The time for the big announcement has finally come.

This blog was started with the idea of telling the story of this travel in particular: the Shikoku Henro. As described on Wikipedia, it’s a multi-site pilgrimage on the Japanese island of Shikoku, around 1200 Km long.

It will be the first time for me outside the European Union and I wanted to give my passport a good baptism of fire. One to be remembered.

I got to know the Shikoku pilgrimage while walking the Camino de Santiago, in 2013. Since then, I’ve had this idea in mind (together with many others) and now I feel that the right time has come for me to embark in such an adventure.

A sense of excitement and awe has taken control of my mind since I booked the flight tickets to Osaka, a few days ago. I will fly there in September and come back in November. It should take me between 6 and 8 weeks of walking, if everything goes well.

The plan for August is to get to learn at least “some” Japanese, as I will cross many small town and villages. The language barrier will be as high as the sky, but on the other hand the needs of a pilgrim are very simple: food, shower, shelter, and beer.

I hope you will get ready and walk with me.
Alessio