I first stepped foot on Japanese soil at the end of 2011 after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Moved by the desire to make a difference, I signed up as part of a humanitarian team at my local church and made my way in winter with another five friends. For a week, we worked alongside other humanitarian organisations and the Japanese people, tearing down plaster walls and stripping homes down to their bare wooden frames. Subsequently, other professionals would clean the frames and dry them out before putting up new walls.
It was a mission, but a very fulfilling one. And it would also be the start of my love for Japan, both the nation and its people.
Fast forward to today and my love for Japan still continues. Post-pandemic, I’ve been there five times and for each time, stayed a minimum of ten days. I’ve been to 19 out of the 47 prefectures and I’m still exploring the nation one trip at a time. I’m not sure why it is, but Japan is such a beautiful country and I’m never short of places I want to explore.
So here, I want to chronicle my travel journeys (not just in the Land of the Rising Sun) as well as log my daily life in the hopes that it will bring some encouragement and respite to those who might venture here. There is only one life to live, so live it well. Let’s travel!