Happy New Year
On this, my first blog posting, let me briefly introduce myself as well as the new Tours Japan website.
My name is Patrick, I am a tour guide and founder of Tours Japan. (Check out the “About” page for more information about me.)
Tours Japan offers visitors to Japan Japanese history tours with the goal of introducing not only history, but the customs, and a deeper look into what makes the Japanese, Japanese!
A lot has changed over the years since I first came to Japan. The tour business, especially, has undergone tremendous change. In particular, the impact from social media and so called “influencers” has become increasingly evident over the last five years. Most of these impacts have, unfortunately, been less than positive.
The vast majority of visitors to Japan leave without really understanding much about the people, their customs, or way of life.
The custom tours that Tours Japan carefully creates are designed to introduce Japan and make a difference between visitors having a “good time”, to “having a good time” and leaving with a “deeper understanding”, and “appreciation” of and for Japan, her history, culture, customs and, most importantly, her people.
Future postings will focus on issues and themes that I hope will be of not only interest to readers, but help prospective as well as repeat visitors plan the perfect trip to Japan that takes them deeper, and further!
Before ending, I would be remiss if I did not mention that this month marks the 83rd year since the sneak attack on Peal Harbour by the Japanese Imperial Navy. That event set off events that led to the use of the first Atomic bomb that had a great impact on not only Japanese history, but on the way Japan has developed since those dark days and the way Japanese people view their place in the world.
We are also at the end of the year and everyone in Japan is looking forward to the most important holiday of the year, O’shogatsu. It is a time when millions of Japanese return to their home towns to visit family and friends and together give thanks for the year coming to an end, and preparing for a fresh start in the new year with hope and goodwill!
Next year, Reiwa 7 (2025), will be the “year of the snake” The Snake is the sixth animal in the 12-year cycle. People born in the year of the Snakes are mysterious, smart, wise, good at talking, determined, and caring. They value knowledge, work hard to achieve goals, and form deep bonds in relationships. Traits we could certainly use more of today!
明けましておめでとうございます！ (Happy New Year!)