Traveling to Sicily in spring with my family. Walking the streets without thinking about my title.
Charlotte Gainsbourg / actor, director, singer
I was living in New York until recently, but I hardly traveled at all for about six years during that time. Whenever I had time, I would go back to Paris to see my mother, but that was about it. In the spring of 2023, I had some free time, so I decided to visit Sicily with my daughters.
I'd been to Italy before, but it was just a quick stop for work, and it wasn't really a "trip" as you'd call it. My first time sightseeing in Sicily was incredibly fun. As an actor, I regularly visit many places around the world, and even on those occasions I'm able to get to know the place in depth and meet wonderful people.
But it's still nice to wander around the city purely as a tourist. This time, I was with my family, so I was able to spend a very relaxed time. It felt like I was able to fully enjoy a real trip for the first time in a long time.
New Year's Eve in New Zealand: bivouac and hard soba noodles
Miho Ohashi / Freelance announcer
For the first time in several years, my husband and I were able to take a vacation together, so we traveled to New Zealand for 10 days from the end of 2022 to the beginning of the new year. As mountain lovers who even walked the John Muir Trail in the United States on our honeymoon, our main goal was to explore long trails.
I spent five days walking the Around the Mountain Circuit, a trekking course that circles Mount Taranaki on the North Island. The mystical scenery, such as the interesting rock formations and the complex shadows on the mountainside illuminated by the morning sun, was impressive, but what I'll never forget is getting lost so many times (wry smile).
As a trekking hotspot, the hiking trails and trail signs are well maintained, but there are also points where trees have been knocked down by the wind and rain, making the route unclear. We ended up taking the wrong path and had to make an emergency bivouac (camp) on New Year's Eve. We couldn't waste water, so I munched on the dried New Year's Eve soba noodles I had brought with me, which is a fond memory (lol). It was a New Year's Eve that I will remember forever, and it really brought home to me the power of nature.
Enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with local writers through the bookshelves of your travel destination
Yuko Fuzuki/poet
I recently visited South Korea for five days and four nights. I stayed in the Myeongdong area of Seoul. It's a busy shopping district where young people gather, and it's not an area that has a particularly exotic feel, but as it was my first time overseas in about three years, I was still excited to see the streets lined with Hangul signs.
As a poet, I always find myself visiting bookstores when I travel. I visited three bookstores this time, and one thing they all had in common was the wide selection of poetry collections. I had heard that poetry is more popular in Korea than in Japan, so I was surprised to see that there was even a poetry collection section in the rankings section.
I bought a photo-poetry collection by the poet Park Noh-hye because I was attracted by the beautiful binding. The title means "Road," and when I had some free time, I would drop by a cafe and read it while making full use of Google Translate. The words seemed to speak to me quietly, and I was impressed. Spending time immersed in the atmosphere of the city and coming into contact with the words of a local writer is truly one of the joys of travel.
Traveling to 5 cities in 4 European countries in just under 2 months: How to spend your time comfortably without quarantine
Kohei Kawatani / Photographer
In early July 2023, I will be traveling to Braunschweig in northern Germany to participate in a group exhibition. Since it is such a rare opportunity, I will be traveling to London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin starting in late May. It will be my first time spending nearly two months outside of Japan, and also my first time traveling to any country other than Berlin.
It's interesting to travel to multiple cities, as it allows you to vividly feel the changes in the cityscape and the subtle differences in etiquette. It was completely different from when I went abroad two years ago; there was no quarantine or testing, so I was able to enjoy myself without any worries. Back then, I was really concerned about the risks. Places like the Louvre and the Van Gogh Museum are now packed with tourists. There were some places I gave up on going to. Instead, it was fun to wander around the zoo and botanical gardens and the suburbs.
During my two weeks in London, I visited Peckham in South London and Hackney in East London, where I enjoyed local music events at The Baths, an inspiring space for young artists.
