An emotional farewell as Layla and Cheslin Kolbe embrace at the airport as Layla leaves for South Africa.

“The end of an era.” These are the words of Layla Kolbe as she bid an emotional farewell to Japan and reflected on her family’s decision to relocate back to South Africa.

The wife of Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to the country she and her family had called home for the past three years.

Accompanying her message was a carousel of photographs and videos capturing treasured moments from their life in Japan.

Layla revealed that one of the most emotional moments of the move came at passport control, where she had to surrender her Japanese residency permit.