At 18, I left my island home of Réunion with a one-way ticket and no clear plan.
What was meant to be a gap year quickly became a turning point that reshaped my life, my values, and the way I see travel.

This is how Japan became more than a destination and why I now help others explore it with confidence.

I was born and raised on Réunion Island, surrounded by strong cultural diversity and powerful landscapes.
Travel was always part of my environment, but I felt drawn to something further, something unfamiliar.

Japan fascinated me because of its contrasts.
Ancient traditions next to modern cities.
Silence and intensity.
Structure and freedom.

It felt distant, but strangely familiar.

At 18, I made a decision that felt obvious to me, even if it looked risky from the outside.
I left for Japan with a one-way ticket.

I did not speak Japanese fluently.
I did not know anyone there.
But I knew I needed to go.

That year changed everything.

Living in Kyoto, I didn’t just study the language.
I learned how to live differently.

Japan taught me:

• Independence, through getting lost, figuring things out, and building a daily life from scratch.

• Resilience, by navigating challenges far from home and outside my comfort zone.

• Simplicity, by observing how meaning can be found in small, everyday moments.

Japan stopped being a place to visit.
It became a rhythm I understood.

After that year, staying in Japan long-term wasn’t possible.
I moved to Paris, started university, and followed a more traditional path.

I learned new skills.
I traveled across Europe.
But something felt off.

The structure I was supposed to want didn’t match the freedom I had experienced.
The classic 9-to-5 life no longer made sense to me.

Japan stayed with me.

Friends started asking me to help plan their trips.
Then friends of friends.
Then messages from people I didn’t know.

That’s when Tabimawari took shape.

Not as a simple guide, but as a way to make Japan accessible without overwhelm.
A mix of structure and freedom.
Clear tools, real maps, and honest advice.

Today, I’m back on Réunion Island.
But I’m no longer the same person who left at 18.

What I create now comes directly from lived experience:

Travel guides built to make sense, not just look pretty
Interactive maps that help travelers move with confidence
Stories that go beyond checklists and highlight real travel rhythm

If Japan is on your bucket list or already in your heart, I’m here to help you navigate it clearly.

Travel is not about collecting places.
It’s about finding places that feel right.