Leaving a place that’s become a second home is never easy. I wrote about the process in the post, Where Next Japan?, but have been intending to make this video, about all our favourite parts of Hikone, since before we even left.

Many people who visit Japan, and even live here, never get the chance to enjoy the experiences living in a smaller centre can offer. Hikone was the kind of town, where after a while, you started to recognise one in 5 or so faces passing on the street. It was the kind of town where the beat of a taiko drum could carry, and lure out neighbourhood gaijin like me. I miss Hikone terribly, but such is life and such is travel. Here is our ode to our time well spent there. I hope you enjoy it.