This year for me was all about settling into new routines. I entered my second year of living in Nagano Prefecture and found myself happily settling deeper into the everyday rhythms of the countryside. I also finished out my first full year of working at Japan Guide — yay! And now feel very at home on video shoots and work trips. This year was quite a big one for travel, both professional and personal. What really made the following six experiences stand out was how I got to dive deep into each of the places, learn from my coworkers (Raina is always an amazing fount of knowledge!) and come away feeling like I know just a little bit more about Japan now.

#6: Hiroshima

My first trip of the year was to Hiroshima Prefecture with Raina. I've visited Hiroshima two more times since, but this first trip really stood out. I, a Hiroshima newbie, really got to see what makes this prefecture special — super cute coastal towns, delicious local foods (I didn't like oysters much before this but Hiroshima's famous ones turned that around!) and beautiful island scenery. A big highlight was getting to do a section of Hiroshima's famous cycling route, the Shimanami Kaido. I mean, I didn't get to ride it — I was following along behind Raina with the camera and drone — but it's made me want to go back one day and complete the whole route!

The first large bridge of the Shimanami Kaido
Behind the scenes of a cycling video shoot

#5: Aomori

Not long after the Hiroshima trip, I traded the balmy winter temperatures of the inland sea for some of Japan's most extreme winter weather in Aomori Prefecture. This is mainland Japan's northernmost prefecture and I'd traveled ten hours by car on a long weekend to visit this winter wonderland. One of the biggest highlights was taking the ropeway up Mount Hakkoda and seeing snow monsters — trees covered completely in snow and ice. I also spent some time in Aomori City itself, visiting Furukawa Fish Market and A-Factory, an entire building dedicated to apple products (Aomori is Japan's biggest apple producer!).

Looking over Aomori City from Mount Hakkoda with a trio of snow monsters in the foreground

#4: Nagasaki

Right at the end of winter, I went on a solo work trip to Nagasaki to get b-roll for an upcoming video. This was actually my first time ever doing a long solo trip in Japan (even though I've lived here now for six years). I didn't think too much of this fact before going but I really enjoyed the chance to travel solo — setting my own schedule, chatting to locals — I felt like I was more likely to take part in a random conversation or notice something interesting when by myself. Nagasaki City itself was fantastic. It's easily one of my favourite places in Japan. I'd visited the city before, but on this trip, what I really enjoyed was getting the chance to see Gunkanjima, an abandoned island off Nagasaki's coast whose name translates to "battleship island".

The abandoned island really does look like a battleship

#3: Noto Peninsula

Another project Raina and I completed together was on the Noto Peninsula. The region was struck by a large earthquake on New Year's Day 2024 and we were visiting just over a year later to show the recovery efforts and demonstrate what tourists could still do on the peninsula. This was easily one of the highlights of the year for me. While I love all the work I do, this project felt especially important as there was such a clear connection between the work we were doing and the locals' lives. One of the most poignant experiences from the trip was meeting and interviewing a lacquerware artist who runs workshops in one of the worst hit towns, Wajima. Even though he'd lost his house in the earthquake, he expressed he was happy as he still had his studio and that gave him a purpose for living.

A sobering sight — recovery was still underway in the town of Wajima

#2: Kumano Kodo

In spring, I ticked off a pilgrimage hike I'd been wanting to do for a long time, the Kumano Kodo. There's a whole network of trails that make up the Kumano Kodo and to do just one takes at least a few days. I ended up doing just part of the most popular route, the Nakahechi, but I'm very glad I took it slow and stopped in at the main shrines and small onsen towns. A big highlight was the Kumano Hongu Taisha area, which is home to one of Kumano's three famous shrines and a couple of hot spring areas — my favourite being Yunomine Onsen.

The iconic pagoda and falls at Nachi Taisha

#1: Koumi Train Line

Rounding out my highlights list is a personal trip I took along the JR Koumi Line in summer. This is the one train line that goes through the town I now call home in Nagano Prefecture. It meanders up over the Yatsugatake mountain range and down into neighboring Yamanashi Prefecture, featuring just a two-car train and a timetable with only a handful of services per day. I spent a (very hot) weekend in summer traveling along the train line from end to end, with the idea that I'd get off at different stops and explore the region's attractions. This trip honestly surprised me with how fun it was and with how much I learnt about the area. I normally travel by car, but traveling by local train made me realise how much you can miss when flying by in a car.

Waiting for the local train
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