Waking up in an unfamiliar place is a rush to the senses. In the right context, that stimulation to the brain can even manifest as a sensation, like a warm tingle of pleasure washing across your body.
This description certainly doesn’t refer to the disorienting experience of unexpectedly waking up somewhere unfamiliar–like in a hospital after an accident (see zombie movie 28 Days Later) or on some random sofa or park bench (ahem) after a night of too much revelry. I’m talking about the thrill of travel, of waking up in a space where the light, the sounds, the smells are different, where the new day is one of promise and possibility.
I’ve read with intrigue the occasional scientific article about the benefits of travel and how your new environment positively affects the brain. Oh yes, it’s proven to be good for romance, too, if you seek that extra spark. We don’t necessarily need scientific articles to tell us this, though; I think we all know it’s true. Good travel makes us more alive. You can feel it.
Alas, many of us have not had the same opportunities to travel these past two-and-a-half years. Pandemic-related restrictions scuttled many planned journeys. Perhaps you got sick yourself and had to cancel a trip. The conflict in Ukraine may have even put some plans on hold.
As for Japan, entry restrictions have been, until very recently, almost draconian–even permanent residents had trouble getting back in for a while. As the public health situation improved, the restrictions became more relaxed and now tourists are slowly being granted entry to Japan. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, there are so many rules and conditions that fewer people than expected are taking advantage of the opportunity. The pace of inbound tourism is lethargic at best. Bureaucrats are baffled that their charity seems rebuffed (pssst, people want the freedom to roam, to explore, to not be fixed to a cookie-cutter schedule).
This won’t last. Japan wants to revive its tourism industry. It was becoming an increasingly more important part of the country’s economy as manufacturing shifted to the Asian mainland. The government has been invested in developing it at all levels, national, prefectural, and local. Quasi-governmental organizations have been recruited to assist. Travel agencies, naturally, are involved in the planning. They’ll all figure it out. In fact, there’s a lot of pressure from the private sector to do so.
I also think there’s significant pent up demand from travelers, despite the sluggish numbers of those currently visiting. You see it on social media–people aching to get back to Japan or even visit for the first time, at least in ‘normal’ circumstances (again, freedom of movement). You hear it from veteran visitors who keenly miss their regular pilgrimages.
If you’re a subscriber to, or regular reader of, this magazine, you probably understand the yearning for Japan better than most, even if you’re currently in Japan (the poets of old understood yearning for a place even while being in that place). Isn’t that why you read Sake Today–to get your fix of deep reporting on aspects of Japan? Crucially, we’re also a travel magazine, in addition to covering every angle of sake we can think of.
We understand the appeal of the road–or the rail, for that matter. We know that feeling of waking in an unfamiliar place with excitement. We write about our travels with such enthusiasm because we hope that you’ll eventually be able to partake in those experiences, too, waking up giddily in some place new (not a random sofa or park bench, hopefully, or a hospital about to be overrun with zombies, either). You need that sensation of a new adventure about to begin. We all do. In many ways, it’s therapeutic and we could all use some therapy about now.
I hope you’re yearning to travel, and craving good food and drink. Don’t forget the pleasure of passing time with the decent people that make it happen–the friendly lodging staff, the chefs, the bar operators, earnest guides, and accommodating locals. Fellow travelers and store patrons, too, amplify the joy of a good trip.
I hope your next one is on the horizon. You probably have some lost time to make up for. Make up for it with zeal.
