Ahhhhhh, wat a great inspirational challenge from @whatamidoing about getting the travel vibes back up a little bit. The question for this week is one that often here we are talking about, because one day, who knows how long or short this may take, but one day we will be allowed to travel again, and so we will....so the question is
When we are allowed to travel again, where would you go?
And the funny thing to me is, because that is where amigo @whatamidoing has been residing for a while, is that this would totally be Japan to me! Here is why!
One of the first reasons for me to visit Japan would be because of the stunning fierce nature. Not only Mount Fiji would be a go to place but yes it would surely be on the list because mountains and water together just never get old.
Hokkaido which is the Northern island would also be high on this list because of its notorious snowfall of endless fluffy snow stacked y the meters high. Backcountry skiing here I come!
I was inspired about going to Japan a while back because of the series 'Reizen Waes on Dutch television. In these series the host of the show Tom Waes was travelling through Japan cross country by car in three weeks, seeing all kinds of cool things, and this was his last trip before Covid started to close up all countries. Apart from that Tom Waes is a really cool show host, he is also an actor and it is a joy to watch the man working. But all that aside. Back to travel!
The Food!!!
Okay I must admit it, I would be willing to go to a place just for the food. Now the examples that I have taken here are just the obvious of Japanse food, and are the equivalent of when people are talking about Dutch food, that they mention mashed potatoes, pancakes and mayonaise. And that is exactly why I would be wanting to visit Japan. Because I just know there is so much more to explore foodwise and I would just love to do this.
The whole culture around food and having so much respect to it, in combination with the extensive amount of garlic, ginger, cilantro and spring onion is totally in the street of my taste and exploring is just a delight!
Culture
The cherry blossom season would be something ofcourse to see and especially all the festivities around this, and people who are coming outside to celebrate the season would be cool, but the combo of visiting the snow in Hokkaido would be challenging. You can't have it all right ;)
Experiencing Japanese nightlife would totally be something I would love to do because it seems so different to European nightlife. My biased brain with only assumptions is that Japanese outgoing life can get quite extreme, and that would just be cool to be part of for once. Busy streets, neon, people who really go to the max because they are working so hard. It is just how I would expect it without any experience as yet.
And the respect for culture and nature. Japanese people seem calm and seem to have a tremendous amount of respect for their surroundings, for nature, and for the earth. It would be something that I would really like to see and would like to learn from. There is a reason why Japan has so many people who getting 100 years+ old. Lifestyle adds to this!
All and all, enough reasons for me to visit Japan once travel is back up and running. This might take a while, and the trip going from Europe to here is expensive and has pitfalls with all these current local outbreaks in the world qith quarantines, so I do not see this happening any time soon. But one day, just one day...I will see Japan
Source pic 1
Source pic 2
Source pic 3
Source pic 4
Source pic 5
Source pic 6
Source pic 6
Source pic 7
Source pic 8