Although I was born in Hong Kong and grew up traveling the world, I have always been fascinated by Japan, from learning about geisha as a child, to discovering anime as a teenager and then practicing traditional crafts as an adult.
At 19 I was invited to Tokyo and whilst I quickly learned that large group trips were not for me, Japan definitely was. I fell in love with all the food, scenery and culture I had been reading about for years, and started planning my own trip as soon as I got home. Since then, I have returned multiple times and visited over 18 prefectures, exploring everything from peaceful countryside to neon city lights by train, boat, and car.
Japan will always be a big part of my life and I love sharing my passion for the country with others and sending them off on their own adventures.
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Q&A with Lydia
What’s the best local dish you’ve tasted?
Osaka is my favorite city in Japan and, as to be expected from a place nicknamed Japan’s Kitchen, it’s home to a range of delicious local dishes. For me, it’s hard to beat a classic Osaka-style okonomiyaki, literally meaning “what you like, grilled”, it’s one of the staples of Japanese konamon cuisine. Hard to describe, okonomiyaki is a savory cabbage pancake, mixed with meat or seafood, served in a smoky sweet Worcestershire sauce with Japanese mayonnaise and a sprinkling of salty katsuobushi flakes on top. As the name suggests, you can mix-in whatever elements you like but you really can’t go wrong with my favorite — pork, cheese and potato.
What’s the one thing you always pack?
I never travel to Japan without my stamp book. Almost every train station and museum in Japan has a collectable stamp, and I love finding them and building a real-time journal of my adventures. Each stamp is different and returning home with a completed book is a real unique-to-Japan souvenir that is fun to share with others.
What’s your most vivid travel moment?
I’ll never forget the time I stepped out of Ikebukuro Station and found myself in the middle of Fukuro Matsuri, the region’s largest yosakoi festival. Japanese festivals are always a blast to the senses, from booming taiko drums to delicious-smelling street food, but nothing could have prepared me for the sights and sounds of 5,000 brightly costumed dancers performing on the city streets. With over 100 teams, I sat with the cheering fans and tried to pick a favorite, an impossible task given the talent of everyone involved. From costume changes to giant waving flags, traditional shamisen music to energetic jpop, Fukuro Matsuri is bursting with color and energy.