Cookie Settings
Last updated: January 2026
This page explains how Nippon Rain uses cookies and similar technologies, what each type does, and how you can control your preferences. We've kept it straightforward because cookie policies shouldn't require a law degree to understand. If anything here is unclear, contact us and we'll explain it in plain English.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites store on your browser or device. They're used to remember things — like whether you've visited a site before, what's in your shopping cart, or preferences you've selected. Think of them as the website's short-term memory.
We also use localStorage, which is a similar technology that stores data in your browser with a bit more space and no expiration date. We use localStorage to remember your cookie preferences so we don't have to ask you every time you visit. The difference between cookies and localStorage is mostly technical — from your perspective, they serve the same purpose of remembering your choices.
Cookies and localStorage data are stored on your device. We don't store this information on our servers. When you clear your browser data, these preferences are deleted. You can also manage them through your browser settings at any time. Neither cookies nor localStorage can carry viruses or install malware on your device — they're just text files.
Some people prefer to disable all cookies for privacy reasons. That's completely valid, and we'll explain how to do that below. Just be aware that disabling all cookies may cause some websites (including ours) to not function optimally. The cookie banner will keep appearing, for one thing, because we won't be able to remember that you've already dismissed it.
How We Use Cookies
We use cookies and localStorage for three categories of purposes. You can control the non-essential categories using the toggles below. We don't use cookies for advertising, behavioral tracking, or building user profiles. We literally don't have advertisers, so there's nothing to personalize.
1. Site Function (Essential) — Always On
These cookies and localStorage items are necessary for the website to function properly. They enable basic features like navigation and cookie preference storage. Without these, the site wouldn't work correctly.
What we store: Your cookie consent preference (accepted, declined, or custom) so we don't show the banner on every page load.
Why we can't disable this: The site needs to remember that you've made a cookie choice. Otherwise, you'd see the cookie banner on every single page, which would be annoying. This preference is stored in your browser's localStorage and never sent to our servers.
Duration: This preference persists until you clear your browser data or change your preference on this page.
2. Readership Stats (Optional) — Off by Default
These cookies help us understand which articles are being read and how visitors move through the site. This data is completely anonymous — we can't identify individual visitors from it. We use it to figure out which content is helpful and what we should write more about.
What we collect: Page views, approximate time spent on pages, scroll depth (how far down the page you read), and referral sources (which website sent you to us, if any). All data is aggregated and anonymous.
What we DON'T collect: Your name, email, IP address (we anonymize it), location beyond country level, browsing history on other sites, or anything that could identify you personally. We don't build user profiles. We don't track you across the internet. We don't know who you are.
Why you might want to enable this: It genuinely helps us improve our content. If we see that thousands of people read our packing guide but skip the city guides, we know where to focus our efforts. No data means we're guessing. You're essentially voting with your pageviews on what content matters most.
Duration: Analytics data is retained for 30 days in our system, then automatically deleted.
3. Partner Links (Optional) — Off by Default
These cookies are only relevant if you click on a partner link — for example, if we ever link to a hotel booking site or rail pass vendor. They allow us to track whether a booking was made after clicking our link, which would generate a small commission.
Important note: As of January 2026, Nippon Rain does not have active affiliate partnerships. We don't currently earn commissions from any links on the site. This cookie category exists for potential future use only, and the toggle currently has no practical effect. We wanted to be transparent about this possibility from the start rather than adding it later without notice.
If we ever activate partner links: We'll update this page, announce it in a site notice, and you'll need to explicitly enable this category for it to function. It will never be turned on automatically. We'll also clearly label any affiliate links in our content so you know when a link might generate revenue for us.
Our commitment: Even if we do add partner links in the future, our editorial content will never be influenced by affiliate relationships. We won't recommend something just because it pays a commission. Our recommendations will always be based on what we've actually used and believe in.
Manage Your Preferences
Use the toggles below to control which non-essential cookies you're comfortable with. Your preferences are saved in your browser and will persist until you clear your browser data or change them here. We don't store your preferences on our servers — everything stays on your device.
How to Disable Cookies in Your Browser
If you want to take a more comprehensive approach, you can disable cookies entirely through your browser settings. This will affect all websites, not just ours. Here's how in the major browsers:
Google Chrome
Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data → Choose your preferred option. You can block all third-party cookies or all cookies entirely. Note that blocking all cookies may break some website functionality. Chrome also offers an "Incognito" mode that doesn't save cookies after you close the window.
Mozilla Firefox
Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection → Choose "Strict" or customize cookie settings under the Cookies and Site Data section. Firefox has some of the strongest built-in privacy protections of any major browser and is a good choice for privacy-conscious users.
Apple Safari
Preferences → Privacy → Check "Prevent cross-site tracking" and "Block all cookies" if desired. Safari already blocks most third-party cookies by default, which is why you might see fewer tracking ads when using it compared to other browsers.
Microsoft Edge
Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data → Choose your preferred blocking level. Edge offers three preset levels (Basic, Balanced, Strict) that control how aggressively cookies are blocked.
Third-Party Cookies
We don't set any third-party cookies on our site. A third-party cookie is one set by a domain other than the one you're visiting — typically used by advertisers and analytics companies to track you across multiple websites. We don't use any services that would set these cookies.
The only external services we use are our web hosting provider (which processes server logs but doesn't set tracking cookies) and our payment processor (which only loads when you make a purchase). Neither of these sets persistent cookies for tracking purposes.
If you see third-party cookies associated with nipponrain.com in your browser's cookie inspector, they're likely being set by a browser extension you have installed, not by our website. Some password managers, VPN extensions, and ad blockers inject cookies into pages you visit.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Settings page from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use or legal requirements. When we make changes, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically — maybe check back once a year or so.
If we add new cookie categories or significantly change how we use existing ones, we'll show the cookie banner again to all visitors so you can make an informed choice about the new options. We won't silently change your preferences without giving you a chance to review them.
Questions?
If you have questions about our cookie usage, this settings page, or privacy in general, contact us at hello@nipponrain.com. We actually read our emails and will get back to you within a few days. We won't judge you for asking what might seem like a basic question — cookie technology is confusing and most people don't fully understand it.