Why a Booktrail?
Late 1900s: Follow in the footsteps of a man who went to Japan to travel the length of the country and see its celebrated Pink Sakura or Cherry blossom Front
Hokkaido Highway Blues
What you need to know before your trail
Why does a man decide to travel the entire length of Japan in the search for cherry blossom? A journey as long as this, for this reason, had never been done before but Will Ferguson seems to have decided over a drunken bet and then decides to keep his word. What he discovers will make this a bet worth keeping as no one else in over 4000 years has done this journey and certainly not by hitchhiking. The journey is as exciting as its destination
Travel Guide
Japan’s celebrated pink sakura is renowned in Japan for being the start of spring. Its appearance announces the end of winter and the promise of a new beginning. And what a display it makes. From the Southern tip Cape Sata, through Kyushu, Honshu and Hokkaido islands, to Northern extremity Cape Soya, the trail is a glorious sight.
What makes a man want to attempt such a challenge? A lot of alcohol might have been the start yet the wit and style of writing takes you on a journey of highs and lows –
“I think I caught Niigata on a bad day. Everything looked sullen and solied and worn out. Even the cities smokestacks, painted in stripes like candy canes, emerged from the industrial haze like sooty sweets dug out from under a sofa cushion.”
Like any journey, this is an account of really getting underneath Japan’s skin and finding what makes its people tick. Or in one memorable paragraph, makes them sick. Something to do with spiced kimichi it would seem.
During the journey there are observations about everything a good traveller should attempt to see and experience, taking everything with a pinch of salt, seeing the funny in the obscure and the obscure in the everyday.
Sitting beside Will on his journey gives you an insight that you could miss if you’re not careful. This guy has an eye for astute detail and quirky facts and opinions.
Throughout his travels, he meets and catches rides with dozens of Japanese people, and experiences a certain aspect of Japanese culture. There’s a history tour as well for we meet spiritual travellers and the ancient pilgrimage routes. Sumo wrestlers, the origins of Shinto and the stunning Japanese castles are just some highlights along the way.
Where Next?
