“What’s your favourite place?” – a question I’ve been asked more times than I can recall over the years, and one that’s nearly impossible to answer. So, I’ve made a list that spans the globe, from Aachen to Zurich and every letter in between: My ABCs, though are not nearly as simple as 1-2-3. Here, J means Japan:

I track my interest in Japan to the epic 1975 James Clavell novel Shogun. Though the TV mini-series that followed a few years later naturally painted a more realistic (if not historic) picture of the land of the rising sun, my mind had already conjured an epic ancient destination of temples and samurais, and architecture, culture and traditions that were intriguingly nothing like my home in Canada.

When my bucket list aspiration to go there was finally fulfilled some 25 years later, I was hardly disappointed – as one often can be when confronting a potentially over-sized expectation.

Certainly, I did not come across any samurais, but vestiges of ancient Japan were plentiful, from tea ceremonies and sake bars in Kyoto to otherworldly temples and castles dotted across the land, including modern Tokyo.

Yes, at the same time, Japan’s cities are ultra modern and crowded, but still a marvel of efficiency, politeness and order.

And while Japan in most ways proved to be unlike my outdated images of it, it still reminded me of why I wanted to travel in the first place: to discover something totally different from what I was used to.

The language barrier in particular made logistics challenging and uncertain, a feeling I hadn’t had for a very long time. It was unsettling, but thrilling. Yet, I quickly discovered that a mere sign of distress would immediately attract someone or ones eager to help – such as in how to navigate the baffling Tokyo subway.

A colleague and I also had the memorable encounter of being aided by two elderly women intent on helping us find a sought-after destination on our tourist map. I’m sure it took longer for them to agree on a route and then explain in broken English how we should follow it than it would have taken us to figure it out on our own.

But that’s Japan. And that’s why I love it.

Honourable mention: Jamaica
Bucket list: Jordan (Petra); Jaipur, India

Unlike the song, I have not been everywhere, so please don’t wonder why one of your favourites wasn’t one of mine. Instead, tell me at baginski@travelindustrytoday.com. I’m already thinking about my next list.

Stay tuned to future issues for the rest of the list. And for previous entries, click HERE.