ON YOUR MARK. GET SET. GO!

It’s that time of the year again and the race for the 2024 Formula 1 championship is well underway. With Max Verstappen taking the lead on the first two races of the season, Carlos Sainz snagging a victory only two weeks after an appendectomy, and rumors of Formula 1 potentially coming to Chicago in the next few years, fans are in for the ride of their lives.

I was lucky enough to experience a taste of this legendary sport up close and personal when visiting Japan last fall to watch some races on its famous Suzuka Circuit. The perfect blend of ancient culture and the thrill of modern-day racing, it was a journey to remember—one I’m excited to share with racing fans, new and old.

Ready to raise the flag on adventure? Let’s go.

We started our sojourn in Tokyo before quickly jetting off to Osaka. Although the flight was close to 17 hours, the fabulous Delta crew made provided the most amazing service on the long trip (a special thank you to our Seattle-based purser, Tami).

Once in Osaka, we found ourselves near a bevy of action and culinary delights. Our first stop was Baccarat’s B Bar Umeda across from our hotel. While the surroundings were beautiful, filled with high-end crystal, rich red tones and black lacquered ceilings, the service was even better. The B Bar is also a cigar lounge, so if you like to smoke while you drink in a classy setting, this is a great first stop after a long day of travel.

The next morning, we headed to “Osaka’s Kitchen” (aka Kuromon Ichiba Market) for breakfast and other Japanese delights. What began as a fish trade in the 19th century is now a market filled with authentic local cuisine, knowledgeable shop owners, and plenty of lively color.

While on tour in Japan, prepare for plenty of seafood and high-quality beef. Traveling with friends versed on Japanese food, one of our travel partners suggested we try the fresh Uni or bright orange sea urchin. It was certainly a new flavor that we quickly followed with freshly grilled wagyu beef. The intimate setting at each shop in the market allowed us to practice our limited language skills with the locals who were very generous and kind with our grammatical mistakes.

Later that day, we made our way around town—shopping at the plentiful stores, enjoying the historical sites, and grabbing glasses of wine and traditional sake in the most intimate of settings.

We spent the next day in the magical city of Kyoto. Once the capital of Japan, it’s known for its beautiful gardens and Buddhist temples, as well as the beautifully dressed Geishas in the Gion district (Unfortunately, tourists are now banned in the Gion district due to unruly behavior and unsolicited photography by some).

We opted for a traditional Kimono fitting in a nearby shop followed by snacks and wine at a local restaurant. Being dressed head-to-toe in the traditional gowns (both men and women) was such a unique experience and filled with honor and pride for the dressers helping us. The fabrics were luxurious (although rather hot with the five layers in the humidity) and I loved every minute of the experience. My daughter equally loved the photos when I returned home.

The next morning, we made our way to day one of the race (practice 1 and 2). Spirits were high but temperatures were even higher and there were crowds aplenty.

We found our seats in the grandstands, Sapporo beer in-hand, and the festivities began. The Suzuka Circuit is a special one. It was developed in the 1960s (with modifications over the past six decades) and has been one of the longest running venues for Formula 1 races beginning with the Japanese Grand Prix in From our seats, we could not only see the Ise Bay (leading into the Pacific Ocean), but the magical Japanese mountains. Something that was quite spectacular to take in during the moments a safety car made its way to the track.

The next two days were filled with excitement at the track and although our favorite driver, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, didn’t place in the top three, we still had a fabulous time.

In the evenings, we made our way back to Nagoya, the closest large city to Suzuka. One evening we opted for drinks in the lounge at the top of our hotel, the Marriott Nagoya Associa. Seated at what I would consider the absolute best table in the area, we had city views as far as the eye could see, with a special look at the Nagoya Castle in the distance. We mingled with fellow racegoers and enjoyed the specialty cocktails and live jazz music. The perfect nightcap.

Our final stop on the trip was Tokyo where we took in the skyline views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and Shinjuku Goen, one of the region’s most popular parks and arguably the best place to see the cherry blossoms.

Later that evening we opted for Yakitori at a restaurant in Shinjuku followed by the unique experience of barhopping in the Golden Gai area. While we ended up being in the same area, famous for its tiny bars and small alleys, we missed the Red Bull racing team and Christian Horner who happened to be celebrating their Japanese Grand Prix win in Golden Gai as well.

After a whirlwind trip across the globe, we settled into our seats on the flight home and reminisced about the fantastic trip filled with amazing service, kindness, and unforgettable sights.

Arigatō, Nihon!