November, 2024
Japan – high on the revisit bucket list
I have been to Japan before, unfortunately only a few days each time many years ago for biz, never saw Mt. Fuji or really anything that Japan has to offer, being landscape, culture or society.
So I decided on short notice for a get away from grey late fall days here in Switzerland. I was just a tad bit concerned how this would turn out, figuring out everything on the fly.
Yet I was so positively surprised that things have changed a lot. Major things are now marked in English, public transportation is easy, punctual, and of course the Shinkansen trains just so amazing. Even eating out with no English menu was fun, there are always people around who are more willing to help.
Tokyo
This mega city does not feel as such, rather a collocation of many large cities. Each of them have their own character and vibe. I stayed in Roppongi, wandered around in Tokyo center, the area to the northwest with the royal gardens, Ueno and not to forget bustling Shinjuku. Even as a Swiss national I am amazed how good organized everything is, clean, safe and the second one walks a block away from the main roads it feels like any other local community.
Mt. Fuji and Kamguchi-ko
Since I was a little kid this Volcano has intrigued and inspired me. As a photographer my favorite film for cameras was the best slide film at the time, the Fuji Velvia. And from that I also got my fraternity name, which is Fuji.
So naturally I always wanted to visit this place. And boy, was I lucky with the weather. The fall colors and this beautiful mountain made for a perfect day. And the fact that there were mostly only locals visiting and weddings reassured me, this was the right place to be; there are quite a few places to see Fuji-san, but his is the best.
Nagano
This city is not an obvious place to visit s there so many others sights to see on Honshu.
However the 🍎 capital of 🇯🇵 excelled with beautiful fall colors, intriguing buddhist temples and last but not least even the ❄️ 🐒 (less the snow) showed despite low probability, another fabulous day yet again! 🙏🏽
Kyoto
Former imperial capital with abundant 🇯🇵 culture from the past and the present. The flip side is over tourism like nowhere else in 🇯🇵, yet still worth a visit especially for foodies..
Hiroshima
Huge bucket list visit for me – 8 1/2 years ago I was fortunate enough to have visited the tiny island of Tinian, part of the Northern Marina Islands.
Where is the link to Hiroshima!
From Tinian, 2526 km away a B-29 Bomber named “Enola Gay” of the US Airforce took to the sky, on board was “Little Boy”, the first atomic bomb in history dropped on August 6th, 1945, right over the Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, which ruins now stand as a symbol for those horrible times. Now the entire area is called “Peace Memorial Park” to remind us all that we should strive for peaceful times. This message could not be more important these days.
Today Hiroshima is a modern, well laid-out and friendly city which goes to show that life always finds a positive way over time.
