For a number of years, I've made it a point to visit Japan in the spring. Our lack of seasonal weather in Singapore has made me nostalgic for the transition from winter to spring. It's almost as if the natural world needed to remind us that there is something to hope for - for renewal and rebirth.

But then, why Japan?

To me, it's more than just the bright burst of cherry blossoms at every corner. There's an understated elegance about the country that moves me. At times it is their respect of old traditions and their care for the environment, other times it's the draw of the anonymity in a big city like Tokyo.

It's been years and I am still searching for the right words to describe the awe and familiarity I feel each time I go back.

I decided to wrap up all these emotions in a photo book. It is partly a gift to my mother, who has been a steadfast travel companion, and also a visual souvenir to help both of us remember.