Spring, summer, autumn, winter — Japan has its four seasons, and a region for each, full of its own appeal.
We Japanese speak of the eight million gods and have believed that a god dwells in everything. Giving thanks to nature and the gods, celebrating being alive, and nurturing the bonds between people — that is what festivals across Japan have been held for.
The everyday image is of a serious, hard-working people, but come the festival, the energy explodes. I love that overflowing energy of a matsuri myself.
Right now I am driving towards the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2023 — an enormous challenge, and a first for a Japanese woman.
This challenge takes an enormous amount of money, and I have got this far on my own strength.
But from here, people are connecting to people, and passing the flame and the energy on to me.
I am grateful from the heart for all the support.
I want you to carry the shrine
“This challenge is a noble thing! This festival of a life — rather than watching from the side, the finish gets so much bigger when everyone carries the shrine together, wasshoi, enjoying it.”
Words like that have passed the energy of this festival from person to person, and the crowdfunding campaign now carries the energy of a great many people.
Thank you, truly.
“My dream, becoming everyone’s dream”
You can absolutely do it.
Words like those, again and again, are turning my dream from an idle story into reality.
I feel the strength of human connection, gratefully, every day 💕
This challenge is teaching me a great deal about what it means to be human, and I will keep driving, staking my life on it, so this flame can pass on as a torch into everyone’s heart.
Thank you for being part of this
My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported me so far.
I will keep driving to give that feeling a form. Thank you for staying with me.