Travel Highlights 2024

Below are my highlights of visiting 25 of Japan's 47 prefectures in 2024:

#10: Grand Green Osaka

With great interest I have observed over the years the Umekita redevelopment project north of Osaka Station from a former rail yard into a new city district. This year I was excited to see the Grand Green Osaka finally take shape and enjoy much popularity among the locals.

#9: A golf round in central Tokyo

Thanks to a personal invitation, I had the pleasure to play a golf round at the Wakasu Golf Links, one of only two 18-hole golf courses in the 23 city wards of Tokyo. It was a special experience to play golf while enjoying views of the Tokyo Gate Bridge, Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Bay.

#8: Walking Tokyo

One of my favorite activities is taking walks around Tokyo, exploring the city's various districts and walking between them. From my walks this year, I have particularly good memories from exploring Setagaya, Sugamo and the side streets of Omotesando.

#7: Sawara in winter

Shortly after New Year and before a visit to Naritasan Temple, I made a stop at the town of Sawara, walked along its historical canal, visited the museum about Japan's map-making pioneer and had a sushi lunch in a restaurant stuck in the Showa Period.

#6: Kesennuma Fish Market

The scene of Modorigatsuo ("Returning Bonito") at the Kesennuma Fish Market on an October morning this year was such a fascinating sight that I took over 500 photos in just over ten minutes until my memory card was filled up.

#5: Hotokegaura

Hotokegaura is a stretch of coastline along the remote western coast of the remote Shimokita Peninsula, featuring some very unique stone formations. Because of its remoteness, it took me four visits to the peninsula before I finally made it all the way there on the occasion of filming our video about the Shimokita Peninsula.

#4: Exploring the Sado Gold Mine

Ahead of the World Heritage designation of the Sado Gold Mine, I visited the mines and related sites in detail, and was fascinated by the mostly ruined and now-overgrown sites, where a few decades and centuries ago thousands of mine workers lived their tough daily lives.

#3: Climbing Mount Aso

For years I wanted to climb beyond the famous Nakadake crater of Mount Aso, but due to time issues and extended periods when the volcano was closed off, it wasn't until this summer that I finally made it to the summit of Nakadake, the almost highest peak of Mount Aso. It was a relatively short hike, but the views were incredible.

#2: Tomogashima Island

Tomogashima Island off the coast of central Wakayama City is located at the entrance to Osaka Bay, and due to its strategic location it used to be a military base for defending the bay. Today ruined military forts remain on the now-uninhabited, forest-covered island and can be explored by tourists. A truly enthralling experience.

#1: Daisetsuzan Interior

Before Corona, my autumn color report trips to Daisetsuzan National Park on Hokkaido have made my travel highlights almost on an annual basis, but in recent years I did not make it far into the national park and was often unlucky with the weather - even when I had the opportunity to visit. This changed this year with a long and wonderful hike through the volcano's interior from Ginsendai to Sounkyo.