Guesthouse Operation Update: The Norwegian Checks Out

Hey everyone!

I’m afraid I have some sad news.

After a lot of thought, my wife and I have decided to leave the beautiful mountains of Tokushima so our newborn son can grow up closer to his grandparents.

Before we go, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful people who have come and gone through Next Chapter these past couple of years. Hosting you has genuinely been a joy. And to everyone who supported the project—both in its planning and in its day-to-day operations—your help has meant the world. Without you, the slightly confused Norwegian project manager with questionable Japanese would’ve been completely lost. A special thanks also to our guesthouse neighbours, who have shown nothing but kindness and support. Kito truly is filled with remarkable people.

Starting Next Chapter has been unlike anything else in my life. It pushed me on a creative journey I didn’t expect and allowed me to connect with Japanese culture and community in a way few foreigners ever get the chance to. I feel incredibly lucky to have had this experience.

So… what’s next for the guesthouse?

There’s no permanent successor yet, but my colleague and friend Mr. Miyawaki will do his best to keep things running on weekends starting in January. I’m afraid his English is a bit more limited than mine, but his Japanese is on a completely different skill level. Some would say native. Not some,  everyone would say native actually. He’s Japanese.

Where his English is lacking, his friendliness compensates. As well as modern technology. Friendliness and translation apps go a long way. I am very much speaking from experience. To sum it up: The guesthouse should be in good hands 🙂

As I move on to my own “next chapter” (sorry, that cheesy metaphor has been calling to me through this whole post), I can only hope I’ll be welcomed where I land as warmly as I have been in Kito.

I hope Next Chapter will continue to offer a cozy refuge for travellers and grow together with this wonderful town. It’s a project I’m immensely proud of.

Thank you all so, so much for these amazing years.

The Golden Scandinavian Moose is checking out.

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Alrik Fallet

Next Chapter ・ Project Leader