People often ask me which country has been my favorite. It’s a question I never quite know how to answer. Every country carries its own atmosphere, its own rhythm, its own way of revealing beauty. How do you compare the silence of the Himalayas to the warmth of Italy, or the elegance of Japan to the vastness of Mongolia?

As I was clearing out old papers in my office, I came across something I almost didn’t keep. A simple card. It was from a trip to New Zealand many years ago. At the end of that journey, the group handed it to me — a card filled with handwritten notes from each traveler.

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.

NOV 20, 2025 – NOV 30, 2025

JAN 30, 2026 – FEB 12, 2026

JUN 25, 2026 – JUL 9, 2026

NOV 17, 2026 – NOV 29, 2026

NOV 20, 2026 – DEC 5, 2026

FEB 2, 2027 – FEB 20, 2027

MAR 18, 2027 – APR 5, 2027

MAY 21, 2027 – MAY 31, 2027

AUG 21, 2025 – SEP 7, 2025

MAY 16, 2025 – JUN 5, 2025

MAR 19, 2025 – MAR 30, 2025

AUG 08, 2024 – AUG 21, 2024

NOV 19, 2024 – DEC 01, 2024

AUG 30, 2024 – SEP 15, 2024

MAY 23, 2024 – JUN 1, 2024

APR 5, 2024 – APR 16, 2024