🎉 Nagomi Visit has a new name: Borderless Visit.
Our mission remains the same, connecting people through home-cooked meals and genuine encounters.
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Blog
2014-12-21
The short and sweet answer is that it is all up to you. This is what we hope makes participating in a Nagomi Visit special.
We've had hosts and guest tell us lovely reunion stories.
Here is a host who reunited with her guests in Singapore and Peru.
Many others decide to make plans right after while both parties are still in Japan such as going out to eat at one of the host’s favorite restaurants, or participating in a local matsuri festival the next day. The sky has been the limit for what our participants have done post-Nagomi Visit.
Others in the meantime keep in touch by sending postcards, care packages, and photos.
Here is a photo of a guest who shared the origami techniques they learned from their host and used to decorate their Christmas tree.
If you have any post-Nagomi photos we'd love to see them and share!
2014-12-14
Still trying to figure out whether or not Nagomi Visit is for you? Let the blogs speak for themselves!
Here is the start of a roundup of various posts we found around the internet in various languages talking about their Nagomi Visit experiences.
Though we don’t edit any of the testimonials or reviews shared on our website, thought these blog posts will be more convincing since it is visually obvious we have no control over these posts. So here it goes, starting with a few English blog posts.
First, the English Nagomi Visit Reviews
We’ve actually had travel writers, journalists of all sorts write on their personal blogs of their experiences and this is one of them. Here is another example of a photographer sharing her experience with her breathtaking pictures.
Reviews by expats and students living in Japan
We have had expats and students studying abroad in Japan who decided to participate in Nagomi Visits simply because it’s just a good way to start immersing yourself into the culture.
"Nagomi Visit is a must-do if you’re living in Japan," she says. Here is a comprehensive post from a lovely participant who actually lived in Japan at the time.
Thoughts on Nagomi Visits in Osaka and beyond
Here are just a few written by guests who participated in our various other locations besides Tokyo. This first one is from a Nagomi experience in Osaka.
"Another highlight was our Nagomi visit organised by my sister inlaw. It was such a fun occasion, getting an insight into Japanese people’s home and cooking. A snippet of their lives, really. If you’re ever going to Japan, please do make sure you get to do it too! For the whole 3 hours we were there, I smiled the whole entire time. The experience authenticated my trip, if that makes sense?”
Here is another from some great people who visited hosts in Nagoya.
“I had a special treat for dinner tonight as I was hosted by the Saitoh's at their home. They are part of a host programme, Nagomi Visit, and would host dinner (and share their love for Nagoya and Japan) to tourists in Nagoya. They are an absolutely lovely and friendly couple. If you're looking for a friend away from home, look no further!”
“Dinner was a delicious meal with tempura, rice steamed with other ingredients, miso soup, salad and konyaku, all expertly prepared by Sadame! I had so much fun chatting with them, and time just flew by. Meeting them felt like catching up with old friends I haven't met in a while. Jokes, conversation and laughter filled our time together, and I think I will have sore cheeks tomorrow from laughing too much.”
There are many, many others just like the following but we will stop around here as I think you get the point by now!
"For dinner we went to a Nagomi visit where a local family lets you visit their houses and cooks you homestyle Japanese food for dinner. Our family cooked us Oden which is a type of vegetable and fish stew. I highly recommend doing this if you come to Japan."
What it's like to Cooking Visit
Lastly, here is another review of our Cooking Visit program. The great thing about this write up is that it represents a lot of the comments we receive from people these days. Since we have been running this program a couple of years, we are getting a lot of people participating again every time they come to Japan. Other’s like the following couple here are hearing about Nagomi Visit from the grapevine which is very exciting.
"Our friends Rob and Aly recommended this organization for an in-home cooking lesson, and we’re really happy we took their advice. Not only do you get to learn some new skills and ingredients and enjoy a delicious meal, you also get a structured conversation with a local who can guide you during your stay."
Japanese Reviews (some with English translations)
This is a great post by one of our hosts that is both in Japanese and English so you can get a sense of what our hosts are like.
All these four blog are all in Japanese but is a wonderful example of how the Nagomi Visit host network is growing all across Japan and how we are now able to share local family traditions from various regions of Japan.
This last one isn't written by a participant but is by a hostel employ who wrote about Nagomi Visit on their blog after hearing about our program from a guest from Australia that participated in a Nagomi Visit.
Reviews in various languages (including video)
Here is a video by a past guest from Russia of her Nagomi Visit. The Nagomi part starts around 8 minutes 17 seconds. This is the blog post that goes with the video. Here we have a very comprehensive review in Dutch with pictures, a Japan travel guide in Dutch which includes details about a Nagomi Visit...the list seriously can go on and on if we include everything so here is just a quick roundup!
If you have any blog posts to share with us or anything, we look forward to hearing from you!
2014-12-08
There is more to a Japanese Christmas than what you may have read. It is not always just about eating Kentucky Fried Chicken or spongy strawberry shortcake. Not that that's bad since the cakes are sure soft, moist and deeeelicious! We just hope you will be able to discover how our locals celebrate differently through Nagomi Visit.
Here are just a few examples of how our hosts have gotten creative.
Some Christmas themed santa and snowman sushi art anyone?
Or some Japanese-style roasted chicken marinated in soy sauce?
Sushi is often eaten to celebrate special occasions and Christmas is one of many for a lot of locals. From homemade sushi like the ones pictured below, to sushi delivery and yummy but affordable supermarket sushi.
Though people usually work on Christmas eve and on Christmas day in Japan, there are many hosts who would be more than happy to welcome you and share their traditions for dinner so come celebrate with us!
2014-11-10
On November 8th Nagomi Visit had its second annual general assembly and host meet up in Tokyo and the turnout was fantastic.
It is hard to put into words how amazing it is to see people of all ages from kids to grandparents come together for the same cause. They were all there to share their passion for cultural exchange and we felt very blessed that everyone in the room understood why the Nagomi Visit Team work so hard day and night to run this program.
Many of these hosts have welcomed multiple guests and have told us that those experiences have helped them to learn about many things, break stereotypes, and to learn more about their own country.
2014-11-01
Nagomi Visit is featured in November’s Swiss International Air Lines inflight magazine as one of “ten reasons to visit Tokyo.”
We are introduced as “a chance to gain an exclusive insight into the daily life of the people of Tokyo.”
The rest of the article continues describing Nagomi Visit as a recommended activity for those visiting Tokyo "in which couples, families or singles invite foreign visitors to enjoy a Japanese lunch or dinner at their home." Note that just after the article was published we changed it so you only need to book 10 days in advance instead of two weeks to make it easier for more people to participate.
We very much look forward to more people traveling from Zurich and all other parts of Switzerland to join a Nagomi Visit!
2014-10-25
Nagomi Visit at The Minato International Dialogue 2014 "A heart of Omotenashi" and International Cultural Exchange"
Nagomi Visit’s founder and CEO (right) was a part of a panel last weekend discussing the importance of grassroots international exchange. This was a rewarding way for our organization to share how much we value cultural exchange that goes beyond the surface.
A big arigato to those involved in making this happen! We truly hope more people get to know why we started this organization and continue to run it.
2014-09-19
Next month on October 25th Nagomi Visit’s founder and CEO will be a panelist speaking about cultural exchange in an event sponsored by Minato City, one of the most international wards in central Tokyo.
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics coming up and the Japanese government’s plan to double the number of annual tourist coming to Japan to 20 million, Nagomi Visit is seen as a crucial component in bringing understanding between Japan and the world.
More information in English can be found in the Minato Monthly newsletter. For details in Japanese check out the Minato City website.
2014-09-18
Matsumoto is Nagomi Visit’s third most popular area, especially being in close proximity to the Japanese Alps, Hakuba, and Shirakawago.
What are things to do in Matsumoto? We asked our Matsumoto hosts their favorite spots in their hometown.
1. Daio Wasabi Farm
This a great place for Nagomi Visit foodies who really want to know what real wasabi looks and tastes like. It is far from the green mound of goop you may have seen in restaurants. It is the real thing and it tastes fresh. Oh, and you can buy some too.
If you are adventurous ask where you can get wasabi leaves. They have fresh ones on sale but if you aren’t able to cook the leaves then find pickled ones to try in the shop.
2. Nawate-dori Street
On a Nagomi Visit you will be able to experience what a modern residential or shopping street is like on your way to your host’s home so going to Nawate-dori Street would be a great way to find out what Japan was like in another era with it's retro buildings. For those interested in architecture, this is a great place for inspiration. Make sure to keep an eye out for details like the retro fonts on shop signs.
3.Tokoji Temple
Going to a local temple or shrine is a definite must for those going on a Nagomi Visit and Tokoji Temple would be a great place to start. You will finally be able to experience the true serenity you should feel when visiting a temple without all the tourist crowds. Make sure to look for the giant orange geta sandals for a moment of prayer.
4. Japanese Alps
Don’t forget to look up and see the Japanese Alps in the backdrop. You may be on the way to the Alps but just imagine yourself surrounded by rice fields visiting your Nagomi Visit host’s home and seeing the mountains. It can’t get more local than that.
5. Matsumoto Castle
Being one of the most recommended castles in Japan, there is no reason not to miss this beautiful landmark. For those going on a Nagomi Visit in Matsumoto during the spring and fall, the spring cherry blossoms and the fall foliage is a must.
2014-09-18
Here are 8 ways to travel like a local in Japan, Nagomi Visit-style.
1. Take the trains
Yes, there are taxis in Japan but the train is not only convenient, on time, but safe. It might be intimidating at first especially when trying to navigate but your Nagomi Visit host or the team can help with directions so not to worry. Of course a friendly train conductor or fellow commuter will sure to be able to assist. Once you get on the right trains it is time to start people watching! As a Nagomi Visit guest you have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the locals themselves so make sure to share your observations with your host and maybe you might gain a bit of insight into Japanese culture.
2. Walk around residential areas
You will for sure do this if you go on a Nagomi Visit but make sure to pay attention while you are walking to your host’s place. You might spot a hidden gem like a small temple or shrine.
3. Learn a few Japanese words
No one is expecting you to be fluent. Just a few friendly words will go a long way like a simple thank you, Arigato gozaimasu. For a Nagomi Visitor, add on a few like hajimemashite (nice to meet you), when you are meeting your host for the first time at the station. Or oishii desu to say the food is delicious or gochiso sama deshita (thank you for the meal) after you have finished eating.
4. Go to a neighborhood supermarket
You will get to see the real world of Japanese food beyond sushi, tempura, yakitori, and ramen. Ask your Nagomi Visit host if you can stop by a nearby by supermarket with them before or after your visit. This is a great way to see a slice of Japanese life and of course to learn more about real Japanese food.
5. Go to the corner convenient store
A convenient store is also a fun place to visit before or after a Nagomi Visit. This is especially true if you were lost in the aisles in your previous visit there. Now your host might be able to explain to you what some things are so you will be less intimidated to try!
6. Make time to visit a small neighborhood event
Just ask your host if there is anything going on nearby and they may be able to direct you to something or have time to join you. Whether it is enjoying the cherry blossoms at a nearby park, or participating in a small local matsuri festival during the summer, you will be able to experience these very Japanese traditions without the tourist crowd.
7. Go sing at a local karaoke box
Even though you are not singing in front of a random audience like a karaoke bar, going into a karaoke box takes a little courage. If you happen to have some karaoke loving hosts they might be able to guide you through the process and maybe even teach you some Japanese songs.
8. Visit places besides Tokyo or Kyoto
Tokyo and Kyoto are not to be missed of course but if you really want to get to know Japan make sure to visit other areas. Remember there are Nagomi Visit hosts in various parts of Japan. Recent popular areas include Matsumoto or Nagano which is near Hakuba, and Hiroshima. Make sure to check out the Nagomi Visit host map.
2014-09-11
The answer is, all over Japan. The pull down menu on the booking page will show you all the areas Nagomi Visit hosts are available.
The following map which is linked under the pull down menu on the same booking page will help to see the locations visually. Some popular destinations are Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, areas close to Hakuba-mura such as Matsumoto and Nagano, Hiroshima, and more. The Nagomi family keeps on growing every day so make sure to keep on checking the list!
