Just a guy from Tennessee who fell in love with Japan.

 

Hello, my name is Dustin, founder of Go Explore Japan.

Before Go Explore Japan, I spent more than a decade building and running Tennessee Mountain Tours in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee (feel free to google it). Under my leadership the company became the #1 rated tour company in the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area, with tens of thousands of guests, many repeat customers, and a 4.8-star average rating. I've since handed the reigns off to focus 100% on Go Explore Japan. 

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That experience taught me something important: a great trip is not just about where you go. It is about clear communication, smooth planning, good timing, reliable support, and making sure travelers feel taken care of from beginning to end.

Like a lot of people, I spent years saying, “I’d love to go to Japan someday.”

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I had always loved Asian culture, Japanese food, anime, history, and the feeling that Japan was somehow both completely different and deeply welcoming. But for years, I made the same excuses a lot of people make. It felt too far away, too expensive, too confusing, or just too hard to plan.

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Then in 2018, I finally stopped waiting and booked the trip. That decision changed my life. What started as one personal adventure quickly became a deep love for Japan. Since then, I have continued returning, exploring, learning, filming, guiding, and spending extended time in places like Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, and beyond. I have made the same rookie mistakes first-time visitors make, learned from them, and built Go Explore Japan around helping other travelers avoid that stress.

 

Why I Built Go Explore Japan

 

Japan is one of the most incredible places on Earth, but for first-time visitors, it can also be overwhelming.

The train stations are massive. Booking websites are often difficult to use. Many experiences are hard to reserve from overseas. Cultural etiquette is not always obvious. And even when you have watched every YouTube video and read every travel blog, there is still a big difference between knowing where you want to go and actually knowing how to make the trip work smoothly.

On my early trips, I remember thinking, “I wish I had someone I could just ask.”

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Not a luxury guide standing beside me every second of the day. Not some overpriced, cookie-cutter tour. Just someone who understood Japan, understood American travelers, and could help me avoid wasting time, money, and energy.

That is the safety net I wanted to build.

 

What We Do

 

At Go Explore Japan, we help American travelers experience Japan with less stress and more confidence.

We help with planning, bookings, itinerary structure, travel flow, difficult reservations, transportation questions, and on-the-ground support. Our goal is to make Japan feel less intimidating without taking away the adventure. You still get the excitement of exploring Japan. You just don't have to figure everything out alone.

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Because we work with travel partners and commissions, our planning support does not require a separate out-of-pocket planning fee. That allows us to help regular travelers, families, couples, and small groups experience Japan without turning the trip into some luxury-only, Beverly Hills-style vacation. I was born to a poor family in the mountains of East Tennessee ... I know money doesn't grown on trees.

 

My Promise

 

I am not building Go Explore Japan from behind a desk.

I am actively traveling in Japan, studying the language, learning the culture, building relationships, and improving the experience for our guests every step of the way. I have been studying Japanese for over four years, and while I am still learning, my goal is simple. To help bridge the gap between the American traveler’s expectations and the real Japan they came to experience.

 

日本が大好きです。
Nihon ga daisuki desu — I love Japan.

That love is the heart of this company.

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My promise is to bring the same sincerity, honesty, care, attention to detail, and southern hospitality that East Tennessee is known for — the same values that helped me build a top-rated tour company in the Smoky Mountains — and use them to help you have a smooth, comfortable, and unforgettable adventure in Japan.

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— Dustin Ownby

Company Founder

 

Japanese Kanji - 大寿天 王運美
(Dai-su-ten Ō-un-bi)
Meaning: “Great heavenly longevity, king of fortune & beauty.”