Travel Highlights 2024
2024 feels like it went by with a blink of an eye. With tourism back at full speed, this meant we were back on the road with many opportunities exciting video projects to film. Here is a list of some of my travel highlights of this year:
#7: Family trip to Kyoto
One of the highlights for me this year was seeing my daughter ride the JR Tokaido Shinkansen for the first time in her life, for a family trip to Kyoto. Some of the best moments of the trip included a visit of the large Zen temple complex of Daitokuji, an early morning stroll on the grounds of Kinkakuji, and a beautiful dinner at the THE THOUSAND KYOTO HOTEL, right next to Kyoto Station.
#6: Tojinbo Cliffs
Filming a video at Tojinbo in Fukui Prefecture was a nice rush of adrenaline. Let me explain: The weather on that day was pretty bad, which meant the sea was rough and the winds were quite strong, almost knocking us off from the 15 meter tall cliffside. On top of that, a wild kite had taken an interest in Raina, our staff writer, flying very close to her from time to time. What an exciting shoot!
#5: TeamLab Borderless in Tokyo
Another highlight of this year was a personal family trip to Tokyo to see the newly opened Azabudai Hills complex and in particular the TeamLab Bordeless expo. It was my first TeamLab experience (although I had seen a temporary event they did at Kanazawa Castle), and was blown away by the whole visit.
#4: Hakusan Heisenji Shrine
This year I got to return to one of my favorite shrines in Japan, Heisenji Hakusan Shrine, in Fukui Prefecture, which I visited for one of my first video shoots with japan-guide.com in 2018. The morning light piercing through the trees, the quiet atmosphere and lush vegetation covering the grounds really confirmed the special feeling I had when I first visited it all those years ago.
#3: Shisendo Temple
Kyoto has been the center of many conversations regarding overtourism in Japan. On one of our video trips, we wanted to showcase the lesser known and quieter parts of the city, the highlight for me being Shisendo Temple, a little haven of peace which boasts a beautiful garden.
#2: Okinawa family trip
Another personal highlight of this year was getting to travel with my family to the main island of Okinawa where we stayed for a week in May. Travelling with a one-year old, we were a little bit limited in our acitvities, but we still enjoyed the island's beautiful beaches and a day out at the impressive Churaumi Aquarium.
#1: Fish auction in Obama
My top highlight for this year was filming the morning fish auction in the town of Obama in Fukui Prefecture. Getting the chance to see and film the fishermen from up close, working really hard despite the cold conditions (and the hundreds of seagulls and kites flying above their heads) was a real treat, and the absence of large tourist crowds made it even more special.
