Freelance Announcer Aika Kanda’s Year-End Germany & Luxembourg Trip③ — No Fireworks?!

Finally, Luxembourg!

A New Year’s trip with just my mother and me. On New Year’s Eve, we were supposed to take a train from Frankfurt, Germany, to neighboring Luxembourg, but the schedule was completely disrupted, and partway through we were forced to switch to a bus.

“I have to get off at a station called Saarbrücken that I’ve never heard of and catch a bus within ten minutes,” I told my mother, who silently stared out the window. For someone of her advanced age, standing for two hours in subzero temperatures waiting for a train had to have been exhausting. I kept running mental simulations of the transfer over and over.

Finally, we arrived at Saarbrücken. Following my plan, I asked at the information desk where the bus stop was, and then, dragging two large suitcases, I sprinted.

The bus was already there, and passengers were loading luggage into the rear compartment. Just a few minutes to departure. I made it as the last passenger. Relieved, I tried to lift my suitcase into the compartment—but it was at shoulder height, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t reach it. (I’m going to miss the bus!) I almost started to cry, when I heard my mother call, “Ai-chan!” I turned around, and she had somehow brought over a stranger. I immediately said, “Help me!” and he smiled, lifted the suitcase, and put it in the bus.

The 1 hour and 15 minute bus ride took us along the border with France. Seeing sights I wouldn’t normally see, I realized, “A bus trip through Europe can be beautiful too”—a new discovery.

When we arrived in Luxembourg, I couldn’t help exclaiming, “Wow!” The crisp, clear air, trees along the roads decorated with sparkling lights, and the white cobblestone streets reflecting the illumination—it all looked magical. The buildings were all white stone, the same height, and a modern white tram, lit up, glided between them. Truly like stepping into a dream.

We had researched Frankfurt, but knew nothing about Luxembourg. “What is this country!?” we exclaimed. A quick search revealed that Luxembourg City itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and that the country had the highest GDP per capita until recently. Public transportation was even free!

We immediately took advantage of the free trains to head into the city center and came across a Uniqlo. “Even here!?” I was amazed. I found a cute long down coat in a color not sold in Japan, achieving one of the goals of this trip: buying a thick, long down coat.

I was really looking forward to it

Back at the hotel, I asked the front desk, “Where is the countdown event venue?” The clerk replied fluently in English, and I thought I heard, “There’s no countdown.” (Huh?) I decided to double-check using Google Translate and asked, “I read online that you can see the New Year’s fireworks from a bridge in the city. Which bridge is that?” To my shock, they answered, “There is no countdown. No fireworks either.” “No way.” I had checked online many times while in Japan, and it had clearly said that you could see the New Year’s fireworks from a bridge. That was one of the reasons I had decided to spend New Year’s Eve in Luxembourg!

I was frustrated with my declining research skills and fell into self-reproach. In my irritation, I decided to wander the city for as long as I had the energy. Amid falling snow, I rode an open-air Ferris wheel at the Christmas market. It had been years since I’d done something like that with my mother—probably since I was a child. The wind was strong, the ride swayed a lot, and the cold seeped to my bones. Then, back in our hotel room, we quietly welcomed 2026.

Six nights and eight days with my mother. After facing numerous troubles, I wasn’t sure if she had enjoyed herself, but we boarded the train to Frankfurt Airport.

Already, I began wondering, (What should I do for next year’s New Year’s holiday?) At that moment, my mother said, “That was fun. Next time, I want to come to Luxembourg in the summer!” When I looked out at the scenery she was happily gazing at, I saw the famous Rhine River and numerous castles. Seeing her so happy made the view even more beautiful. I replied, “That’s right,” and in my heart, I told her, (Soon, next summer, I’ll come to see you again).

Aika Kanda / Born 1980 in Kanagawa Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University. Joined NHK as an announcer in 2003, left NHK in 2012, and became a freelance announcer. Since then, she has mainly appeared on variety programs and currently serves as the main MC on the daytime program Pokapoka (Fuji TV).

★ Her first book compiling this series, “Ōdō tte iu michi, doko ni tōttemasu ka?”, is now on sale to great acclaim.

From “FRIDAY”, March 6, 2026 issue