I've Made it!!

About noon on Sept. 12 I finished my "PEACE RUN 2012 Running Across Japan Part2" at Kagoshima Station after running 3482.3 km (2164.2 miles) from Wakkanai, Hokkaido.

There were so many people on my way I talked to and I shared happy moment with.

So many things happened every day, most of which I had never imagined and expected.

Life is a drama with no scenerios. That's true.

I am so sorry that I have been lazy about writing this journal on my blog.

But I kept writing my everyday story on my KAY'S BLOG in Japanese.

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/

Lots of photos are there. You can enjoy them.


Thanks so much to those who have supported me on the way.

Next time I'll run across New Zealand and Australia in 2013.
Life's been good so far. But I will keep on searching for what I got to do while running around the world!

Day 42: Ono-Iwaki

I always love the local routes, where traffic is not so heavy even though the shoulders are narrow.
Prefectural Highway Route 41 is one of the kind of my favorites.

It runs along JR Banetutousen and the Natsui River runs along the highway.

Quiet and comfortable to enjoy running into the central Iwaki City.

I didn't notice I had been running with a doggy until it barks just beside me!

Usually I stop running as I see the dog and walk quietly so as not to scare the dog.

But this time the situation was different.

So I kept running for a while as fast as I possibly could.

After I ran about 2 miles (about 3km), the dog gave up running after me and it went away.

This is not America! All the doggies should be leashed.

*Distance today: 28.6miles (46.0km)

*Total Distance from Wakkanai:1038.9 mlies (1671.56km)


More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2033.html

Day 41: Towa-Ono

Following mountain route 349.

There are not always sidewalks and shoulders.

They sometimes disappear and appear again.

Traffic is busy with trucks and trailers, which work for reconsturcution of tsunami affected area.

Abukuma Highland lies at 3000 feet above sea level.

It's been cool enough since it's cloudy.


I have run from north to south of the Pacific coast line to see what's going on around Tsunami affected area.

But I have noticed the fact I have never ever known, which mass media have never reported.

Mass media don't tell us everything we want to know.

We sometimes have to go and get what we have to know.

Those who are not the victims of 3.11 have to see anything from the point of the victims' view.

Seeing is believing...That's absolutely true.

Everything has both causes and results.

Earthquake caused Tsunami.

Tsunami caused fatal accidents of the nuclear plants and then radioactive contamination.



*Distance Today: (38.9 km)

*Total Distance from Wakkanai: (1625.56km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2032.html

Day 40: Minamisoma-Towa

I took DeTour route to avoid the area contaminated by radioactivity.

Minamisoma is just 10 miles from the area.

We still cannot go farther south.

Following the Fukushima R-12 and National Highway R-349.

After I crossed the Yagisawa Pass, I entered Iitatemura Village.

Iitatemura Village now open to public after


But there are few people who come back.

Most of the young generation have moved to different places such as Iwaki, Fukushima or Koriyama.

I felt as though I had been running in the ghost town, which I often saw in the Mid-West of the US.

They didn't want to move out but they had to.

All of sudden people were gone.

City hall, post office, stores and houses are all empty except a few .

I saw a signboard on the door of the store which said 24-hours OPEN, which made me feel sad.

I entered Kawamata Cho next to Iitatemura and talked with a woman at the grocery store.

She moved from other town which now belongs to the radiation warning area.

"Without Nuclear Plant...everything would be OK...people, houses and business..."

But it's too late.

"Fukushima would not be what it used to be if nothing had been changed."


*Distance Today: (54.0 km)

*Total Distance from Wakkanai: (1586.66km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2030.html

Day 31:Kamaishi-Rikuzentakata

Today I had a partner who ran with me all the way.

A friend of mine, Mr.Yamamoto is a ultra-runner who has already done 70km-marathon in May.

And a photographer Midori drove to Kamaishi with him.

The route was full of variety, tunnels and climbing hills here and there.

Long way to Rikuzentakata.

We had a scattered rain in the afternoon.

I said goodby to Mr.Yamamoto and Midori at the supermarket in Rikuzentakata.

Pitched my tent after the supermarket was closed.

*Distance today: 36.5 miles (58.8km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 795.miles (1279.26km)



More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2022.html

Day 30: Miyako-Kamaishi

Route 45 is a National Highway, which is hard to travel because of lots of hills and tunnels.

A typical coast line of Sanriku Kaigan annoys me everyday.

Towns lie just between mountains.

I was shocked to see the railway tracks torn apart...where there was just a plat form there.

But people have to go on living.

A barber's shop was open on the third floor even though the first and second floor was broken by Tsunami.

There are convenience stores open 7-11 but the building were prefabricated.

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2021.html

Day 29: Tanohata-Miyako

Hill climb in the rain...

No time to dry my rain suits.

More than a year has passed since 3.11 Earthquake but there are so many places which look the same as the very next day of 3.11.

There used to be a town, a house, a store somewhere around here but suddenly everything was gone.

I don't know what to say at Tsunami affected area when I pictured the schene on my mind.

Many people still live in temporary houses.

Most of them are built in the playground of  the school.

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2020.html

Day 28: Kuji-Tanohata

The day after I ran 43 miles, I feel OK.

Climbing hills again.

I saw the aftermath of Big Earthquake in Tohoku 3.11 last year.

There are so many things we have to do for the Tsunami affected area.

It's going to be hard to find a place to stay around here because many construction workers come around this area.

So I pitched my tent at Michi no Eki Tanohata.

When there's no rain, it's OK to camp out.

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2019.html

Day 27: Hachinohe-Kuji

Took a ferry boat from Tomakomai to Hachinohe.

Woke up to find myself in Aomori Prefecture.

In 9 hours I was not in Hokkaido.

Started  to run at the port and Koyachi-san was waiting for me.

We ran together till we got to the entrance of Route 45.

Kind of humid and warm.

It was totally different from the climate in Hokkaido.

R45 led me to Kuji, Iwate Prefecture.

As I go down in south, I will see more places affected by Tsunami of 3.11.

Ran the longest stretch since I left Wakkanai today 41.1miles (66.1km).

Hard time will go on for a while here in Honshu Island.


*Distance today:41.1miles (66.1km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 666 miles (1071.56km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2018.html

Day 26: Tomakomai-Hachinohe

Today is the final day I spend in Hokkaido.

I got to take a ferryboat to Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture.

The second stage starts in Honshu Island.

Had a late breakfast at Cycling Terminal.

Checked out about 10 am and walked around Midorigaoka Park.

Cool and dry climate here made me feel comfortable but as soon as I enter Honshu Island I have to suffer from humidity and heat of the summer.

I noticed I had lost my cash card of Yucho Bank at the post office in Tomakomai.

A officer called the post office of Shari, where I used the card last.

I didn't know I had left it there until the officer told me so.

I asked him to send the card at the post office where I am going to stop by in Honshu Island.

Fortunately nobody thought of something bad.

I sometimes do something I cannot imagine.


My ferry left Tomakomai Port at 9:45pm.



*Distance today: 5.8 miles (9.26km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 624.9miles (1005.46km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2017.html

Day 25: Tomikawa-Tomakomai

Final day of running across Hokkaido Island, which is the 1st stage of my PEACE RUN 2012 Running Across Japan.

Raining a bit as soon as I started the day.

Tomakomai is also one of the biggest cities in Hokkaido.

I can't say it's no more wild land in Tomakomai.

Big trucks and traffic lights here and there.

I know this is the city!

3:20 pm, I arrived at JR Tomakomai Station, my goal of Hokkaido run.

25 days, (960km) journey.


Next stage in Honshu Island, which starts in Hachinohe, Aomori to Kobe, Hyogo.

The longest stretch but there are major cities of Japan such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka.


Wondering how many people I'm gonna encounter.

Wondering what kind of run I'll have...


*Distance today:  32.5mils (52.3km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai:  594.5miles (956.6km)



















More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2016.html

Day 24: Shizunai-Tomikawa

Cloudy,  some scattered shower but I didn't mind it at all.

Yasuko, the daughter of Samani Station Inn(Ekimae Minshuku)'s Okamisan (Owner) and Miki, Yasuko's friend came and see me on the road.

A guy stopped his car just in front of me and gave me a canned coffee, when I thought of sipping some coffee.

It's kind of miracle, isn't it?

Another guy also stopped his car and asked me if I was an Adventure Runner of PEACE RUN.


Tomorrow is the final day of running across Hokkaido Island.

I'll finish my run in Tomakomai, then take ferryboat to Hachinohe from Tomakomai Port.


Funny how time flies.



*Today's run: 25.5 miles (41.0km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai:  562.0 miles (904.3km)

More phoitos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2015.html

Day 23: Samani-Shizunai

Had a day off yesterday.

Ekimae Minshuku was the one of the best inns in Hokkaido.

Warm hospitality and wonderful food treated me a lot.

Owner's wife, Okami-san took good care of me while I was staying there.

I showed up on today's paper.

On the way to Shizunai, three men said that they had seen the article.

Two days to Tomakomai, the goal of running across Hokkaido Island.

Tonight I am staying with the Okami-san's daughter and her husband.

How nice of Okami-san to have shown the best care to a traveler!

I really appreciate her kindness and realized how lucky I was to stay in Samani.


*Today's distance: 37.9 miles (61km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai:536.5 miles  (863.3km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2014.html

Day 21: Erimo-Samani

Gusty and misty in the morning.
Visited Cape Erimo, the southernmost tip of Hokkaido.

Took me three weeks from Cape Soya, the northernmost point of Japan.

Covered 500 miles so far.

I'll finish crossing Hokkaido in three days.

Enjoy meeting good people everyday.

That's why I keep going.

*Distance today: 28.8miles (46.4km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 498.6miles (802.3km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

Day 20: Hiroo-Erimo

Warm, sunny day.

No rain three days in a row.

R336 is partly called Ogon Doro(Golden Road) because it has cost a huge amount of money to get it maintained.

Lots of tunnels. The longest one is Erimo Ogon Tunnel, about 3 miles long. It is also the longest tunnel in Hokkaido.

I don't like tunnel because of its smell and noise.

Some tunnels have no sidewalks or shoulders.

Sometimes it's scary.

About noon, I finished today's run at Hyakuninhama Campground.

This is a perfect day for camping.


*Distance today: 24.6miles (39.6km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 494.4miles (795.5km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2011.html

Day 19 Taiki-Hiroo

It was not warm but hot today.

The temperature rose all of a sudden.

As I was not ready for the heat yet, this heat was hard for me.

Here I am in Hiroo, about 50 miles (80km) south from Urahoro.

Today I saw the first convenience store since I left Urahoro.

I guess people living in the city can't believe there is a town like that in Japan even now.

Lots of farmers' house here and smells of dried grass and animals remind me that I am in Hokkaido.

Tomorrow I'll be camping in campsite near Cape Erimo, the southernmost tip of Hokkaido Island.


*Distance today: 22.3miles (35.9km)

*Total Distance from Wakkanai: 469.8miles (755.9km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

 http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2010.html

Day 18: Urahoro-Taiki

Sunny day. Warm enough to run.

50 miles (80km) nothing between Urahoro and Hiroo.

It's been fun running in the wild land.

So many ups and downs.

Kind of boring, sometimes depressive.

Probably my run in Hokkaido will soon end in 5 or 6 days.

I wish I would stay a little bit longer in Hokkaido.


*Today's distance:  27.3miles (44km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 447.5 miles (720km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG.

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2008.html

Day17: Ombetsu-Urahoro

Misty morning. Not that cold for camping out.
Pitched my tend under a tree but a bird kept tweeting almost all night long.
I guess I must have invaded its territory.

Sunny day breaks.
Blue sky was seen for the first time in a week.
Warm enough to run.
Felt like the first summer day!

Short day.
Ran through three tunnels.
Tunnels are what I scare most.
Noise and smell...
If they have sidewalk, they are very nice to bikers and walkers.
But most of tunnels have narrow shoulders.
Some of them have no shoulders.
If they are long, I have to struggle in the dark.
I have run 3 mile (5km) tunnel before.
It took me about 40 minutes to get through.

I finished today's run about 11am at Urahoro.
Took a bath and washed my clothes.
Got to dry something wet such as tent, sleeping bag and matress.
Getting closer to the southernmost tip of Hokkaido, Cape Erimo.

*Distance today: 18.8miles  (30.2km)
*Total distance from Wakkanai: 420.1miles (676.0km)

Day 16: Kushiro-Ombetsu

As is often the case, I started running in the morning.

Rain suits on again.

Left one of the biggest cities in Hokkaido, Kushiro, I see mountains, rivers and wild land again/

It stopped raining in the afternoon.

Getting warm.

There were two inns in Ombetsu, today's goal, but both were occupied.

So I found a place to camp out at a community center.

Not that cold tonight.

Fortunately no rain at all!


*Distance today: 29.3 miles (47.1km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 401.4mniles (645.8km)

Day 15: Akkeshi-Kushiro

Wet, wet, wet because of misty weather.

Put on and off my rain suits.

But the temperature was not so low.

Warm enough to run.

As I got closer to downtown Kushiro, traffic became heavier.

The city of Kushiro is as big as Sapporo.

It has almost everything such as McDonalds, Kentucky and Aeon.

There were some uncomfortable parts on Route 44.

The shoulder was narrow and was not smooth partly.

I saw some sighboards of BEAR WARNING.

 





















*Distance today: 34.4 miles (55.3km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 372.1 imles (598.7km)


More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2005.html

Day 14: Day Off at Akkeshi

Here's another YouTube movie of PEACE RUN 2012 Running Across Japan PART2.






See Google Map below, which shows the route I have taken. Covered almost half distance of my trek across Hokkaido. And it's also one-fifth of my whole trek.

Day 13: Attoko-Akkeshi

A tragedy has come all of a sudden.

I sneaked into my sleeping bag, when it started to rain.

A gusty wind kept me from sleeping.

Around 11 pm, I noticed some water on a floorsheet of my tent.

Wind was so gusty that rain was getting into my tent.

For a while I was fighting against wind and rain.

Fanned by a strong wind,  the fly sheet was flapped and two stakes were gone with the wind.

It took me about 5 minutes to find them.

It was dark at midnight.

While I was searching for the stakes, the floor of the tent was tottaly wet.

Finally I gave up camping out.

I escaped into an apartment house nearby, where I kept away from rain and wind.

I put everything together inside the door of the apartment.

Everything was wet, wet, wet.

I was waiting for the dawn without sleeping.

Around 4 am, I started running again,  cold rain and strong wind still annoyed me.

Felt as if I was running in the winter rain.

When I stopped, I couldn't stop shivering.

There was no shelter in the wilderness.

But I kept going until I got to Akkeshi at 2 pm.

I rushed into a small inn near the staiton.

Fortunately,  bathroom is available 24 hours a day.

So I had a wonderful moment in a hot bath for a while.

How lucky I had been to have survived this hardship...

*Distance today: 29.1 miles (46.8km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 337.7 miles (543.4km)


More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2003.html

Day 12: Shibetsu-Attoko

Running into the wild...That's what I always want to do.

It's good to run in the middle of nowhere.

No civilization, no convenience stores, no internet...

I also enjoy meeting people, cyclists, motorbike tourisit and hitchhikers.

It's fun to enjoy each day. even troubles and accidents.

Wide open spaces here and there everywhere in Hokkaido.

I feel as if I were in different country like Canada or New Zealand.

When I finished my run at Attoko Station, I heard there was no hotels or inns in Attoko.

So I tried to find a place to pitch my tent.

Fortunately I found a community park nearby.

Here comes a tragedy after this...

*Distance today:  37.8 miles (60.8km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 308.6 miles (496.6km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-2002.html

Day 11: Shari-Shibetsu

Left Shari at 5:20 am.

The sky was clear enough to enjoy 35 miles (57km) run today.

Taking R244 to Shibetsu via Kompoku Pass 1612 ft (490m),  I got to run across Shiretoko Peninsula.

Highway was so quiet.

Elevation rose inch by inch as I got close to the Kompoku Pass.

At 10 am, I reached the Kompoku Pass.

While running downhill, I was in the fog, so wet.

Some rolling hills, then straight highway ahead.

After 3 pm, I got to the town of Shibetsu.

No services at all this 35 miles (57km).

But here I am in Japan, where there is no desert.

I feel safe because I am in Japan, my native country.

*Distance today: 35.8miles (57.6km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 270.9miles (435.8km)




More  Photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fkaytaka.blog35.fc2.com%2Fblog-entry-2001.html&h=VAQFWJZ2GAQFP5AjZUJlch_rzz4gxUrHkr9SS5sgEYAdpMA

Day 10: Day Off at Abashiri

PEACE RUN 2012 Running Across Japan Part2

You Tube Movies

Stage1: Hokkaido

1) Wakkanai-Mombetsu




2) Saroma-Abashiri




More information available at PEACE RUN Official Site

http://www.peace-run.com/

Day 9: Abashiri-Shari

Cloudy for the first 6 miles (10km) until I got to Kitahama.

Then it started to shower and pouring rain...

About 20 miles running against the cold wind.

Just kept running except to take a lunch break at Hamakoshimizu Station.

Wet, wet, wet...inside my shoes, socks.

A tour bus gave me a shit!

I took a shower of muddy water as the bus passed me on the road.

The shoulder became a river and I found a small pond on the corner of intersection.

Some rain, some shine...life is not always easy.

I always say to myself things are sometimes hard to follow.

*Distance today: 35.8miles (57.6km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 264.6miles (425.8km)


More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-1999.html

Day 8: Day-Off at Abashiri

Took a day-off for the first time since I left Wakkanai.

Here I am in a small inn called Anima-no-sato, which is at the edge of Abashiri City.

I see some horses and sheep.

This picutre reminds me of New Zealand, doesn't it?

Time passes so slow and I feel mellow...Yuttari Mattari in Japanese...I love it!


Spending most of the day just in front of my laptop computer.

Took a nap for a while.

Walk around the farm before dinner.


Good food & drink, good people, good time!

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-1998.html

Day 7: Kerochi-Abashiri

Woke up at 3:30 am.

The day starts early in northern country.


Chilly in the morning but when the sun shines it keeps me warm.

Ran 25 miles (40km) in the morning.

Afternoon 12 miles (20km) was tough and hard for me.


Ran along the Okhotsk Cycling Road (bike path) from Tokoro to Abashiri, which used to be railway tracks.


When it's warm, lots of bugs annoy me even while I'm running.

Feeling itchy on both ankles.


I ran 7 days in a row from Wakkanai, covered 207 miles (333km), which is one-third of the tatal distance I will run in Hokkaido.

Need to have my legs rested from time to time.

More photos on KAY'S BLOG.

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-1997.html

Day 6: Mombetsu-Kerochi

Cloudy in the morning but soon the sky cleared up.

It's been dry. Warm enough to keep running.

Saroma 100km Ultra Marathon Race, which is one of the oldest ultra marathon races in Japan,  is held on Sunday 24th.

I ran along the route for a while.

I finished the 5th Saroma 100km in 1989 for the first time.

At that time about 500 runners entered the race but this time almost 4000 runners will come together.

Amazing!

There are many ultra runners who have finished this race more than 10 times.

They are called "Saroman Blue."

Ultra marathon is not a race, it should be thought to be a travel.

It is important to enjoy each step, slow and steady.


Tonight I stay on a train car (steam locomotaive).

This used to be a station but there's no railway service any more.

Now the town runs a community park and offered a place to stay for travelers.


*Distance today: 28.2 miles (45.4km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 167.1 miles (268.9km)

More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-1996.html

Day 5: Omu-Mombetsu

Still chilly. The temperature refuses to rise.

But some sunshine and blue sky entertained me this afternoon.

Getting close to Abashiri, I came back into the network again as I drew near to Mombetsu.

I don't want to be an internet refugee!

Analogue life is sometimes fun because we can have more time to enjoy daily life.


Two more  days to go to Abashiri, then I'm going to take a day-off.


At night I was invited to a dinner at BBQ restaurant.

A friend of mine of facebook introduced me to the owner of the restaurant.

How lucky I was!

*Distance today: 28.2 miles (45.3km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 138.9 miles (223.5km)











More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-1995.html

Day 4: Esashi-Omu

Gray sky turned into blue late in the morning.

Getting warmer and I feel better.


Sometimes I feel as if I was running across the US again.

Or I feel as if I had kept running across Japan since 2010.

A traveler might have different clock and the sense of time within him/her.


I use a bus stop as a rest area.

Most of the bus stop have a small shelter to keep from rain, snow and wind.

I can take a nap or a short break in there.


In Hokkaido, there are facilities called Michi-no-Eki(Road Station) on each highway.

They have restrooms, bench, veberage machines.

Some have hot spa, campsites restaurants or even hotels.


I often pitched my tent at Michi-no-Eki 2 years ago.

Of course it was free.


Tonight I was able to get into network for the first time in 4 days.

Thank God I can check e-mails and enjoy Tweeter and Facebook!

I was busy making a renewal of my blog.

*Distance today: 32.9miles (53.0km)

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 110.8miles (178.2km)




More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-1993.html

Day 3: Hamatombetsu-Esashi

Chilly morning.

This is the climate of winter, isn't it?

Running along the coastline of the Ohotsk Sea, I always have side wind.

While running I don't care but once I stop running I feel cold and start shivering.


The northeastern part of Hokkaido is kind of weird.

Very few people walk in downtown and each shop is very quiet as if they closed its business.

Many senior citizens can be seen but young generation can seldom seen in town.


Many schools have been closed with the population decreasing year by year.

Some lines of the JR(Japan Railway) stopped their services.

Abandoned houses here and there.

Ghost towns are easily born here for sure.


I wonder why people from Honshu don't move to Hokkaido.

There are so many open wide spaces that you can have many chances on business.

It's no use for people to move only to the captital Tokyo.



The sky is gray. I felt kind of depressed but I'll be patient.

Some rain, some shine...

I just can go on!

*Distance today: 19.5 miles (31.3km)

*Total Distance from Wakkanai: 77.8 miles (125.2km)



More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-entry-1993.html

Day 2: Cape Soya-Hamatombetsu

Woke up around 4 am. The sun rises as early as 3:30 am in Hokkaido.

It's good for us runners, isn't it?

The smell of the sea breeze makes me feel good.

Japan is surrounded by the sea, which entertains me the most.

I love seafood so much and the sound of the waves is sweet in my ears.

Run, eat and sleep...my life is very simple while I'm traveling.

I don't have to think about anything meaningless.

I just want to enjoy my life through running.

Live, run and travel...that's what life is all about!

I found a small inn in downtown Hamatombetsu.

Bought some food and beer and enjoyed a meal by myself.

Since I left Wakkanai, I've been out of network.

I called my manager Mr.Kimura sayting that I had no internet service.

Sometimes somthing like that happens.

Nothing really matters!

*Distance today: 38.7miles(62.0km) 

*Total distance from Wakkanai: 58.4 miles(93.9km)


More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-date-20120610.html

Day 1: Wakkanai-Cape Soya

Finally I got back on the road again.

My partner MUSASHI(Babyjogger) was newly reformed and got downsized a bit.

Cloudy and chilly.  Sometimes scatter showered.

But I felt so good getting back to my running days.

Running in Hokkaido reminds me of running in the US especially in Mid-West where I often hit a place like in the middle of nowhere.

No people, no stores, no towns...so many open wide spaces.

Wild deer and fox were my gusets on the road.

Today I finished my run at Cape Soya, the northern-most point of Japan.

This is the place where I started my first running across Japan in 2010.

*Distance today 19.8miles (=31.9km)



More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/blog-date-20120609.html

I'm Ready!

Tomorrow is the day when I start my PEACE RUN 2012 Running Across Japan.

Here I am in Wakkanai ready  to start for tomorrow.

My MUSASHI had been waiting for me to arrive here since several days ago.

It's been cool and a bit wet here in Hokkaido where there's no rainy season.

Most parts of Japan are in rainy season.


My running days will surely come!


More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/

Day -3 Otaru, Hokkaido.

Here I am in Otaru, Hokkaido after 20-hour-seacruise from Maizuru, Kyoto.

Last time I was here in 2010, I was on the way running across Japan for the first time.

3343km and 108-day trek was not that easy, but I finally made it.

I came back in Hokkaido after I ran across the US in 2011.

Feeling like as if I were back in 2010, I'm staying at a backpacker's hostel MORI-NO-KI in Otaru.

On Friday 9th, I'll be back on the road in Wakkanai, the northernmost city in Japan, heading for Kagoshima, my final destination.

Our future should be filled with HOPE and DREAMS.

That's why I keep going and running till the end of the world...


More photos on KAY'S BLOG

http://kaytaka.blog35.fc2.com/

Kyoto Kamogawa Eco Marathon

June 3 was the day I run Kyoto Kamogawa Eco Marathon as a guest runner.

It's a small size marathon race with 500 runners entry running along the Kamogawa River, Kyoto City.

One of my friends, Aya Uchida attended as a radio personality of Sanjo Cafe FM.

She made "My Goal" a support song of "PEACE RUN Running 40,000km on 5 Continents" and she is also a member of PEACE RUN.

She just started running as a fun runner.

Hope she enjoys running as well as singing.

More photos on KAY'S BLOG.

Share PEACE!

We are all connected to each other.

Everyone is different from each other but it doesn't matter at all.

Everyone can share anything with anyone else.

PEACE RUN wants everyone of us to be connected to people all over the world.

PEACE is what we all have to share...

PEACE RUN 2012

One year has passed since I ran PEACE RUN 2011 Running Across America last year.

Here I am in Iga, Mie, Japan, getting ready for the next epic journey PEACE RUN 2012 Running Across Japan Part2.

I'll be back on the road again next week in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, which will be a starting point of this trek. My final destination is Kagoshima, Kyushu.

This is the second time I run across Japan continued from PEACE RUN 2010 Running Across Japan.

And also this is just an intermission between two journeys, PEACE RUN 2011 Running Across America and PEACE RUN 2013 Running Across Australia.


I'd like you guys who are interested in my adventure to see this blog and I'll let you know what's going around me.

Day 1 starts on June 9th.

More photos will be shown on my official blog "KAY'S BLOG" (Japanese Site)


PEACE RUN 2012 Site

PEACE RUN Official Site