13: Lucky for some

4 August 2019 marks 13 years since Mac, Founder and Lead Guide of Maction Planet, moved to Tokyo. He reflects on why he stayed here, despite initial plans to the contrary… 

I’ve been telling guests that I’ve been here for 13 years for a while now but today it’s officially true!

When I first moved to Tokyo, I actually didn’t think I’d be here 13 years later. If you were to tell the 2006 me that he’d still be living in Tokyo he’d be surprised, to say the least. Up until I got here, the vision I had for my life back then was that I’d live in a number of the world’s great cities by the time I was 40. Three years in Shanghai, three years in Beirut, a stint in Mexico City. That’s not the way things worked out, and that’s a testament to the magic of this amazing place.  

As some of our readers know, I have visited 108 countries… but at the time that I moved to Tokyo, I had visited only 35. I had seen a lot of Europe and some of North America and Africa but the move to East Asia allowed me easier access to a whole new area of the planet. I began travelling around the region and as I’d visit Seoul, Singapore and Hong Kong from Tokyo, I was searching for a potential next home. I really wanted a new city to speak to me in the way Tokyo had done when I first came to Japan in 2002. 

Despite enjoying great experiences in many of the world’s cities, nowhere quite cut it. Nowhere else had the magic combination of safety, efficiency, people, food, energy and things to do that exists right here in Tokyo, the World’s Greatest Metropolis. 

And that, my friends, is why I live here! Baseball, ramen, tonkatsu, whisky, beer, nihonshu, anime, art, architecture, sumo, temples, shrines, karaoke, otaku culture, smart toilets – these are few of my favourite things.

Through Maction Planet, I do something I really love: sharing my joy for the greatest city on Earth with people who are eager to soak up all its goodness. Our guests not only get to enjoy unique, mind-blowing experiences but 13 years on, my relationship with the city also continues to deepen and grow. Being headhunted this year to star in a new NHK World TV series, Triangle Thrillers, has been emblematic of this. 

Every day is a great workday and, as our guests attest, this tried-and-true passion for Tokyo and Japan shines through in every tour we give. I couldn’t feel luckier. ‬

We’ve reached the point where the majority of our guests are coming to us via word-of-mouth. This means that there is now a true Maction Planet family around the world. I am truly humbled that so many people have joined us on this journey. To this special family, I want to say “Domo arigato gozaimasu”. Without you, there would be no Maction Planet. 

We continue… 

Maction Planet runs bespoke Private Tours and Experiences in Tokyo, and beyond. To book yours, contact us at info@mactionplanet.com

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Our featured photo comes courtesy of Maction Planet Tour Guest Johanna Birch, of Johanna Birch Photography. Check out her website and drop her a line at hello@johannabirch.com for all your London Photography needs!