In 2019, my partner and I took a three-month road trip in Japan. We drove over 7,300 kilometers (4,500 miles). This map shows all of the places where we were lucky enough to spend time.
I experienced Japan as a place that has an incredible aptitude for seamlessly blending things that are in contrast to one another. Ancient temples, raked-pebble Zen Gardens, 600-year-old cedar trees, dense rolling forests, and traditional farming villages are juxtaposed to futuristic towers, bullet trains, fluorescent neon lights, and superhighways. The country’s ability to meld old and new is remarkable.
Some of my highlights include:
Hiking in the monastic mountainous village of Koyasan.
Exploring incredible Zen temples on the outskirts of Kyoto.
Driving through the verdant tea fields etched into steep and rolling hills of Wazuka.
Learning about matcha ceremony from a grand tea master.
Visiting the ume orchards and a umeboshi factory in Tanabe and Minabe.
Drinking lots of umeshu (including a 25-year-old vintage rescued from an abandon Kura), hojicha, and persimmon wine.
Tasting liquor infused with different admixtures of fruits, herbs, fungus, and insects.
Touring a 340-year-old sake brewery.
However, what I’ll remember the most is how kindheartedness of the people. Incredible hospitality and warmth are ubiquitous in Japan.
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