AKITA--Korean-American Jim Chae never forgot the cherished memories from the time his family visited an onsen resort in Akita Prefecture when he was 9.

Recently, the 28-year-old visited the prefecture again in a nostalgic trip that created more lasting memories.

Upon arriving in Japan in early September, Chae quickly headed to Akita Prefecture.

Chae went to Yokote in the prefecture, situated 70 kilometers southeast of, or a one-hour drive from Akita city. He wanted to see the “Friday Roadshow and Ghibli Exhibition” at the Akita Museum of Modern Art in Yokote.

However, Chae realized, a little past 4 p.m., that he did not know how to get back to Akita city, despite having come to Yokote on his own. At a complete loss by the roadside, Chae waved to a truck, and a Japanese man, apparently in his 30s, stopped.

Through a translation app on his cellphone, Chae asked the man how to return to Akita. The driver replied that he would give Chae a ride, as he had already completed his work for the day.

Chae rode for one hour and ended up reaching Akita city. Chae tried to hand some cash to the man. But the driver did not accept it, much to Chae's amazement.

As getting a one-hour ride virtually free of charge seemed totally unbelievable to Chae, he was truly moved by the kind man.

Chae felt compelled to tell others about his heartfelt appreciation. But the driver was anything but alone in the hospitality he showed the foreign visitor.

On the night of Sept. 25, Chae toured around elsewhere in Akita Prefecture and returned to Akita city. Though it was already late at night, Chae discovered that he had forgotten to make a reservation for a place to stay overnight.

Considering staying at a cybercafe, Chae encountered a group of a Japanese man and two women in their 20s while roaming the city.

Chae asked them if they knew of any nearby places where he could spend the night, with the help of the translation software on his cellphone.

The man and Chae engaged in an animated conversation, during which he expressed an interest in learning Korean.

They had dinner together, and as it grew late, he booked a hotel room for Chae. The man suggested they spend more time at the accommodation, so he could learn more Korean. The two stayed at the hotel, talking about much.

Waking up the following morning, Chae found his roommate had already left. A letter was placed beside his pillow.

“I have already paid,” the man wrote, recommending that Chae leave the room by 8 a.m.

He thanked Chae for the enjoyable time and added, “Please continue to enjoy Japan with care.”

The message was written in not only Japanese but also Korean and English. Reading the letter, Chae was moved to tears.

Chae had not even imagined that the one-night roommate paid for the room charge. 

Hoping to do something to repay his kindness in return, Chae looked for a media outlet to publicize his story through a newspaper.

The young native English speaker abruptly showed up in front of a reporter working at a desk in The Asahi Shimbun’s Akita General Bureau.

Chae said he was so impressed by the kindness shown by people in Japan to him that he wanted his episode to be shared. The aim was expressing his gratitude to them via a news article.

After completing his travels in Akita Prefecture, Chae was to tour the Shikoku region in western Japan as part of his journey that will continue through Nov. 20. He opted to skip Tokyo and Kyoto in favor of rural areas.

Money is unlikely to be the reason. Chae, who serves as CEO of an information technology provider despite his young age, could afford to enjoy a luxurious trip with ease if he desired.

What Chae seeks is to experience the authentically pure features of each country he visits. He prefers the countryside to famed sightseeing spots, as those places allow him to encounter the genuine warmth and personality of local residents.

Firmly believing that Akita is one such destination, Chae concluded that Akita is a great city offering magnificent experiences, just as he found during his childhood visit.

Statistics from the Japan Tourism Agency reveal that as many as 26.88 million people came to Japan from abroad between January and September this year.

As the number is comparable to the level before the COVID-19 pandemic, inbound tourism appears to have significantly recovered.

Whereas Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and other such destinations have proven particularly popular among foreign tourists in the latest trend, Akita Prefecture is facing a relatively grim reality.

According to the findings of the Tohoku District Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Akita ranked 43rd among Japan's 47 prefectures for the number of foreign overnight visitors in 2023.