Words & Photos By Masanori Nishikawa
What I gained from my arduous journey through Tibet, known as the Roof of the World, still lives on today as nourishment for the rest of my life.
Being true to myself.
And the connection between body and mind.
With these things in my heart, my bicycle journey—and the journey of my life—moves on to a new stage.
This is a story about how a bicycle journey that allowed me to reflect on and fulfill my inner self took shape as an expression for others, and became my work.
I was born and raised in the countryside, surrounded by rice fields, where there wasn't a single convenience store and my school had only one class.
It was a childhood spent leisurely and safely, growing up together with everyone, without many encounters or inspirations.
I didn't have any grand dreams, and I had only vaguely imagined a life where I could live true to myself.
But after losing my best friend in an accident during my college years, and encountering travel, and now traveling the world alone by bicycle, I have developed a sensation that, even as I encounter unknown worlds, landscapes, and people, something I originally had begins to emerge.
It was as if I were thinking, "If I had met someone like my current self when I was a child, what kind of world would I have been able to grow up in while envisioning my life?"
That was it.
I can't go back to my childhood, and I can't change it.
But if I, having traveled the world, go to meet children living today, I can do that.
If that can help children live true to themselves.
When I could clearly envision it like that.
I think that was the moment I, who had somewhere in my heart always wanted to stay immersed in the world of travel and never return to Japan, decided with confidence that I would return to Japan.
Two and a half years had passed since I left Japan.
Japan after a long time.
The city was very beautiful and quiet.
Because I could understand everything everyone was saying, my head was busy for a while.
There were many comedians on TV that I didn't know.
And at exactly the same time, the lives of my family and friends were also moving forward.
After the bustle of returning home settled down, I visited the elementary school I graduated from.
I wanted to tell the children about the world and the experiences I had seen while traveling by bicycle.
When I told the principal that, I was given the opportunity to speak in front of the entire school.
Even though I still didn't know anything, I went to the school with only a strong feeling and a racing heart.
In front of me were many children.
I spoke passionately and with all my heart about my experiences and thoughts.
As I spoke, there was a definite sense of response, and in front of me were children who were really smiling with lively expressions.
And after the promised time ended and I said goodbye, many children came running up to me.
"That was so interesting! Tell us more!"
"I have this kind of dream, what should I do!?"
"I don't have a dream yet, but I want to find my own dream!"
All the children were happy, and they told me their thoughts to me, an adult they had just met for the first time.
Finally, the principal handed me money and said, "Sorry about the pocket money."
On my way home from school, for the first time in my life, I felt that I had been able to accomplish something for someone, for society, as myself.
That kind of feeling began to sprout in me.
From then on, I wanted to meet as many children as possible.
I wanted to be allowed to speak.
So I asked every time I met someone.
Elementary schools, junior high schools, grandparents, and people from nurseries and kindergartens.
If I could get an opportunity, I went everywhere.
In this way, I became able to express my experiences and receive money, but I was still far from continuing my journey and making a living with it.
I continued my bicycle journey while working part-time.
When the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, the town in Fukushima that had taken care of me during my bicycle journey around Japan was heavily damaged, and I stayed in the disaster-affected area for a year doing volunteer work.
While doing volunteer work, I met children in the town, and thinking that I could be even a little bit of strength for the future lives of the children who had lost their precious families and homes, I came up with a new project.
While continuing my bicycle journey, I wanted to connect the world and school classrooms with video calls and deliver encounters.
And through my challenges, I wanted to deliver a message of "Let's work hard together."
I visited the town's board of education and gave a presentation.
Because ICT education had just begun and I had a desire to create a new form of class for the children, the conversation progressed, and I received a positive response from the principal, and from then on, I was allowed to take elementary school classes while continuing my bicycle journey.
After starting the "class that connects the world and the classroom," I began to receive requests to do this class in other regions of Japan.
And my style of travel that "connects with society and takes on a role" was accepted, and I was able to get companies to support me as sponsors.
In this way, I became able to continue my activities as a "bicycle journey" as my work.
This was not the goal, and trial and error will continue from now on, but now I think that these past few years were undoubtedly the timing when I made the life resolution to walk my path that I believe in to the end.
Next time, I will write about how my style of travel changed from an adventure-style bicycle journey to a bicycle journey that serves coffee.
Thank you for your continued support.
"Travel Sounds" by Masanori Nishikawa
Vol.1 / Vol.2 / Vol.3 / Vol.4 / Vol.5 / Vol.6 / Vol.7 / Vol.8 / Vol.9 / Vol.10