Why Now is the Perfect Time to Visit Japan: A Father-Son Travel Story
In this second installment of our #MomentsToMemories series, we head east to explore why now is the perfect time to visit the Land of the Rising Sun. From chopstick mishaps to bullet train adventures, Gary Armstrong shares how he and his 74-year-old father turned a their “one day” trip into a reality.
When you first step off the Narita Express in central Tokyo, it can be pretty overwhelming. The piercing neon lights, the sheer volume of people, the non-stop surround-sound commentary – every station on the Tokyo Metro has its very own jingle, to welcome you, inform you, and to be played on repeat in your mind long after you’ve left the Land of the Rising Sun.
Even for my dad, who at the age of 74 has quite a number of stamps in his passports, it’s a lot to take in. This was my father’s first trip to Japan.
In 2024, a record number of foreign visitors will descend on Japan. But why now?
‘I wanted to travel with my dad and see this crazy country through his eyes. Would he be captivated? Or confused? Would it be too much? Or not enough?’ – Gary with his father in Japan
Here are the practical answers – the weak Japanese Yen means you’ll get far more mochi for your money than you would have a decade ago. The country is also better connected than ever before. Swathes of international arrivals land at Tokyo Narita, Haneda and Osaka Kansai airports every hour. There’s even a handful of non-stop flights from the west all the way to the Far East – you can fly from the likes of London direct to the Japanese capital. And for an increasing number of travelers, there’s no longer a requirement for a visiting visa either. Echoing the famed friendliness of its people, Japan is welcoming us all with open arms.
But, beyond the boring stuff, you’ve likely far more personal reasons for why Japan has left your finger hovering over the ‘book now’ button.
In recent years, the country has rapidly become part of the global zeitgeist. Today, there’s a good chance ‘up-next’ on your Netflix will be the latest Japanese anime and your TikTok timeline will be saturated by food bloggers slurping down spicy ramen.
Seeing it through his eyes
Perhaps you’re also a foodie, with a taste for yakitori? Tokyo has more Michelin stars than any other city – and most other countries. History buff? Ride the futuristic bullet train back to the past and witness how Hiroshima has turned tales of tragedy into inspiration, or spark social media envy with snaps of Kyoto’s shrines, pagodas and temples.
Need an escape into nature? Hike the storied Nakasendo Trail, swap the megacities for a sight of the snow monkeys or even scale Mount Fuji, Japan’s national icon.
Why did I choose to return here in 2024? I’m biased, it’s the best place on the planet. But above all, I wanted to travel with my dad and see this crazy country through his eyes. Would he be captivated? Or confused? Would it be too much? Or not enough? On previous visits, I’d fallen in love with Japan. Surely he would too?
Embracing the baffling
The omens weren’t good. He’d packed a fortnight’s supply of disposable knives and forks in an apparent protest against ‘impractical’ chopsticks. After a first evening spent picking at pork tonkatsu, the following night found us in McDonald’s. I took him to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant and he ordered fried chicken and chips.
Outside of culinary complications, the hotel room’s shower head was only neck-high and the fancy Japanese toilet played tunes, but none of its 20-odd buttons would seem to make it flush.
Tokyo, Japan view of Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest crosswalks in the world.
You can allow yourself to be baffled by Japan, or you can embrace it. After the jet-lag wore off, my dad did the latter. The country’s occasionally infuriating quirks are actually its charms. Who would eat a strawberries and cream sandwich? Why are the slippers in the fridge? WHAT is in that vending machine? Things work a little differently here – it’s because of that, there’s nowhere quite like it.
We city-hopped across the country by bullet train, dizzied as we watched rural Japan whizz by through the window. We sampled many of Japan’s wonderful whisky bars, stocked sky-high with Scotland’s best and lots of the good local stuff, often poured by an unassuming elderly owner, immaculately attired in a tuxedo. We climbed the highest towers of Tokyo to gaze at twinkling lights of the world’s largest city below. Despite self-admittedly being a man of little culture, my dad even sought out those shrines, pagodas and temples, and posed for pictures in front of the famous floating torii gate of Miyajima Island – a must-visit for any tourist.
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After answering curious locals – ‘what brings you to Japan?’ – my father made friends, and was bestowed with Japanese business cards – in these parts the ultimate, if archaic, extension of warmth.
And in an unexpected plot twist, those once fear-inducing (and badly translated) menus were beginning to spark an appetite. One night, I begged him to try a bowl of ramen. The following evening, he begged me to go back for more. We even got a handle on those chopsticks. When we next go out for a meal back home, it will be to a Japanese restaurant, and we won’t be asking for a knife and fork.
Why should you go to Japan now? Well, we all know this one-of-a-kind far away land has been perched atop your bucket list for quite some time. My dad’s already planning his next trip back.
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