When Sydney-based 1News Australia correspondent Jacob Johnson decided to propose to his partner, TVNZ+ producer Jessica Morris, there was never much doubt about where. Japan was the trip the couple had been talking about for years — so during an eight-day holiday taking in Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto, he popped the question in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.
The proposal itself came with a gloriously unglamorous backstory. Worried about the ring's safety during the trip, Johnson apparently kept it secured with Sellotape. And the timing? Morris had actually told him not to propose that morning — the pair had been out bar-hopping until the early hours, badly singing A-ha's 'Take On Me' with a friendly bartender, and she had no makeup on. He went ahead anyway, and she said yes.
The itinerary is a tidy template for a first-time Japan trip: four days in Tokyo, one night in Hakone — the hot-spring town with views of Mount Fuji — and three nights in Kyoto. Johnson also noted how muggy the weather was, with the couple constantly reloading on electrolyte drinks from Tokyo's vending machines, which really are on practically every corner.
Shinjuku Gyoen makes a fine proposal spot for a reason. It's one of Tokyo's largest and most beautiful gardens, blending French formal, English landscape and traditional Japanese design, and it's famous for cherry blossoms in spring and vivid foliage in autumn. Unlike some of the city's shrines and parks, it's spacious enough that you can find a quiet corner even on busy days — handy if you're hoping for a private moment.
The couple, who met in 2020 while both working at TVNZ in Wellington and started dating in late 2022, now live in Sydney's Redfern, with Morris working remotely and Johnson filing from the 9News office in North Sydney. Weddings are on hold for now: they're eyeing a quiet family ceremony in late 2028, and are heading home to New Zealand for Christmas — lead-up celebrations in Auckland, Christmas Day on the Wairarapa coast.
Why should travellers care? Because this is a reminder that Japan's most memorable moments often come from the unscripted stuff — a late-night karaoke-adjacent bar session, a hot and sweaty garden stroll, a convenience-store run — rather than a rigid checklist. The Tokyo-Hakone-Kyoto route is popular for a reason, though. Tokyo delivers neon and gardens side by side; Hakone breaks up the pace with onsen baths and mountain air; and Kyoto's temples and tea districts give the trip a calm finish. If you're planning something similar, book Shinjuku Gyoen for a morning visit — it closes relatively early in the afternoon, and the light is best before the crowds build. Just maybe skip the hangover before any big life moments.
The story comes via NZ Herald Travel's Society Insider column, which also covers Auckland's Solstice fashion showcase at Commercial Bay — a four-day runway event with more than 20 local and international brands.
