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Todd Van Horne (Wakayama-ken, Tanabe-shi, 2004-08) is an inbound tourism specialist based in Wakayama Prefecture.
I was an ALT in Tanabe City, Wakayama, from 2004 to 2008. It was my 2nd time in Japan and I was a little older than most of the other ALTs. I didn’t have so many shared interests with the JET social world around me, so I found myself spending time with a small group of friends exploring the area, cooking, and studying the language hard on my own.
My placement itself was difficult, sometimes unpleasant, for reasons that probably wouldn’t surprise other JET alumni. In fact, I had my resignation letter typed and translated, and was about to turn it in after recontracting, when suddenly on that day we were assigned a new supervisor. The new supervisor was just as disconnected but much less unpleasant. With my growing independence thanks to improving language ability and understanding of bureaucracy, I could rely less on colleagues I preferred not to depend on. That growing independence was the reason I was able to stay for 4 years. It’s still very strange to me that the life I have now pivoted on that day’s “I’ll see how today goes.”
Outside of work, I became increasingly interested in fermented foods and helped my wife grow and teach her cooking class business.
After JET, the plan was to move to the U.S. for a couple of years and then return to Japan. We did exactly that, only to move back just one month before the 2011 tsunami. Like nearly everyone we knew at the time, we struggled during that time. Finally we got our restaurant open, focusing on fully handmade food served with homemade pickles, miso, and sprouted brown rice.
We ignored the naysayers who said you shouldn’t work with your spouse … and paid the price. We had a restaurant, a baby, an immediate family member in failing health, and more. To say it was a tough time is a vast understatement. For a few years I felt like the guy in movies clawing at ice from underwater, trying to find a way out.
A combination of circumstances led to an introduction to a local company, and although I wasn’t looking to be employed, it was the most practical option for a few years. I’m glad I did it, but I would never, ever repeat it. Although staying with the restaurant wasn’t an option at the time, my only keen regret about these 20+ years is that I’m not producing and selling my food and products anymore.
Becoming a parent changed things again. After my daughter was born, I developed a strong interest in the psychology and theory of parenting, likely influenced by my years in education. I separated from my ex-wife, quit that job, and found myself with the space to be the kind of father I wanted to be. My somewhat frustrated interest in education was rocked when I started raising my daughter. It was like a light bulb turning on, to coin a phrase. I began coaching Japanese parents in raising bilingual children, with a lot of parenting philosophy mixed in. It was meaningful work, and was aligned with my values and interests. I randomly met an old friend in a supermarket around that time and recall saying, “I’ve been through the f****** ringer but I’m so happy to be where I am.”
Around that time, a former JET coworker introduced me to Giuliana, who had been a JET in nearby Shingu City from 2017–2018. We hadn’t crossed paths before, unsurprising, given that I was working six days a week during her year on JET. I started helping her informally with operational challenges for her small travel startup Kumano Adventures, and over the course of a year or two, that collaboration deepened. When an opportunity came up to apply for a tourism promotion grant, we decided to partner.
In 2025, we both quit our other jobs and committed fully to Kumano Adventures.
Running a tour business in rural Japan is loads of fun but feels Sisyphean at the same time. I love connecting with local suppliers who are eager to try new ideas, and seeing what we can create together. With so many inbound tourists, sometimes I feel like we’re passing on earning opportunities too often. But our end goal is to create systems that help rural Japan, while making a living. The challenge is being creative and persistent, but also patient in balance, while finding where our vision overlaps with what the consumer base is actually looking for.
One project that feels especially full-circle for me is our Taiko Retreat. During my JET years, I played in the local taiko group for four years. Separately, the partner of another local ALT, Carrie, also began playing and teaching taiko here and has continued ever since. Carrie later reached out about creating a taiko event back in the place where they were placed for JET, and that conversation eventually became the Taiko Retreat.
Carrie is a dance teacher with a strong focus on physical health and incorporates concepts like godai, the five elements of Eastern philosophy, into her teaching. From my perspective, Carrie’s work emphasizes authenticity at both the personal and student levels while creating a space where people can express themselves honestly. We hope this becomes a recurring event.
For former JETs, there’s something familiar about returning to rural Japan not as a teacher, but as a participant, already knowing how to perceive the pause, open your senses, be thoughtful about your response. As a small way of welcoming that community, we offer a 10% discount for former JET participants.
Recently my friend invited me to his Thanksgiving gathering. During dinner he looked at me and said, “You don’t seem jaded about your time here.” Well … I’m glad that’s my vibe!
Although life’s difficulties never disappear, things are easier for me here now than they’ve ever been. My time in this region started with JET but I wouldn’t really call it a foundation. It was just another experience that had good and bad times, and was part of the path to now.
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