Denise Stephens

Freelance writer and photographer

New Zealand

I'm a freelance travel writer based in Auckland, New Zealand. My work has appeared in print and digital media in New Zealand and internationally, including the Sunday Star Times, Otago Daily Times, New Zealand Herald, Verve, Vacations & Travel, and Fly Solomons.

I aim to inform and inspire readers so that they can take the next step in making their dream trip a reality.

Recent destinations include Tohoku, Nagoya and Tokyo in Japan. Forthcoming destinations include Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and another trip to Tokyo and Kyoto.

I am a member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers and Travmedia.

Portfolio
Verve Magazine
05/31/2026
Walking Through Old Japan

The Nakasendo Road winds through centuries-old villages and forests in the Japanese Alps.

Otago Daily Times Online News
07/06/2026
Visiting 'Japan's Niagara'

Denise Stephens follows a trail through a mossy green forest in the north of Japan. A frothing veil of water tumbled into a pool that was almost...

Otago Daily Times Online News
01/26/2026
Another side of Japan

Inuyama had everything Denise Stephens was looking for in a traditional Japanese town - a castle, shrines and temples, a classic garden, and a...

Otago Daily Times Online News
04/14/2025
Lighting up Lunar New Year

Denise Stephens experiences the vibrant spectacle that is Taiwan's national Lantern Festival. We stepped out of Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station...

Verve Magazine
02/21/2025
Going Local in Tokyo

First-time visitors to Tokyo gravitate to the bright lights and towering skyscrapers of Shinjuku and Shibuya. But here is another side of Tokyo.