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Mottainai
もったいない
What a waste!
Mottainai is an expression that encapsulates a feeling of regret at wasting the intrinsic value of a resource or object. It can be translated as both "what a waste" and "don't be wasteful". It's a useful reminder when travelling to make sure you take only photographs and leave nothing but footprints behind,.
Pictured here is Gunkanjima or 'battleship island' 15km off the coast of Nagasaki. More than 5,000 people used to live here, but the residents abandoned the island in 1974 when the undersea coal mine closed, leaving the buildings to fall into ruin.
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A quick note about our experiences: Our experiences are designed to be part of a complete, tailor-made travel package and are not available to book individually. This allows us to ensure every detail – from accommodation to transport – is perfectly coordinated for you. If you're interested in one of these experiences, we'd love to help you build a full itinerary around it!
Mottainai
Available throughout Japan
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