketchbook on your trip.
The last thing is a special edition t-shirt
With my Japanese inari fox design.
The patterns in the backround
Are actually inspired by traditional Japanese patterns.
Which all have a meaning.
It's actually really interesting.
Anyway the t-shirt comes in standard mens sizes & womens slim fit.
Up to size 2XL.
The sizing's the same as all my other t-shirts
If you have one of them already.
After the Kickstarter's finished
You'll receive an email asking which size you want.
This is my first time running a Kickstarter
I've designed & produced loads of items for Cakes with Faces
Since I started back in 2011.
But it's actually quite nerve-wracing running a Kickstarter
So I hope you'll support me.
I've worked really hard
To make this book everything a travel guide should be
And as you know, I love Japan
And have so much to share with you.
There's a link to my Kickstarter page in the description.
It's going to be running until the 2nd April.
All the details are on there.
Previews of the pages
What's in the book
And pictures of the rewards.
If you have any questions you can ask me right here in the comments.
And I'll be back next week
With more videos about Japan
Thank you so much for your support.
I'll see you next week!