🧵1/ In #Tokushima on a 2-day #MonitorTour with a cycling professional to evaluate a #umeshu (plum liqueur) tour: annual festival, producers, liqueurs, juices, stories… I did consulting 3+ times in this prefecture but I discover #Misato. I'm grateful to Anabuki Travel for their trust! #JapanTravel

🍜 Smiling again after a farewell thanks to seasonal vegan comfort food at Tokyo Station T's Tantan: mala 5-spice soy sauce #ramen. Noodle choice: wheat, konjac or rice (taken for a change). Burdock root topping, date vinegar (!)… A maze of tastes, truly AMAZING in a good way! #VeganJapan #VeganTokyo

Daruma, the round wooden dolls, are spirits of victory and success, and the principal spirit of Katsuoji Temple in the mountains of Osaka Prefecture Katsuoji is also an EXCELLENT place to view Japan's fiery autumn leaves! #JapanTravel #Osaka #autumn #Katsuoji #Japaneseculture #Japan #autumnleaves

The Chikatsu Asuka Museum has a fascinating collection of artifacts from Japan's ancient Kofun (burial mounds) period. Here is a small sample of the 1,400+ year old items that may be exhibited when the museum reopens after refurbishment next April #archeologymuseum #近つ飛鳥博物館 #chikatsuasukamuseum

🧵1/ In #Fukushima on a 2-day #PressTour with 15 journalists & influencers to witness then inform about its #Innovation Coast initiative! One of the world's largest renewable-energy-driven hydrogen facility, muscle suits, rice-based resins… I'm grateful to Jarman International for the invite! #Japan

Asucome Macrobiotic Gohan Café Meguru's owners prepared our lunch with love from newly harvested rice and vegetables picked hours ago at their organic farm. Almost art: delicate carrot tempura. Even their sweet potato tart was homemade. In Asuka near #Archaeoastronomy sites. #VeganJapan #VeganAsuka

High-quality #JapaneseCulture snapshot, #Kyoto Gion Corner 1-hour show lets you see 7 arts 🎭 My favourite #bunraku puppet theatre, bugaku imperial dance, geisha dance, concert of koto (national instrument of Japan), ikebana, kyogen… It's cheap but book early! No photos/videos allowed. #JapanTravel

Amazed at my first bite 🤯 This well-toasted vegan bagel (hummus, mushrooms, pink peppercorns) at Cafe Ausgang in #Kyoto might be my best ever 🥯 The room is unique & beautiful, and the music creates a peaceful, magic bubble. Coffee was good too ☕ A must-taste spot! #VeganKyoto #JapanTravel

A pleasure of late walks in #Kyoto is seeing the illuminated lanterns of Yasaka Shinto Shrine (free, in Maruyama Park). The names on the lanterns are donors’. #八坂神社 #JapanTravel

Inclusive & tasty lunch in #Kyoto at Nishiki Market Alley By Moon And Back 🍜 Japanese Curry #VeganRamen, #GlutenFree rice noodle option, wagyu soy #ramen… Great for travel agencies: English-speaking Japanese owner (tattooed), many seats (new ➡️ not packed), cooking visible counter-side… 👍🏻 #VeganKyoto

Back to #Kyoto Engine Ramen to introduce real #ramen to a French traveller! I savoured #VeganRamen "Kyoto Beaning" + extra noodles; he got the standard one + extra mushrooms. His verdict: excellent, broth in France is nowhere as good! Will he move here to enjoy more real #JapaneseFood? 🙂 #VeganKyoto

🧵1/ Exceptional #vegan & #GlutenFree lunch at Grains (Miho's Kitchen) in Nagoya with red miso soup, unagi-don eel on rice (first time I tried vegan eel ✨), karaage fried chicken (taste close to the real thing + soft chicken texture), matcha or chocolate doughnuts… 😋 #VeganNagoya #VeganJapan

🧵1/ Guiding an exciting 12-day #archaeoastronomy tour in the Japanese countryside for a special interest group: 11 French & Belgian travellers who explored ancient civilizations in Egypt, Mexico, Peru… and extend their deep world journey led by Deïmian. #HistoryTour #JapanTravel

🧵1/ Another 1-day test #HistoryTour for #Osaka Prefecture ✔️ To elevate experiences at its uniquely-specialized Museum of Yayoi Culture and 600,000㎡ Ikegami-Sone archaeological site, I gathered 17 travellers & residents from 9 countries who attended for free then provided insights & recommendations.

On my way to #Hokkaido for 4 days of #AdventureTravel: hiking, cycling, canoeing, rafting, hot springs, stargazing, prehistoric graves… Sub-zero forecasts means losing 12℃! Consulting for a #JapanTravel colleague's project supported by #Chitose city Tourism & #Sports Department.

My #washoku business trip to #Shizuoka started with another great exhibition: www.washoku-shizuoka.jp till 14 December. Huge vegetables, mushrooms, seaweed (60 of 1,500 types nationwide edible), bacteria & fungi for fermentation, dashi… + a #tea rolling activity with an American apprentice 🍵

A real treat after guiding all day long, just before riding a shinkansen back home: Vegan Paitan Spicy Ramen at Ramen Kiou under Shin-Osaka station. The sumptuous soup with lightest spice level 1 was quite spicy, and the clients were quiet. Appeasing & energising. #VeganRamen #VeganOsaka #VeganJapan

Just guided 4 Mexican ladies at #Osaka #WorldExpo: closed USA Pavilion (government shutdown), 1-hour queue for the fun China Pavilion, Pokémon photos for kids, cooling on seats at the Nordic Pavillion, vegan Attiéké Salad with concert at the African restaurant, awe at Pasona's Pavilion… Ends Monday!

Guiding one last time at the World Expo, I could taste #vegan takoyaki in Osaka! Invented here a century ago, the grilled octopus balls were reinvented cruelty-free with mushrooms by "Vegan & Gluten-free Osaka" restaurant. Served super hot so be careful not to burn yourself! #VeganOsaka #VeganJapan

Guiding and culinary adventures led me to the restaurant Mercy #Vegan Factory in Osaka. I loved the incredible deep-fried cauliflower with sweet & sour sauce 🥦 The matcha pudding was nice too 👍🏻 English-speaking staff & outdoor seating (rare in Japan) ✔️ A must-try; bookmarked! #VeganOsaka #VeganJapan

25-28 September near #Nagoya — Annual #TourismExpoJapan introduces #Japan & world destinations to pros (25-26) then the general public, at #Aichi Sky Expo for the first time. I’m excited to meet local managers and #Japan officials on behalf of our company #JapanTravel. www.t-expo.jp/en

I just lunched in #HanedaAirport at Diversity Diner HND. Menu by an award-winning chef, diverse vegan food, no refined sugar, no pungent roots. The curry udon noodles satisfied me 🍜 Before security checks, English orders, card payments, many seats, plugs… #VeganTravel #VeganJapan #VeganTokyo

🧵1/ Starting 6 days in #Nansatsu to develop #CulturalTourism, #GreenTourism and #FoodTourism that would intrigue you, with a colleague and officials from 4 #Kagoshima cities 🗾 Unique with sand hot springs, #Japan biggest tea production, local Loch Ness monster, a #HistoryTour about forced kamikaze…

I just enjoyed 4 days in #Minobu (Buddhism) and #Gotemba (Mt Fuji hotel) to develop #JapanTravel despite 34℃, rain and #WorkLifeBalance off. Vegan meals OK everywhere! Now readying for 6-day consulting in #Nansatsu from tomorrow: sand hot spring, №1 tea, forced kamikaze… Read daily updates 🗓️

Edit x Seven Fuji #Gotemba hotel fits #RomanticTravel: huge #MountFuji in front of rooms with balconies, private sauna & bath for two… and #FamilyTravel: 4 big beds in my room! My business trip yesterday/today is rainy so check the glorious sunny view at editxseven.com/fujigotemba/

#MountFuji is a god (Sengen faith…), not just a mountain to admire from home, on trips or through art 🗻 @unesco.org lists it as a cultural, not natural, world heritage. Consider it and #Japan if you plan #SpiritualTourism. Happily working there today; climbing its pilgrim trails will have to wait…

🧵1/ Starting 2 days on holy Mount #Minobu to develop #SpiritualTourism and #VeganTravel that you'd love, with a colleague and a local #Yamanashi community leader 🗾 Nichiren's tomb, 550 y.o. Buddhist temple lodging, ingredient protected by #Japan Ministry Of Agriculture, cooking & hospitality awards…

Flavourful Japanese yuzu #ramen at T's Tantan #Tokyo Station 🍜 Healthy nice change but walking by 37℃ afterwards convinced me the seasonal cold dragon fruit ramen would have been wiser 😉 Take care this summer! #VeganRamen #VeganTokyo

#Healthcare in Japan is amazingly cheap despite its high quality. Paying at the dentist on Tuesday felt like a joke… By law, all Japanese/foreign residents are covered. Medical fees are regulated, patients pay 30% maximum, and monthly caps prevent debt! Consider moving to #Japan 🙂

I dived into #overtourism to help a colleague with a government proposal, explaining why easy fixes would fail for the target area then covering geographic/time/MICE diversion & rebranding. Meaningful praise is rare so her "truly eye-opening" moved me. What are your thoughts on overtourism? #tourism

Feeling refreshed! I sleep better with less coffee (3→1 cup/day), more sun and walks when cool (37℃ now, 27℃ min last night), and slow weekends. Tuesday off: dentist… Other weekdays proposing services to hotels and helping a colleague prepare a proposal on overtourism. My desk fan feels lifesaving!

Lonely Planet's #VeganTravel Handbook ranked #Japan Plant-Based Market Association's #Vegan Gourmet Festival as world №6 #VeganFestival 🎉 Last time: 6,800 visitors at 90 stalls in Tokyo, 4,000 at 64 in Nagoya, and 2,700 at 43 in Kyoto. I had fun 💚 Volunteers always welcome 👥 vegefes.com #VeganJapan

Spring 2026 in #Kyoto — Expect the Vegan Gourmet Festival to welcome you for free at Umekoji Park, unless stormy. Details pending ⏳ vegefes.com #VeganJapan

Sunday 12 October — #Nagoya #Vegan Gourmet Festival and Yoga Life Nagoya will welcome you for free in Tsuruma Park; 10:00-16:00 unless stormy. Without me as I'll attend my neighbourhood festival in Tokyo. Eager to make friends & discoveries? It's for you 🧘 vegefes.com/eventdate_pl... #VeganJapan

Sunday 05 October — #Tokyo #Vegan Gourmet Festival will welcome you for free in Kiba Park; 10:30-16:00 unless stormy. I look forward to reuniting with old friends and savouring new foods 🙂 Eager to meet the community? It's your best chance so… see you there 🌿 vegefes.com/eventdate_pl... #VeganTokyo

Associated to crime in Japan, #tattoos close the door to most #RejuvenatingOnsen. I'm not tattooed but many foreign guests/clients are. ⅓ of American adults have 1+! Visiting but tattooed? Book a kashikiri private hot spring room or a hotel room with onsen ♨️ And check www.tattoofriendlyonsen.com

Excellent #NoStress week thanks to new routines! Morning sales to hotel & event managers BEFORE emails, walks when cool (38℃ now, 27℃ min at night!), evening #BlueSky post. Also, Tuesday off for the dentist then slow time made all the difference. Feeling great! What's your top #WorkLifeBalance tip?

Feeling refreshed! Cold somen thin noodles dipped in sauce are ideal for #vegan home cooking in #summer 🍜 Usually white, this pack from Nagasaki is coloured by mixing kabocha, carrot, tomato, or spinach with wheat and vegetable oil before stretching & drying in the air… You'd love it! #VeganJapan

#MartialArts tourism is #TransformativeTourism 🥋 Even as a karateka, I got inspired while practicing naginata halberd during a pilot tour in #Japan that I attended as a tourism consultant. Stuck or uninspired? It's for you! sporttourism-japan.com/en/budo.html

#MartialArts tourism can transform your mind in minutes whether you watch or practice 🥋 Visiting #Tokyo? Join communities and watch demos & fights at the Nippon Budokan. I love its annual #kendo tournament on Culture Day (03 November)! Schedule in Japanese: www.nipponbudokan.or.jp/shinkoujigyo...

Seeking inspiration from successful family businesses? Dive into the world's oldest one: sanatorium-turned-hot-spring-inn Houshi in #Japan since 718 ♨️ I missed this #shinise during local #business trips but a project may let me meet its 47-generation staff next month 🙂 www.ho-shi.co.jp/en/

Unique Kaga #vegetables: samurai-era tastes almost lost to post-WW2 modernization, now a celebrated brand in Japan! I savoured the 15 during business trips and even included them in my latest proposal for a tourism bid 🥬 Taste history in Ishikawa prefecture! kanazawa-kagayasai.com/en/ #VeganJapan

#Tokyo will host 101 y.o. #Deaflympics on 15-26 November (+ #Fukushima football + #Shizuoka cycling). Roads close for races? Watch 21 sports for free online or at venues; some after-work evening sessions 👍 Wave your arms in the air to cheer 3,000 athletes from 70+ countries! deaflympics2025-games.jp

#Tokyo will host the World #Athletics Championships on 13-21 September, closing roads on 13-15 & 20th for marathons… Evening sessions let you attend after work 👍 Many tickets available from 2,500 yen (= €15 = $17) to watch & cheer 2,000 athletes from 200 countries. worldathletics.org/competitions...

🎂 My 46th year revolves around #WorkLifeBalance. I started with 5-day birthday holidays (later: stay at world's oldest hotel, dinner at world №1 restaurant), resumed meditation, and plan more running & cooking. Workwise, partnerships in Aichi Prefecture feel timely 💼 sebastien-duval.com/46th-year/

Just before my birthday, I reviewed my 45th year. Midway, #burnout led me to change my sales strategies, which restored #WorkLifeBalance without preventing achievements: a long-term goal, firsts, and World Expo contributions. Still, my 46th should include more changes. sebastien-duval.com/45th-year/

The big boy Miel is always ready to play 🐈

46 🎂 Celebrating my #birthday with a wonderful flower #tea at Monkey-Magic Teahouse Chaso #Yokohama, appreciating our era of long healthy life in good company. My 45th year was career-building (all goals ✔️) but sad (🐈‍⬛⚰️) and unbalanced. I resumed meditation today, and will play more with my cats.

I celebrate my #birthday (13 August) with a 5-day weekend staycation 🙂 Japanese public holiday Monday then paid leave on 12-13. #Tokyo is hot so cool days home with my #cats, enjoying evening walks, and I'll try a mind-blowing #vegan restaurant 🌱 Feeling grateful for this time 🙂

39℃ even in Siberia's neighbour #Hokkaido Japanese prefecture last week 🌡️ Farmers & winemakers feeling #ClimateChange started cultivating Pinot Noir grapes and producing #wine in new areas 🍇🍷