I grew up in Nebraska in a small town but left when I was 15 years old to go to boarding school. I think growing up in a safe, friendly place has engendered in me a deep trust and love of all kinds of people from every corner of the world.

My parents both loved traveling. We took a one-month long trip to Mexico when I was 8 years old. We rented a house in a small village outside of Guadalajara. We put on a show for the local orphanage and ate amazing local food. It was then that I realized how many places and lifestyles there were to explore and it excited me to imagine it.

Most recently the three weeks I spent in Japan in the spring of 2023 were special to me.

Out of the 84 countries I’ve been to, I’m currently most enthralled by Japan. Their culture is endlessly fascinating and their food – for me it’s the best in the world. I could spend a lifetime there uncovering their secrets.

Places

I was lucky enough to spend a week between trips I was leading in the Kyushu peninsula. I fell in love with Fukuoka, and in particular their Yatai food stall culture. There is a street along the river on Nakasu Island where vendors set up tiny kitchens and cook their own specialties for the 10 or so people at a time who can sit at their counters. The idea is to go to several stalls and sample yakitori, ramen, tempura and hot pots among a variety of offerings. They serve from 6pm to 2am most nights and you can wash everything down as I did with a whiskey highball (whiskey and soda) – the ubiquitous cocktail in Japan.

Traveling around the Kyushu peninsula allowed me to explore a less touristy side of Japan. Waiting in line for what was the best unagi (eel) I’ve ever eaten at a place that only serves that dish for lunch with not a tourist in sight made me feel as if I’d veered off the well-worn tourist path. Because of my experience in this part of Japan I’ve put together a tour to Kyushu in September of 2025. https://www.girlsguidetotheworld.com/products/hidden-japan

I visited the Dazaifu temple which dates to the late 16th century and is one of the most important Shinto shrines in the country. I was overwhelmed by the expanse of it as well as the thriving economy that surrounds the shrine which encompasses the town. It’s akin to visiting Lourdes in France but much older and in my opinion much more interesting and beautiful.

I stopped into a public onsen bath one afternoon after a trip to a botanical garden. As I’ve done it before wasn’t as adventurous for me as it might be for others. At a Japanese Onsen (public bath) one must get naked to experience the hot and cold pools which is the essence of this experience. You do so only with members of your own sex and are given a tiny washcloth which is all you can use inside. There are a myriad of rules, and it’s best read up on the etiquette and watch your fellow bathers for clues. You must scrub yourself quite publicly from head to toe before entering any of the pools. After many years of extensive travel, I’ve been able to turn my prudish, puritanically raised self into someone who really enjoys a public bath without embarrassment. The Japanese onsen experience is not to be missed.

Culture

One Japanese thing that I love among many is their bathroom etiquette which illustrates how thoughtful a culture it is. As many know, the Toto brand toilet with its warmed seats and rinse and dry applications can be found nearly everywhere in Japan. One could easily get used to this luxurious and hyper sanitary method of doing your daily business but what many people don’t know about are the bathroom slippers. When in a public restaurant or even at a Ryokan (a traditional Japanese Inn) when you enter the interior space you always take off your street shoes and put on slippers that were provided by the establishment. But when you need to use the lu you go to the restroom and upon entering discard your “normal” slippers to find special bathroom slippers. You’ll notice that the shoes face you as you walk in so its easy to slip into them. When you leave after washing your hands, you’ll learn to be thoughtful enough to do the same for the next stranger coming along. You’ll turn around and make sure to face the bathroom slippers in the opposite direction, so they are facing the next occupant as he or she enters. This extreme level of thoughtfulness struck me especially since I can’t even get the men in my family to put the seat down!

Culinary

I could write a short story just about the food in Japan. It’s over the top divine. What I love is that most restaurants don’t try to do it all well, chefs will pick one thing, say tempura and master that and offer that and nothing else. On one of our Japan tours we went to a tempura place in Kyoto in the Gion district which only had 10 seats at a counter. There are many restaurants this small in Japan. Here we were treated to a 7-course menu of tempura…which might sound boring and repetitive. Wrong. It was anything but. The chef managed to surprise us with each course including frying ice cream for dessert. It was hands down the best tempura I’ve ever tasted….ever.

I used to dislike tofu; I thought it was boring. That’s before I had a Korean friend’s homemade tofu. But we had a ‘next level’ experience in Japan at a tofu house. The meal was all laid out for us when we arrived. There were what seemed like hundreds of small dishes, small salads, sauces, pickles and dried or cured fish – and then they brought out a steaming hot pot out. As instructed we cooked our own tofu in the broth combining it as we wished with the various other flavors and sauces. It’s one of the best and most memorable meals I’ve ever had. A true temple to tofu.

Conclusion

Travel has shaped who I am with priceless lessons in connection and curiosity; from childhood adventures in Mexico to the intricate beauty of Japan. Japan, in particular, has captured my heart with its rich traditions, cuisine, and attention to detail that transforms even the simplest moments—like slipping into onsen waters or savoring unagi at a quiet Kyushu stall—into something profound. May your own journeys lead to discoveries that serve you long after you return.

Photography & Authored by Doni Belau

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