In the autumn of 2024, I began a journey that stayed with me long after I left. I walked part of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, completing the first 28 temples. At the time, I didn’t fully understand why it felt so meaningful. I only knew that something inside me became quieter, softer, and more present with every step.

The Seed That Became a Journey began long before I understood what it truly meant. When I first started the International Travel Lovers meetup, I wrote that my dream was to travel the world and visit all the sacred sites. At the time, I didn’t really know what “sacred sites” meant to me, but there must have been a seed already planted, quietly waiting to grow.