As a follow-up to creating a song in Japanese, I had an absolute blast writing the English lyrics for the Town of Wakasa and working with the team to produce this video, Wakasa on My Mind.
My hope is that this song introduces audiences around the world to the beauty, history, and warm hospitality of Wakasa, while inspiring more people to discover this unique corner of rural Japan.
I hope you enjoy the music, the lyrics, and this glimpse into one of Japan’s hidden treasures.
Diplomacy doesn’t end when you turn in your badge or step away from a formal title. In fact, I am learning that diplomacy and people-to-people exchange can often be advanced even more effectively outside of official roles.
Language and cultural expertise remain powerful tools for building trust and forging strategic relationships across borders.
I have been fortunate to serve as a U.S. diplomat for 24 years, strengthening international partnerships, deepening alliances, building my own company, and publishing multiple books. Each chapter has reinforced the same lesson: enduring diplomacy is rooted in human connection.
Recently, I took on something entirely new, writing an original song in Japanese and producing a music video with the help of AI to support rural revitalization in Japan. This is my first creative project of this kind.
👉 Watch the short video version here: https://lnkd.in/gpYRTbCX
The song is dedicated to the town of Wakasa, historically known as 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬𝐮𝐤𝐮𝐧𝐢, the “Kitchen of the Imperial Court,” which supplied Kyoto’s Imperial Court with some of the finest seafood, as well as salt and other local produce.
Wakasa is also home to the Mikata Five Lakes, a Ramsar-designated wetland of international importance and one of Japan’s most scenic lake landscapes, located within 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐲 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐬𝐢-𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤. Lake Suigetsu is internationally recognized for its 70,000-year varve sediment record, a global reference for scientific dating, and the region is home to the world’s only museum dedicated to this record, the 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬𝐮 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦.
The area is also known for its coastal cycling routes along Wakasa Bay and cultural heritage sites such as the 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧-𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦, which exhibits artifacts from the Jomon period.
With its mountains, forests, lakes, and sea, Wakasa is a place of extraordinary natural and cultural richness, poised for greater global recognition.
June is Kuzu Manju season in Wakasa Town. 🌿
A specialty of historic Kumagawa-juku, this refreshing sweet is made from translucent kuzu starch and filled with sweet red bean paste, a cherished taste of early summer in Fukui Prefecture.
Traditional foods like Kuzu Manju help preserve local culture and connect visitors with the history, heritage, and traditions that make communities such as Wakasa Town so special. Enjoy while they last!
Honored to partner with Mayor Watanabe and his team in advancing Wakasa Town’s international outreach, raising its global profile, and building meaningful partnerships that create lasting opportunities for the community.
Home to the Five Lakes of Mikata, Wakasa Town offers a remarkable blend of natural beauty, history, and scientific discovery. The town is home to the Torihama Jōmon Museum, preserving more than 12,000 years of human history and innovation, and the Fukui Varve Museum, the world’s only museum dedicated to annually layered lake sediments that contribute to global climate research.
Wakasa was also the starting point of the historic Mackerel Road (Saba Kaidō), a vital trade route linking the region to Kyoto and helping shape the cultural and culinary traditions for which the ancient capital is known today.
I look forward to continuing to strengthen Wakasa’s connections with partners around the world and sharing all that this remarkable community has to offer.
Learn more about Wakasa Town and plan a visit:
https://lnkd.in/e7fwYe78
hashtag#WakasaTown hashtag#FukuiJapan hashtag#JapanTourism hashtag#CulturalHeritage hashtag#InternationalPartnerships hashtag#RegionalDevelopment
It was an honor to meet the First Gentleman of Slovenia and discuss his work to promote Slovenian culture and heritage internationally. I also look forward to welcoming him to Japan in the future, where I will soon begin my new position as Director of Global Strategy and Business Development.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with the Coming Home Network about the importance of faith in my life and career. We discussed topics ranging from family and relationships to how engaging with people of different faith traditions has shaped my understanding of myself and others. We also explored how a career in diplomacy has broadened my worldview in meaningful and lasting ways.
The full interview can be viewed on my Media & Interviews page, where I share additional conversations on leadership and global engagement, or directly here.
Conversations like this are a reminder that diplomacy today is not just about governments—it’s about connecting people, ideas, and opportunities across borders.
I was recently asked: What are fun ways to teach kids about different cultures and customs? It is a thoughtful question and one that matters more than ever in a connected world.
One of the simplest ways to spark curiosity is through books. Reading children’s stories written in different languages or translated from other cultures opens a window into how families around the world think, speak, and live. When parents show genuine interest in other cultures, that curiosity becomes contagious.
Travel is another powerful teacher. When children experience different customs firsthand, whether through food, language, music, or everyday interactions, the lessons stay with them far longer than anything learned in a classroom.
Inside Bahla Fort in Nizwa, Oman, my boys learned pottery while hearing the rhythm of Arabic spoken patiently by a local instructor. They practiced new words and gained confidence simply by listening and trying.
Later, in Tbilisi, Georgia, they visited a traditional bakery and learned about the country’s rich bread-making culture. They discovered the Georgian word for bread, puri (პური), ate plenty of khachapuri, and saw how food can reflect history, geography, and identity.
Moments like these teach more than vocabulary. They build respect, humility, and confidence. They remind children that the world is bigger than their immediate surroundings.
Simple steps at home can also nurture cultural awareness:
Experiences like these inspired our effort to publish a children’s book in multiple languages so families can explore language and culture together in an accessible way.
The book is now available in the following language editions:
English | Japanese | Spanish | Italian | Korean | Arabic | Chinese | Thai | Hindi | Russian | Vietnamese | Indonesian | French
Each edition introduces young readers to bilingual storytelling in a simple and engaging format.
Curiosity grows when it is encouraged. Children are the future, and exposure to language and culture helps them grow with openness and understanding.
The Penguin Who Loved Adventures
Bilingual Children’s Book by Ken Reiman
May peace prevail in 2026! Happy New Year to all!
Looking toward 2026, I was inspired to engage with emerging Japanese leaders at the prefectural and municipal levels, including a Vice Governor, a Prefectural Assembly Member and son of the Prime Minister, and a Mayor, all committed to advancing U.S.–Japan relations at the grassroots level.
Six years after my first book, I am grateful to share the publication of my newest work, Abandoned No More, a Christian faith memoir about perseverance, prayer, and trust in God.
This project was shaped by patience, prayer, and persistence, a reminder that faith often works quietly over time before it becomes visible.
Writing this memoir deepened my belief that our lives unfold according to purpose even when we cannot yet see the direction. With faith and perseverance, what once seemed distant becomes possible.
God bless, and thank you for being part of this journey.
Available through major retailers: Abandoned No More, a Christian faith memoir
Ken Reiman is a diplomat, author, and global affairs speaker whose work reflects faith, leadership, and lived international experience.